How much does a land survey cost?

Land surveys can cost anywhere between $100 and $900, but most average around $500. The cost of a land survey depends on a series of factors such as property size, terrain and geographic location.

The price of a land survey varies considerably based on the type of survey you have conducted and the amount of time a surveyor will have to spend at your property. You should expect to pay somewhere between three hundred and a few thousand dollars. The two primary types of surveys differ mostly on the amount of detail that goes into their reports:

• Simple – A simple survey will usually be an outline of the property’s major features and dimensions, without going into explicit detail. This is the most common type of survey, and if you have ever purchased or sold a property before, chances are you had a simple survey performed.  Most counties and states require at least this type of survey to be performed whenever a property changes hands. A simple survey usually costs between $300 and $500.
• Detailed – Most homeowners will never run into this kind of survey because it is mostly used for settling property line disputes. In this type of survey, a detailed map will be created of your property, including the dimensions and orientation of all its major features. The price range for a detailed survey can vary considerably from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, based on your property and what region of the country you are in. To get a quote, you need to contact a prospector or surveyor in your area.

The price of a survey also depends on the features of your property:

1. Size of the plot – The larger your plot of land, the higher the price of your survey.
2. Remoteness – If the location is in a hard-to-reach area or will require a significant drive, your cost will increase.
3. Foliage – The thicker and rougher the environment is, the higher your price will go. For most residential properties, this will not affect your price.
4. Time of year – During the colder months, the price of your survey can increase, as it will likely take longer to conduct.
5. Research Required – If your survey requires the prospector to research the title history or search for other past surveys, your price could increase. This can happen if the last property survey was conducted many years in the past.

Since you are purchasing the home, I would encourage you to try and negotiate for the seller to pay for the survey. In bad housing markets, where the seller has few or no offers, many will be willing to foot the bill for a survey if it means keeping a prospective buyer. Press the homeowner, and you might just be able to save yourself a little bit of money.

A land survey is usually a requirement that many mortgage companies insist be completed before any loan is finalized.  Many companies require them because they give a detailed picture of the property's boundary lines as well as an accurate measurement of the size of the property.  For potential home owners, it is always a good idea to set at least $400 aside for the land survey fee.  The average fee for a survey done regarding a typical standard home transaction is usually around $350.  That price can vary though depending on a great deal of factors.

The number one factor that will determine the price of the land survey fee will be the size of the property.  Obviously the larger the property the more expensive the survey will be.  Other factors that can increase the price of the survey are the location and landscape of the property.  If a home buyer is looking to purchase a piece of land that is surrounded by or has several trees and shrubbery on it or adjacent to it, it could make it more difficult for the surveyor to complete the survey.  Remember, most companies charge by the hour for these surveys.  So the longer it takes the hired surveyor to complete the survey, the higher the price is going to be.

One way buyers can save money is to see if a survey has been done on the property before.  Depending on when one was previously done, it may be possible that another will not be required.  If one is required though, having an older one to serve as a model can become very beneficial and can oftentimes speed up the process.

Land surveys are a very important part of the purchasing process.  One should never pick the hired surveying company based on the price alone.  While some land surveyors can charge as little as $50 an hour, the more experienced ones will oftentimes produce better results.  An experienced surveyor will typically charge $84-100 per hour.

While the average price for a survey is usually under $400, there are many factors that could raise that price to well over $700.  Before settling on a company, buyers should always do their research. Research the company and what kind of certification their surveyors have as well as the history of the home or lot being surveyed.  Being informed before hiring a company can oftentimes save a buyer hundreds of dollars.

I think they aren't too much money. There aren't many people these days that do surveying like they used to. I like the first answer because those are your options. In your case, you probably should go with the simple because you are just trying to get a second mortgage. http://www.sub-arctic.ca/whatWeDo.htm 

A land survey’s cost comes down to how long the job will take the surveyor to complete. Land surveyors charge $30.52 per hour on average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most residential surveys can be done in a day or two. So that’s about $244 - $488 per survey, with an eight-hour work day.