
How much does it cost to have a survey done?
The surveyor will visit the property to conduct a survey. According to the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors, a survey can cost a few hundred dollars or a few thousand, depending on the size of the land. The cost also depends on the time it takes the surveyor to research property records. Show Comments.
How do I find a survey on my property in Ontario?
Visit your nearest Service Ontario service counter that deals with land records. See Resources 1 for a service location finder that uses your postal code to search the one nearest you. This will allow you to search records to find the latest survey for your land. Contact the seller of your new home.
What is a land survey and why do I need one?
In Ontario, a land survey is sometimes called a surveyor's real property report. It contains important facts about the property including the legal description of the property, the street address, the physical dimensions of the property and buildings around the property and improvements that have been made on the land. Step 1
How much does it cost to survey 20 acres of land?
To survey 20 acres of land, expect to pay between $1,000 to $2,000 with the average cost being around $1,500. How much does it cost to survey 40 acres? On average, the cost to survey a 40-acre plot of land is $3,500 with many homeowners reporting prices between $2,500 and $5,000.
How much does it cost to hire a land surveyor?
How much does a land surveyor charge per hour?
How much does a plat survey cost?
How to find property lines?
How long is a survey valid?
How much does a surveyor charge for a stake?
What is the worst option a landowner could consider?
See 4 more
About this website

Property Boundary Line Survey Pricing [2022]: How Much Does it Cost to ...
To truly know your legal property boundary lines, you need to get a boundary survey done. Boundary surveys are commonly performed when property owners need to determine the boundaries for a DIY or professional construction job, when selling the property to ensure the description of the property's size is accurate, and when settling a property dispute.
2022 Cost of a Property Survey - Estimates and Prices Paid
How much a property survey should cost. Average costs and comments from CostHelper's team of professional journalists and community of users. Many surveyors charge $50-$220 or more an hour, depending on the type of work performed and the qualifications of the person doing the work.
How much does a land survey cost?
On a per-acre basis, a land survey will cost between $50 and $500. This depends on various individual factors that can affect how difficult the job is, including the size of the lot, whether the lot is wooded and if so, how wooded it is, and how many property corners need to be marked. If you have a larger estate and need more corner markings, you can expect to pay more money for your land survey. Fortunately, as your acreage increases, the cost per acre decreases accordingly. Most professional land surveyors charge on a per square foot basis for large parcels (classified as lots 5 acres or larger). This may run you between $.50-$.70 per square foot or more per hour.
How much does a topographic survey cost?
These surveys will usually cost between $500 and $1200 if the lot size is less than 10,000 ft.². Typically, government agencies, engineers, and architects use these surveys before lot development. The cost can dramatically increase if significant or difficult topographical elements are incorporated, like hills or wide rivers.
What is a Land Survey?
In a nutshell, a land survey is a detailed drawing that shows the legal boundaries for a given property. The boundaries are not necessarily geographical or topographical, although they may be depending on the exact land boundaries as described in a property contract. Land surveys layout the dimensions and locations of any applicable buildings, site improvements, or other notable features on the property. Depending on what exactly you need, you may hire a land surveyor to perform different types of land surveys.
Why don't you skimp on land surveying?
Don’t skimp on the qualifications just because you want a fast land surveying job. If your surveyor hurries through their task, they could draw improper lines and lead to legal trouble later down the road. Even worse, they could give you the false confidence to build something on property that isn’t yours, causing a major problem in the future.
Why do you need a professional land surveyor?
Because detailed land surveying is a very technical and scientific process, it’s imperative that you only hire a professional land surveyor with the right qualifications. There’s often no room for error, particularly if there are legal disputes involved in the outcome of the survey. Unfortunately, every state has different requirements for who is qualified to conduct land surveys.
How often do land surveyors get their exam?
That the land surveyor passes an exam, sometimes given out annually or every few years
How much does an assessor cost?
Remember, professional assessor rates can range between $20 and $25 per hour if you want some additional services like:
What is a survey in Ontario?
Surveys provide property owners with accurate information on the size and shape of their property, set markers on the corners and provide a written description on the position of improvements such as buildings and fences. In Ontario, only a licensed Ontario Land Surveyor may provide you with this information. A survey is often required by property owners who wish to make changes to their property (add a building, build a fence, etc.) or simply wish to have knowledge of the conditions of their property.
When is a survey required?
A survey is often required by property owners who wish to make changes to their property (add a building, build a fence, etc.) or simply wish to have knowledge of the conditions of their property. Surveys may also be required when: Buying or selling a property or part of a property. Mortgaging a property.
What do surveyors look for in a boundary?
They will look for features that may encroach over the boundary. At this point they can start measuring. Surveyors and their technicians use a variety of advanced technology to measure today, ranging from robotic total stations to global navigation satellite systems (e.g. GPS) and data collectors. It is common for surveyors to have over $100,000 invested in equipment for each crew. Measurements will be recorded using a combination of sketches and digital files to depict relationships of the features captured.
What technology do surveyors use?
Surveyors and their technicians use a variety of advanced technology to measure today, ranging from robotic total stations to global navigation satellite systems (e.g. GPS) and data collectors. It is common for surveyors to have over $100,000 invested in equipment for each crew.
What is the challenge of surveying a boundary?
When surveyors determine an existing boundary, their challenge is to locate the boundary where it was originally established.
What is required to be a surveyor?
It does not address other knowledge required such as the multiple statutes, regulations and by-laws that need to be considered. Surveyors are required to have a specialized university degree, complete several years of experience, and pass written and oral professional exams before they can obtain their license to practice for the public. In some of the areas of the province with older surveys and specific circumstances surveyors have built libraries of specialized information that helps them re-establish boundaries. The time you see survey crews in the field represents a small portion of the efforts into performing a survey.
Why do we need a surveyor?
Surveyors provide site plans and up-to-date surveys to allow the municipality to ensure that their conditions have been met. Surveys cost a fraction of the development costs and ensure that your construction meet zoning requirements.
What is a land survey in Ontario?
It is important for real estate transactions so buyers know what they're buying. In Ontario, a land survey is sometimes called a surveyor's real property report. It contains important facts about the property including the legal description of the property, the street address, the physical dimensions of the property and buildings around ...
How to get a survey in Ontario?
The best way to get a land survey in Ontario is to visit a ServiceOntario counter. Make sure that the location you visit has someone who specializes in land surveys on duty. Be aware that fees may apply to access these records or request a search.
What Is a Land Survey?
Essentially, it's a drawing or rendering that shows exactly where the boundaries of a property are located. Sometimes, these drawings or renderings include other features.
Why do banks require land survey?
Surveys are important in real estate, taxation and other similar fields. Sometimes, banks or title companies may require a land survey to close on a property. If you wish to build or make changes and improvements to your property, you may also need a land survey. This is especially true if you plan to install a fence.
Do you need a land survey for a new home?
If your home is relatively new, the builder may also have records of land surveys. Land surveys are almost always required for construction projects of any kind, so the chances are good that the builder may have one. Even if they don't, you may be able to find out who they used to do the survey and contact them.
Do all Ontario properties have land surveys?
One thing that is important to note is that not all Ontario properties have land surveys. If a land survey was never required, it would not exist. Unfortunately, if that's the case for your land and you need a survey, you will likely have to pay for one yourself. Contact the Association of Ontario Land Surveyors to learn more.
Do you have to register a survey?
It's also important to note that surveys don't have to be registered with the government whenever they're taken. A builder or other professional may requisition a survey for their own purposes without registering it afterward.
What is a Survey?
A survey shows how large the property is and maps out where the boundaries are. It also maps out any buildings or other structures on the property. There are GPS coordinates for all the corners and measurements for the lengths in between. The survey will also show any roads that touch the property line.
The importance of a survey
The purpose of a land survey is to understand the exact geographic boundaries of the property. You receive a legal document that protects your ownership rights if there is ever doubt about who owns what portion of the land.
Property survey steps
After hiring a surveyor, they will complete three steps to verify what lies on your property. The surveyor will:
When to get a property survey
If you're purchasing property in Canada, having the plot surveyed before closing the deal is wise. This will allow you to understand which plot you are buying and prevent any mistakes. It's also wise to have an updated survey done if there has been any subdivision of property since the last time a survey was done (i.e., legal description changed).
Types of Canadian property surveys
An SRPR shows the position of buildings or structures concerning the property's boundaries. This standard assessment also displays other physical features and registered encumbrances, such as easements located on or adjacent to the property.
How much does a survey cost?
The cost of the survey depends on the size of the property and the type of survey being completed. For example, a topographical survey may be more expensive because it requires extra stake-out points to ensure accuracy. On average, the cost will range from $150 to over $600 for larger properties in Canada.
Hiring a property surveyor in five steps
Across Canada, land surveyors are overseen by The Canadian Board of Examiners for Professional Surveyors (CBEPS). However, each province has their associations, as demonstrated in the next section. When hiring a property surveyor, make sure to follow these five steps:
Do surveyors need to be certified?
You'll probably have to call around. Surveyors are like Engineers, they need to be provincially and professionally certified, so they charge a lot because they are in short supply!
Is surveying a labour intensive job?
As /u/adaminc says, call around. Surveying is a labour intensive job. The crew needs to walk the property, find reference points, input that into their computer system, check for easements, etc and produce a legal document defining the property boundaries. So the size, location, geometric complexity may all influence the price of the survey.
Is surveying competitive?
All of it makes a big difference in the total cost. Survey companies are competitive and you can benefit by shopping the work...
How much does it cost to hire a land surveyor?
Hiring a land surveyor costs between $20 to $40 per acre on large plots up to $1,600 per acre on a small quarter-acre residential lot. Cost factors highly depend on how much acreage you have and how many corners need to be marked. The more acres you have, the cost per acre decreases accordingly. Below are some rough estimates of the cost you might pay. Each survey depends on too many variables to give you an accurate estimate:
How much does a land surveyor charge per hour?
Land Surveying Prices Per Hour. The surveyor may also set an hourly rate of $30–$100/hour if: the land is being surveyed for the first time in 80 or more years. the original documents are either in less than perfect condition or are not very accurate.
How much does a plat survey cost?
The price for a plat survey will vary greatly, depending on a range of factors, but if your surveyor normally charges $500 for one survey, you might get a break on the per lot price for more than 10 lots of 5 acres or above when the land is going to be sold as flagged lots of raw land with shared access easement.
How to find property lines?
If you want to find your property lines, the closest you can get is by finding the markers that were placed on your property from the last surveyor. These will come in the form of really old stone markers (either one rock or a pile of rocks, if your land was surveyed a really long time ago). If it was surveyed more recently, the surveyor would have driven iron rods into the ground and attached pink surveyors’ ribbon.
How long is a survey valid?
Regarding the professional liability of the surveyor for the validity of the information presented in a land survey, the laws are not the same in every state, but around 10 years is a typical upper limit. Some states may allow for the use of an existing survey as long as the county commissioner accepts it and the title company is okay with it, and they get an affidavit from the county commissioner verifying the existing survey.
How much does a surveyor charge for a stake?
Surveyors will normally charge around $50 per stake, and they will use a thick marker to write the relevant lot numbers on the different sides of the stakes. A property boundary survey and “stake survey” are one and the same. The term “boundary” is the legal term to identify that the boundaries of a property will be marked by locating the property corners. The term “stake” is the layman’s term.
What is the worst option a landowner could consider?
The worst option a landowner could consider is to go with the lowest price bid for a surveyor unless he/she has many stellar online reviews. On top of any issues from getting the survey wrong from inaccurate research, fieldwork, or reconciliation, an inexperienced or inefficient surveyor could cost you a lot of money due to an inaccurate report.
