Signed the contract with the surveyor yesterday. Maybe now I can get on the calendar and get an idea of when this project will be done. Before I do anything near what I think are the borders of the property, I want to know. I am a very territorial critter and that cuts both ways…I want to know the borders precisely so I can make sure theyre respected, and I want to be twice as sure that Im respecting other peoples property.
Very much looking forward to the day I get the report back from the surveyor with a list of GPS coords to go find the markers with.
Give the neighbors a heads up?
I suppose I should. Honestly, for what Im being charged I feel like it shouldbe their job, not mine. But….
I’ll need to send letters to the addresses of record since most of the places they’ll need to go to are lots that have no development on them.
https://mca.legmt.gov/bills/mca/title_0700/chapter_0160/part_0010/section_0110/0700-0160-0010-0110.html
Looks like the surveyor must notify.
Yes; it’s a good opportunity to meet the neighbors by giving them a personal heads up.
After surveys were done, I replaced all the wooden survey stakes with 1/2″ pvc pipe. Cause wood rots.
My plan is to drive rebar in the ground and slide PVC over it.
That is a good idea.
Drive TWO pieces of re-bar; one above ground and the other below ground.
This way way when some mutt starts moving the pin that shows, he’ll miss the underground one. I know these things.
NurseDaddy
Please, please do not disturb the monuments that you are likely paying five figures for. The Registered Land Surveyor you have contracted with will place substantial monuments in a manner subject to the professional standards defined by his licensing body. It is unlikely that it will be necessary to improve upon his efforts.
Additionally, it is a criminal offense in every state of the union to disturb a survey monument. Prosecution is rare, but is often the result of a PO’d surveyor.
It is my understanding that some surveyors will put metal spikes in the ground to mark your borders. These last much longer than spray-painted lines or little flags on metal sticks. If he marks the 4 corners with spikes and then a few along each length of the property, you will not only have your phone to rely on, but a cheap metal detector can show as well where the property lines actually are.
Best of luck to you and thank you for sharing the experience with the rest of us so we can all hopefully learn together on your dime 🙂
FWIW, Montana Cadastral will give you the Lat/Lon of parcel corners.
OnX is the easiest way to get as close as a consumer grade (phone/garmin/whatever) GPS can get you, 30 ft or so.
It’ll also give you the property owner’s name. Very handy.
OnX has a problem with accurate owners names in some areas. I’d check Cadastral to be certain.
Around here, OnX has LOTS of patented land listed as government owned and people feel that gives them rights to it.
As my teacher hammered into me when doing historical research: ALWAYS go back to the primary source, which in this case is the county or state.
When I had a piece of rural property surveyed a couple decades ago I gave the surveyor a bunch of junkyard truck axles, complete with hub flanges, and a sledge hammer. I requested that they be driven in on the corners, and in between, so that each was visible from the next. Cost me an additional $150 for the service plus about $40 for the axles, but I can stand on one and see the next closest one in each direction (with binoculars, and when the leaves are off the trees….) so there’s no doubt about where the property lines are. 20+ years later they’re rusty but still there.
around here that’s back azzward – you survey as part of the closing – make damn sure there’s absolutely noooooooo problem before the $$$$ goes down – make sure both parties agree to where the lines should be ……
Agreed. In some jurisdictions, they won’t let you close without a new survey if the old one doesn’t meet current standards.
And paying for that should be the seller’s job.
That’s cool man. I am excited to watch you go along this journey.
Definitely ask the surveyor to place corners with iron rebar with plastic caps and make sure you get a stamped survey recorded at the county office. Then go back, find the corners and put up the pvc pipe as visible markers. Always want to be bulletproof in property line disputes. Then a simple metal detector can find the iron rebar if someone gets to frisky with a backhoe or dozer.
As others have already said, when the markers are placed, hammer a length of rebar or metal rod at those locations below ground level. I’ve had my survey stakes “moved” by unseen forces over time. The forces will not know of the underground rods but you will. And animals chew those plastic caps off too, so painting or marking the rods will make it easier to locate when they do.
Shame on you for buying/closing without a survey. It will show easements, etc….
Also, next is making sure it agrees with the adjacent properties’ surveys. If it doesn’t, then the real “fun” begins.