Foundation Location Surveys

Foundation location surveys are designed to locate improvements on a property that have been made horizontally or vertically, with respect to the property boundary in mind. This survey is not typically combined with a recorded boundary survey because that information (that is boundary information) is already known and recorded on the plat of subdivision. Basically, it collects information about the position of the foundation that was poured by a contractor. This ensures that the foundation is in the right location and that it is built with the proper setbacks and zoning methods in mind. When choosing where to put a foundation, there are rules and regulations to follow, and surveys will ensure that those rules are met. Some concerns in the location of a foundation are: building setback lines, existing utility easements, zoning or environmental buffers, and lot specific restraints in regard to foundation placement.

Foundation location surveys are becoming much more popular with the increase in new construction. County agencies, city agencies and banks and mortgage companies are requesting these types of surveys more and more often. Banks and mortgage companies want a professional to certify that the house they are backing with a mortgage is in the clear in regard to zoning setbacks, building setbacks and existing easements.

Being able to have a professional land surveyor locate the foundation and ensure that it was built properly is a necessary part of having a foundation poured for new construction or a whole house renovation or addition. Whether the foundation is a concrete slab or a full or partial basement, professional land surveyors have to take notes and measurements to determine the size of the structure, ensure that proper setbacks are met, and ensure that the foundation does not exceed the dimensions allowed for a particular parcel of the land. 

Locating the foundation and putting it into measurements and building terms might sound simple enough, but people need to understand that this is something that is required by state and federal permitting boards to ensure that a home is recorded properly and that homes are being built properly to pass the state or local codes that are in place. It’s all about taking the time to let professionals make sure that the work is done correctly. Foundation location surveys are just one part of the checklist that needs to be crossed off in the building process. 

A professional land surveyor will typically be called out once the foundation has been poured and cured. They will take measurements, compare the measurements of the property to the structure foundation and make notes about size and location to be recorded in the property description on the deed, but also to be filed with the permitting agencies so that construction workers can continue with a project once the foundation is poured. This is something that needs to be left to the professionals, like all land surveys, and people need to ensure that they have the work done by the best professional land surveyors with the right experience to get the best results.