Hiring a Land Surveyor

Here is a listing of land surveying firms authorized to provide professional services to the Manitoba public: View Full Listing

HOW MUCH DOES A TYPICAL SURVEY COST?

There are many variables or unknown factors which contribute significantly to the cost of a survey of land. Fees charged by a land surveyor often may be based on the amount of time needed to perform the service. For any inquiries on the cost of land surveying services, contact a land surveyor of your choice. Please do not contact the AMLS; the AMLS does not regulate fees.

WHAT DOES A LAND SURVEYOR PROVIDE FOR THE FEE CHARGED?

Professional fees can include:

actual time spent on the survey site and travel time
searching and obtaining plans and documents at the Land Titles Office
searching records in other offices
engaging third party professional expertise as required
preparing and submitting applications and reports as required
searching for and locating monuments and other evidence of previous surveys
analyzing and assessing survey evidence
surveying boundary lines over potentially difficult terrain
supervising all phases of the survey project
performing office computations and preparing survey plans
processing final plans and documents towards registration at the Land Titles Office
cross referencing and filing information for future retrieval

Without prior investigation of the site to be surveyed and a thorough examination of relevant property and survey records, it is often impossible to accurately estimate all the time that will ultimately be required to complete the work and determine the exact amount of the appropriate professional fees. In many instances, the size and location of the property does not lend itself to this preliminary investigation and examination.

COMMON SURVEY TERMINOLOGY

Like every profession, Land Surveyors use specific terminology for the services they provide. Following is a listing of common terms:

STAKING CERTIFICATES

A staking certificate, prepared by a Manitoba Land Surveyor, documents the placing of survey monuments on the limits of a particular parcel of land. It indicates the dimensions of the property and reports any building encroachments from or onto adjacent lands.

BUILDING LOCATION CERTIFICATES

A Building Location Certificate (BLC) is a legal document prepared by a Manitoba Land Surveyor which shows the exact dimensions and positions of the land and buildings on a particular property. It reports any encroachments onto or from adjoining properties. No survey monuments are placed on the limits of the property, unless specifically requested.