Surveys & Your New Fence
Oh, the dreaded “property survey”… Do you need to get one? Can’t you just survey your own property? Does anyone even care if you have a property survey or not before you work on your own yard? If you’re getting ready to put up a fence, these are likely the questions you’re asking yourself. Don’t worry, Aluminum Fences Direct has the answers you need. Stick around for a few minutes and we’ll make sure you know everything you need to know about property surveys and fencing!
What Is A Property Survey?
This is a valid question. A lot of people go through their entire lives never having to even think about getting their property surveyed, but any responsible homeowner will tell you that it’s a necessary part of the process at some point.
Bankrate.com describes a property survey as something that is “done to determine or confirm land boundaries, such as the plot of land a home sits on, and any sub-surface improvements, like a septic tank or well.” (Bankrate.com). If you’re here you’re probably not looking to install any septic tanks anytime soon, but we’ll bet that fence installation is on your agenda.
So, Do You Actually Need A Property Survey For Fence Installation?
Yes, yes you do. There’s a multitude of benefits to having your land surveyed (check out this great list of 10 of them here). But the biggest benefit in the case of you and your fencing is that it keeps you on the right side of the law. Allow us to explain:
Let’s say you put up your fence without knowing the exact details of where your property begins and where it ends. You accidentally build slightly onto your neighbor Fred’s property. No big deal, you don’t notice, Fred doesn’t even have a fence and he doesn’t notice, and you and Fred are friends anyway. No big deal.
Let’s say that 5 years later Fred moves away. Let’s say that the new owners of Fred’s house have their property surveyed, and they find out that you and your fence are encroaching on their new property. Well now, they don’t take so kindly to that. They want to put up their own fancy black aluminum fence, just like yours. Now you’re being served with legal papers from your new neighbors and you need to take down your fence and re-do the whole thing… and you’re off to a bad start in your relationship with your new neighbors.
Or, let’s say this: let’s say you’re ready to move out. You’ve already settled on your new place, you’ve been cleaning up and making your house presentable for months, you’ve already started packing, you’ve cleaned the aluminum fence, and you’re ready to put the house on the market. You’re informed that you need to get a survey of the property done. Alright, fine. You get the survey – BOOM. Your fence is out of bounds on your property, and you’re also violating multiple obscure zoning laws that you never even knew about. Now, you have to get all of that squared away before you can even hope to sell the house. Bummer.
Can’t You Just Survey Your Property Yourself?
Okay, well that’s not entirely fair. Yes the tools do exist and yes you could certainly give it a try, but there are multiple reasons not to. But the biggest and most glaring problem is that, unless you’re a certified land surveyor, none of the information that you dig up is going to be legally binding. You could do a fantastic and accurate job of surveying your property, but if there isn’t anyone that can officially verify it, then you don’t have the law to back you up. Any potential buyers won’t believe in your data, and real estate agents helping you sell the property won’t do-so without official documentation.
So Where Do You Go To Get A Property Survey?
There are many land surveyors and civil engineers spread all around the country, so a quick Google search of “property surveyors near me” should get you the results you need almost instantly.
You want to make sure that you’re picking someone that knows what they’re doing though. Property surveys can be expensive and you don’t want to work with anyone that doesn’t know what they’re doing or, even worse, who doesn’t have the proper certifications and documentation to make the data they retrieve legally binding.
So Your Land Is Surveyed And You’re Ready To Put Up Your Aluminum Fence… Now What?
That’s where we come in. At Aluminum Fences Direct, our entire purpose is to save you money and empower you to not only get the exact fencing that you want but to save money on labor by making it as easy as possible to assemble and place the fence yourself.
We are leaders in the industry of wholesale fence distribution. Our products are all 100% American-made, and our unique business model ensures that you have support every step of the way in your journey to having the fence you want at the price that you want. You pick the fence you like, pick the details and extras you like, and we’ll send it to you with a full guide and with the full support of our staff during the assembly process.
It’s time to take the next step and increase the security and value of your property. Contact us today for a free quote and consultation.
