If you are planning a project, reviewing a property issue, or preparing for design, construction, or due diligence, you may have questions about the type of survey you need and what information is helpful to get started. This page provides general answers to some of the most common questions clients ask before requesting a quote.
If your project involves a more specific need, you can also explore our individual service pages for more detailed guidance on boundary surveys, topographic surveys, ALTA / NSPS surveys, construction staking, parcel maps, lot line adjustments, and specialty survey services.
Terwilliger Land Survey Engineers provides a range of professional surveying services for property owners, commercial clients, contractors, developers, and project teams. Services include boundary surveys, topographic surveys, ALTA / NSPS land title surveys, construction staking and layout, parcel maps, lot line adjustments, and a variety of specialty survey services.
Many clients begin with a project goal rather than the name of a specific survey type. That is completely normal. If you are not sure what type of survey applies to your property or project, Terwilliger can review the available details and help identify the right starting point.
A boundary survey focuses on property lines, corners, easements, and possible encroachments. A topographic survey focuses on the contours of the land and existing site features such as buildings, paving, trees, utility structures, and other visible conditions. In some cases, a project may require one or both depending on the objective.
An ALTA / NSPS land title survey is typically used for commercial real estate transactions, title review, lending, due diligence, and related planning needs. It follows nationally recognized standards and is generally more formal and detailed than a standard boundary survey.
Construction staking, also called site layout surveying, is the process of interpreting approved plans and marking the proposed location of improvements in the field. This helps contractors and project teams position roads, buildings, utilities, and other elements according to the design intent.
Parcel maps and lot line adjustments are generally associated with land planning, parcel configuration, and boundary reconfiguration work. These services may be needed when property lines are being adjusted, parcels are being documented for future use, or a project requires mapping support tied to land division planning.
Specialty survey services include more technical or project-specific work beyond the core service categories. Depending on the project, this may include services such as right-of-way surveys, monitoring surveys, telecom surveys, as-builts, 3D topographic scanning, flood certifications, elevation certificates, and other specialized field or mapping support.
No. Many clients reach out before the scope is fully defined. If you know the property location, the general purpose of the project, and any timeline considerations, that is usually enough to begin the conversation.
Helpful information may include the property address, assessor parcel number, deed or title information if available, site plans, project drawings, a short explanation of the survey need, and any relevant timeline or deadline. If you do not have all of that information yet, you can still contact the team with whatever details you have.
Terwilliger Land Survey Engineers supports a wide range of clients, including property owners, developers, contractors, architects, engineers, title and escrow professionals, commercial stakeholders, and project teams involved in planning, construction, and property-related work.
Yes. Survey needs can arise in residential, commercial, development, construction, and specialty field contexts. The right service depends on the property and the purpose of the work.
It is best to request a survey as early as possible once you know it may affect a transaction, design process, project schedule, permitting path, construction activity, or property decision. Starting early helps reduce delay and creates a better foundation for the next step.
Yes. If you only have a property address, a rough description of the issue, or a general sense of what the project involves, that is still enough to make initial contact. Additional documents and details can often be gathered afterward.
Need more detailed information about a specific type of survey? Visit our service pages to learn more about individual services and common use cases.