What Is the Definition of a Land Survey?

by | Aug 17, 2020 | Surveying Related

Did you know that the projected employment for a professional land surveyor is expected to be at 52,200 open positions by 2028?

If you’re looking to get into a career as a professional land surveyor, chances are you’re looking to learn about what exactly a land survey is. That’s why today, I’ve created this quick guide to help you understand if working in the land survey industry is the right choice for you. Keep reading to learn more.

What Exactly Is a Land Survey?
A land survey is a combination of three things: science, a profession, and technique.

Combining these three things allows a professional land surveyor to determine the 3D position of points, distances, and angles between the surface of the Earth. By discovering these distances, angles, and points, a professional land surveyor can establish information about the land to create maps.

Professional land surveyors also help determine boundaries for land ownership and buildings’ locations. The points of discovery that a professional land surveyor finds will be used sometimes for civil law or government law.

Common Land Survey Technology
One of the most common pieces of equipment used in land surveying is the theodolite, or Total Station. Other standard technologies that are used by professional land surveyors include a GPS, data collectors, laser levels, amongst other technological equipment.

How to Become a Professional Land Surveyor
To get started as a professional land surveyor, most states require you to have a Bachelor’s degree, but such is NOT the case in Missouri.  No experience or education is required to get started in the field, but to obtain a license, 12 hours of specific college credit coursework is required, along with several years of apprenticeship.

Most people that work as professional land surveyors are very sophisticated in both math and technology. In most of the United States, you have to have at least four years of apprenticeships work to become licensed.

But, the average salary may be plenty of an incentive for you to make it through those years of training and various state and federal tests!

Why Should You Have a Land Survey Done?
A land survey is critical in protecting the investment of your property. Having a survey completed can help you to understand the exact location of your property, the exact size of your property, and the dimensions of your property.

Another piece of information that you’ll get from a land survey will be the location of any improvements that have been made on the land. You’ll get an idea if there are any fences, structures, driveways, or other items that are on your property.

Understanding What a Land Survey Is
A land survey is a great tool to have when trying to decide where property lines are located or where the features of a property are. If surveys weren’t completed, we wouldn’t be able to identify where pieces of the property begin and end.

Are you interested in having a land survey completed on your property? We’re here to help you! Click here to contact us today to learn more.