Hello,
I have a home on a bit over 5 acres in Virginia. I have a copy of the plat recorded at the courthouse and the county has web based GIS which I can access. The property lines are somewhat of a square but are angled. I guess it is best described as a trapezoid maybe?
Anyways, the neighbor on the left side (looking at the house) had a survey done and the left stakes line up with the plat and web based GIS. As for my neighbor on the right, the stake at the Right Rear looking at the house was somehow not there when I checked for it with a metal detector. I then measured with a measuring wheel and put my own stake in. The measurement was checked twice against the plat and also the neighbors other stake (I have a copy of his plat from the county as well) along the same line for accuracy. The end of my property on the RR ends at a fence and the aerial GIS also confirms that location between the visible fence posts.
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The hard part is the Right Front stake looking at the property. That end of the property is in the woods. Here are my issues/questions about that one:
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1) My expectations are low that I will find any stake at all for the RF simply because I did not find the stake at the RR. That stake at the RR should have been much easier to find (Open land and open design fence) and yet it was not there.?ÿ
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2) I can measure the distance between the stake at the LR and the RR but there are some trees in the middle of that path. Do they have to be cut down to take that measurement? There may be a small creek or two as well. Do I put a board over the creek to measure? Not 100% sure about there being a creek between the LR and RR property line points but I want to be prepared just in case. I don't go back there much.
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3) I have the measurements between the LR and RR Stake and it's only about 280 feet or so but I am likely to get lost in the woods dancing around trees.
There is also a slight angle of a few degrees between the 2 stakes. Even if there wasn't, I have no way of being sure that I am walking straight. How do I walk at the right angle and measure at the right angle
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Any thoughts on how to identify where that stake is or where it should be? I am so close it's just that last stake.
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I called the surveyor listed on the plat but never received a call back. I guess they don't want my money.?ÿ
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I'd like to do this myself like I end up doing everything myself because people like to not show up or do poor quality work....but not if it isn't doable.
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Thanks for your time!
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Putting in your own stakes is risky.?ÿ If you depend on it for the position of something you construct and some future neighbor objects, you could end up tearing out whatever you built.
Some surveyors like to do small lot surveys and others don't, especially if they can keep busy with large projects.
But to look for stakes in woods, you could try to find a clear line of sight a few feet to the side of the desired line and measure the same offset at both ends to get to the place to look for monuments.?ÿ Surveyors often run a semi-random traverse to get know?ÿ positions near the corners, and then go from those to the actual corners. With their measurement equipment it really doesn't matter what path they take to get there.
The number 1 question I get is: "when you measure land, do you measure level, or does the measure follow the undulating terrain?"
Answer: it's a level measurement.
You may have to "stair step" to get it level. (A series of short level measurements, with plumb bob)
Thank you,
Nate
Marking your boundary where it adjoins the property of others is a misdemeanor in every jurisdiction I've worked. Building an improvement based on those stakes adds a good bit of potential civil liability as well.
My .02, Tom
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You are already getting and will continue to get good advice.
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@thebionicman
The person who removed the stake...I heard the same thing about that being a crime....I am sure it is my neighbor. I don't see him getting taken away either.
A quick google search confirmed that the focus is almost always on people illegally removing stakes and not my adding stakes.?ÿ
My neighbors who mow 10 feet into land that I know is mine...they still live here...no flashing blue lights.
Do you know where in the code of Virginia I can be charged with a misdemeanor for putting a stake where I reasonably believe it to be? A stake seems no different than putting something more politically correct down like a fence post. That would be a civil issue at most. At my last location, I had neighbors put a fence 3 feet into my property and there were no flashing blue lights. Oh the beauty of civil law.
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I really don't want to build anything anywhere close. The real issue here is that the neighbors put their fence pretty close to my property. They then use that excuse to mow 10 feet or so onto my side. I really just want to know where to mow. It's either let them keep coming further and further over on "accident" or take my chances based upon measurements. It seems that this is a common problem if you check reddit. Some folks just consider it free mowing and don't complain. Others see it another way.?ÿ
The issue is that there are likely no stakes. The first stake was removed by the neighbor so he could feel bigger about himself without paying my mortgage.
@nate-the-surveyor
Thanks for the answer to that question.