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A few different types of land surveys can help determine certain features and boundaries of your property. These include:

• Boundary surveys describe the actual borders of a property. These are generally required when trying to get construction permits issued. 

• Location surveys provide much of the same information as a boundary survey but also include in-depth information about any improvements made to your property. 

• Mortgage location surveys are usually required by lenders and title companies before financing or offering an insurance policy. 

• Site-planning surveys are done before applying for building permits and can be issued before any major home improvements. 

• Topographic surveys provide a formal map of land elevations. It can also describe the location and size of natural features and any land improvements.

Land surveys don’t technically expire. They do serve as a point of reference and a snapshot of your property, though, so as soon as you make changes to your property (and even if your neighbor makes certain changes to theirs), your existing land survey becomes inaccurate, and a new one must be done. Even if you don’t make any changes to your property, many states only guarantee the accuracy of a land survey for five to ten years.

A land survey can take anywhere from a few hours to a month or more, depending on the size of the property, the type of survey, the property’s accessibility and topography, and the availability of historical property records. A simple boundary survey to determine a fence line can be completed in a day while surveying 50 acres of undeveloped woodlands may take weeks or longer.

You should always calculate real estate development costs on a case-by-case basis, so there’s no specific formula to estimate your total. You should speak with a local construction manager to see what you’ll need to do in terms of clearing and leveling the land, connecting utilities, and pulling permits for construction. A professional will be able to get you an accurate estimate for land development.