How much information should the client be forced to pay for?
There are State Minimum Standards to follow that explain what a survey may show, but, normally allow many of the items to be excluded per agreement with the client. To what extent should certain surveyable items be MANDATORY to appear on the plat provided to the client?
One example from PLSSia would be to separate the northeast quarter of a section into a north half and a south half so a fence can be built along the new boundary once one of the halves is conveyed to another party. That is the only reason you were contacted to do a survey. They could simply do the conveyance without your services. But, they would prefer to construct a new fence on the true boundary.
Do you really need to show everything that exists on the northeast quarter of that section in great detail. (Oh, look! The mailbox is in the county's road right-of-way.) Must the client pay for information that is truly of no value to them in doing what it is they are setting out to do?
It seems to be inferred on this board that anything less than EVERYTHING is sloppy surveying. I vehemently disagree with that position. I will agree that certain items must be shown on all surveys, but refuse to go along with the idea that a survey isn't a real survey unless the plat depicts everything someone can imagine might be of concern to someone somewhere in the distant future. Must we show the precise location of everything not put there by Mother Nature? In every situation? Of what real benefit would this be in the general case?
Should it be mandatory to always show:
Every structure, concrete slab, yard ornament, well, utility line whether service main or on-site line, mail box, entry culvert, man-made earthen structure (pond dam, lagoon, terrace, waterway), fence (including internal fencing), flag pole, string of parking blocks, area of pavement of varying materials, hog wallows, watering tanks/troughs, livestock handling facilities, kid's playhouse up in a tree, clothesline, etc.
I only show the stuff that could affect title, could reasonably affect value, or what the client has asked to be located.
Little incidental stuff I ignore.
Your survey must show what is required to meet the regulations of your state and the items agreed upon by your contract with your client.
Your contract should state what the purpose of the survey is, what your survey will show and what your survey will not show.
> Should it be mandatory to always show:
>
> Every structure, concrete slab, yard ornament, well, utility line whether service main or on-site line, mail box, entry culvert, man-made earthen structure (pond dam, lagoon, terrace, waterway), fence (including internal fencing), flag pole, string of parking blocks, area of pavement of varying materials, hog wallows, watering tanks/troughs, livestock handling facilities, kid's playhouse up in a tree, clothesline, etc.
How about the surveyor locate and depict what, in his professional opinion, is relevant to the unique situation of the survey?
If we are going to legislate comprehensive and objective "laundry lists" of do's, don'ts, shall's, shall not's, that attempt to cover every possible permutation of potential circumstances, then lets all quit kidding ourselves by referring to "surveying" as professional level work and leave the technician level work to the "professional" technicians.
> How much information should the client be forced to pay for?
The answer is that the survey products should present the information that you would want to see if you were the client and had not made the survey. Aerial imagery can be a great way to map the improvements that don't need to be located with on-the-ground survey accuracy and serves the purpose of helping the clients visualze the location of the boundaries shown.
Technically, the client should pay for ALL the info..
...whether or not it is delivered to the client is a different story.
I read the original question as 'how much (minimum standard) extraneous data does the client pay for that really isn't pertinent to the clients desires?'
...probably a bunch.
I realize minimum standards are different State to State, but liability is pretty much in all 50 of them.
Failing to show evidence of prescriptive (or unknown record) use by others other than the titled owner is probably the sharpest thorn on the bush of liability. I have a couple of sentences in my cert that disclaim any record estate, title or dominant instrument not provided by the client prior to the survey. But I do note any physical utilities, trails, roads, access or evidence of such on the survey. And that is NOT initially in my client's interest. It is in mine, although the client probably benefits with that info whether he realizes it or not.
I hope that covers "mail box" encroachments....;-)
As other's have said: whatever you use as evidence to located the boundary or deem would be helpful to relocate the boundary.
Everything else is someone trying to legislate professionalism or make more work for themselves. Either is a failure.
Steve
I Would Expect A Mailbox To Be In The Right Of Way
I doubt the mail carrier would get out of the vehicle and walk to the ROW line.
Paul in PA
Make certain you understand why the client needs the survey. That will help you design a survey that meets the client's needs. Every survey is unique and the client's needs are unique to each circumstance. If you meet the needs of the client, then you have a satisfied client.
Minimum standards which attempt to dictate everything that should be included on the survey regardless of the client's needs are a disservice to the client and the surveying profession.
JBS
Well said! I couldn't agree more!