Skip the surveyor

I always have two opinions about apps like these.

One is that they are awesome ways to generate new clients. When GIS really started becoming available, I would get surveys because the people would see their parcels on an on-line map and pick fights with their neighbors about where property lines were compared to where their Realtor told them.

On the other hand, apps like these degrade the surveying profession in general, which is sad. The only way to combat it is to give them bad reviews, since the people attracted to apps like this want the little electronic know-it-all in thier hand to tell them what's good and what's bad.

And the first two negative and well substantiated comments were both deposited by surveyors.?ÿ ?ÿOutstanding!

Love this part of the ad. "With GPS parcel data available, you can find property lines without hiring a surveyor."

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Ugh. The type of person who is too cheap to get a survey when building a permanent structure is the exact type of person I would not want for a client.

There's still a chance their neighbor is cool and I get hired by them to sort out the mess...

Even the critical replies aren't negative enough. "1 or 2 ft" ? We've all seen GIS tax maps off by several feet.

They do make good points, though.

It's good to know they are using the county GIS since it's always so accurate. ?????ÿ

I had a rancher call me a few years ago, there was a hunting group that got permission from the state to mark state lands with signs. The rancher was in a panic cause his well/water system/stock tank was now "on state land". The well was drilled in a sectional lot south of a township line. It was a township line with a big error in the closing distance. Instead of 2640' from 1/4 corners to the township corners it is more like 3600'. The GIS is way off along that line so the "precise surveying" by the hunter group marked the GIS line.

I looked it up on my data base pulled up the ortho photo and could see the well 500' onto his property (the quad sheets show it like I have it and many stones have been recovered). A phone conversation later as he explained the signs were south of his well a goodly distance, I told him what I found. He asked me what he should do, I emailed him the well plat filed by the driller showing the section corner tie and told him to pull the signs and take them to the county shop and drop them off. If they complain show them the plat.?ÿ

This kinda thing has brought me so much work over the years.?ÿ

The claim by the app really is very close to violating board rules if it doesn't actually violate them.?ÿ

Pretty sure our board wouldn't go after this app. But maybe other boards would.?ÿ

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Surveyors really aren't necessary anymore.?ÿ

Neither are doctors.?ÿ Just read WebMD and you can take care of your own healthcare.?ÿ Think of all the money you are going to save!

Time to buy that app! Think of all the work we can do with it!

N

I liked this:

While Google Maps also has boundary lines, LandGlide is more accurate. After all, LandGlide sources its information directly from the county.

Where does this fool think google is getting their info?! ????

If this is so easy, why aren't the Surveyors using it?

What's the old saying??ÿ You get what you pay for?

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@bstrand?ÿ

And Google maps is in web Mercator, good luck with that on accuracy.

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Web Mercator is probably the least of the problems with most local GIS.

Here are the disclaimers for two county GIS in NC. You can't get to the maps without agreeing. But not all counties have disclaimers; I think they're asking for trouble.

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