Perhaps you may have seen those people near a park or at the roadside, standing in front of what it looked like a camera tripod. No, they are not taking photos or shooting a movie. Rather, those items are actually telescopes with tripods that measure a wide space or area.
This is the art of land surveying. It is an important part of a land development project procedure all civil engineers and practitioner should do. You can hire a land surveyor in Park City, Utah, if you are planning to buy a property for development.
All about land surveying
Land surveying has been an ancient measurement practice which traces back to Ancient Egypt 3,000 years ago. Apparently, ancient Egyptians hire surveyors to measure and divide the land surrounding the River Nile following major floods. Nowadays, land surveying involves using technology, including a telescope-like device called a theodolite.
The theodolite measures both the vertical and horizontal angles between various points. Land surveying also determines the slopes and topography of the land area, find the location of infrastructure, and determine property boundaries. It is also a major key in creating accurate maps that we find useful nowadays.
Different types of land surveying
Land surveying is classified as one of the following: Standard, Engineering, and Informational. It is also classified as either plane or geodetic. The former does not consider the Earth’s curvature and is used to measure smaller areas. The latter, on the other hand, considers the Earth’s curvature to ensure precise measurement.
Meanwhile, standard land surveying refers to the identification of land boundaries and land area calculations. Engineering surveys, on the other hand, is conducted to make sure that a structure is built in the right land location. Lastly, informational surveys are done as a basis for charts and maps.
What is land surveying for?
Land surveying is an important aspect of land development. It is used to create land boundaries. By knowing specific land boundaries, it will determine the exact location where buildings and roads will be built. Likewise, the land survey helps solve disputes in property and the creation of useful land maps.
In addition, land surveying is also used for photogrammetry (production of sites’ digital images) as well as for monitoring the land movement due to ongoing construction and other natural reasons. It is also used for dredging procedures, gas, and oil explorations and locating sunken ships among a few.
Cost of land surveying
As mentioned, a land survey is an important part of land development and should be a must if you are planning to develop a parcel of land. To have an idea, land surveying fees may range from almost $400 to as much as thousands of dollars. The cost depends on the work scope, which may include the location of the site, property size and shape, and the land’s physical features.
A lot of people may not be familiar with land surveying. Yet, it is an important part of land and property development. The next time you see a land map or a well-designed neighborhood, you can thank land surveyors for doing their job.