What is Cadastral Survey and Why We Do It?

Simply put, a cadastral survey is a process of taking a survey of a property’s geodetic (geographical) and legal (ownership) details. The surveyor is usually a professional who specializes in surveying, but the procedure can be carried out by a layperson if the property is surveyed with a laser scanner. 

A property’s cadastral survey tells the layperson whether the property’s boundaries are accurately marked, where the public and private property lines are, and other details such as lot size and elevation.

In order to legally own land in most countries, you must have an accurate survey of the property. The survey is an essential part of transferring or inheriting property. When conducting a survey, you must determine the property’s boundary lines (the boundary of the land you own), boundary lines of neighboring properties, and any structures you have built on the property. 

Depending on which country you are conducting the survey in, different steps will be followed. A surveyor will follow the steps required by the country’s laws to complete a survey. The steps may be different depending on the type of property being surveyed. 

Identify the property. The first step is to identify the property that is being surveyed. 

Determine the boundaries and public and private property lines. The next step is to determine the boundaries and public and private property lines of the property. 

Record the benchmarks. Benchmarks are points on the property that are used as references for taking other measurements.

Determine lot size and land elevations. The next step is to determine the lot size and land elevations of the property. 

Measure and record the survey. The last step of the survey is to measure and record the survey.

In order to determine the property’s boundary lines and lot lines, most surveys follow a particular procedure. When locating the boundary lines, the boundary surveyor usually follows a particular procedure called a coordinate-based survey. In this procedure, the surveyor locates points on the property with a surveyor’s compass and chain. The points are called reference points. 

The surveyor then follows a series of lines drawn between the reference points and is able to locate the property’s boundary lines. The surveyor also records the location of the boundary lines using a set of instruments. Some of the instruments used include a set of parallel rulers and a set of perpendicular rulers. The perpendicular rulers are used to measure the distance between the boundary lines. The surveyor uses parallel rulers to record the alignment of the boundary lines.

Most surveyors use either a laser scanner or aerial photograph to determine the boundaries and lot lines of a property. If a previous survey has been conducted on the property, a surveyor will usually take detailed measurements from the property's boundaries using a set of instruments. 

The laser scanner is a device that uses a laser to read information from a digital file. The information is usually recorded in a database. The database can be accessed by computer, enabling the surveyor to view the scan’s boundaries and lot lines. 

An aerial photograph is a photograph taken from a plane. The photograph is usually flown at an altitude of 1,000 feet(or 300 meters) above the property being surveyed, providing a clear view of the property. The photograph is then used by the surveyor as a reference when determining the boundaries and lot lines.

The surveyor will determine the boundaries of public and private property in the survey. The surveyor usually identifies the boundary of the property being surveyed, then identifies the property boundary of the neighboring property. The surveyor then makes notes about the boundary and other information about the boundary. This boundary information is usually recorded in the surveyor’s notebook.

The surveyor will determine the setbacks and visibility requirements of the property. 

A setback is a distance required between a structure and the property line. A structure can be anything that is on the property, such as a wall, fence, tree, or building. 

A visibility requirement is a distance required between a structure and the property’s boundaries. 

The surveyor will usually determine the setbacks and visibility requirements of the property based on the surveyor’s notebook, the aerial photograph, and the laser scan.

After the surveyor determines the boundaries and lot lines of the property, the surveyor maps the land. The surveyor uses a GPS device, a set of measuring instruments, and the surveyor’s notebook to map the land. The GPS device is used to record the surveyor’s location. 

The measuring instruments are used to record the location of points on the property’s boundaries, such as the distance between the property line and a distant building. The surveyor maps the land by making measurements between the points and drawing lines where needed. 

The surveyor maps the land even if a previous survey has been conducted on the land. This is done to ensure that the land is accurately mapped.

Conducting a cadastral survey is an important step in the ownership and transfer of land. A good surveyor can help you determine the property’s boundaries and lot lines, as well as determine the setbacks and visibility requirements of the land.