“How Much Does a Land Survey Cost? [2024 Data]”
Written by Em Norton, found on Angi.com, retrieved on October 22nd, 2024
- Or what I like to call, A well written fantasy!
TLDR F- - (yes, F minus minus), The article is actually well written, and I think Em did a great job with what they had, but all of the price quotes are garbage. GIGO, Garbage in, Garbage out.
Full disclosure, at a previous company, I tried to work with Angi’s list. I knew it would be painful, but I also knew how they generated the numbers they used. I told them repeatedly, I wanted to work with Angi’s developers to help improve the listing of surveying services, to give them good data. They basically said yeah, sounds great, and then nothing. Total lip service.
See my previous blog about factors that impact surveys and costs.
Haven spoken to one of the author’s they occasionally contract to write this article, I know they give them the data collected on their website, and then tell them to update the article. I know a version of this article has been around since at least 2006, and it has been a running joke in the surveying community from Tennessee to Washington state, and I am sure everywhere else.
Here I am going to correct the tabular data used, and leave the article alone. Why is there data wrong do you ask? Because they 1, have too few data points, 2, the services listed on the request form are not always relevant or accurate, and 3, a potential client thinks they need a record of survey, but I suspect most that are “successful” sales are in fact corner recoveries. A corner recovery is where a surveyor finds your existing recorded corners, not determine boundaries and set new or replacement corners. A corner recovery is vastly less expensive, but only possible in limited circumstances. (If you would like to know if yours is one, please give me a call!)
Price range tool, set for my Zip Code (98310) shows average of $1,123, Low of $700, and High of $1,500. I would 100% agree with this, if they were talking a corner recovery. For a Boundary Survey, I would estimate it at average of $2,800, Low of $1,800 and a High of about $5,000. I am using a MODE average, not MEAN.
OK, first table, Size
Angi’s Numbers Actual Surveyors numbers
Property Size Cost Property Size Cost
1 acre $200 – $500 1 acre $2,500 – $5,000
5 acres $1,000 – $2,500 5 acres $3,500 – $8,500
10 acres $2,000 – $5,000 10 acres $4,000 – $15,000
Remember, see my other blog for the factors that impact cost, these are just rough estimates, but there are so many factors that can move those numbers up or down.
OK, Second Table, Type of Survey
Angi’s Numbers Actual Surveyors numbers
Type of Survey Cost Type of Survey Cost
Boundary Survey $100 – $600 Boundary Survey $2,500 – $5,000
Topographic Survey $500 – $1,200 Topographic Survey $3,500 – $8,500
Mortgage Survey* $500 “I do not think that means what you think it means”
Fence Land Survey** $250 – $1,000 Fence Land Survey $1250 – $1,500
As-Built Survey*** $800 – $1,200 As-Built Survey $3,500 – $8,500
ALTA Survey $1,200 – $3,000 ALTA Survey $2,500 – $5,000+
Subdivision Survey $300 – $1,000 Subdivision Survey $5,000 – $10,000+
New Construction Survey $400.– $1,800 New Construction Survey $1,500– $????
*As far as I know, a “Mortgage Survey” is an ALTA (American Land Tittle Association) Survey, which is sometimes called a super survey, and they are NEVER cheap. They are usually required by banks lending on multi-million dollar properties.
** Fence Land Survey, this would typically fall under a corner recovery. When you have corners (maybe you don’t know where they are, or maybe you cant see between them) and you have a survey company mark them, and stake a proposed fence line location between them.
*** an As-Built Survey is typically required after construction of a subdivision infrastructure or commercial building. For the average home owner, what they need similar to that is a topographic survey, and it is typically used by design professionals to help plan out building on a site, or modifications to an existing one.
Subdivision surveys are for dividing land into smaller lots. Where I live an work, it requires a great deal, including multi page maps that are submitted to the review authority (city or county.) Not your average survey, nor simple in any means and requires many hours in the office and the field. This could be for dividing a lot into two lots, or taking a 110+ acre lot and dividing it into hundreds of new lots.
New construction surveys should not be in here. Construction companies call for this service, and if they are using Angi’s list, find your self a different builder. These can be for a single house, a 500 lot subdivision, or an amazon warehouse.
I can’t give location information for anywhere other than my little corner of Western Washington, but I hope the above helps.
P.S. I did notice that Angi’s now has a place to email quotes to Angi’s for them to improve their prices, I might just have to cc them every time.
