How much will a survey cost?
The Professional Land Surveyor's fees will be based on the anticipated difficulty and time required to complete the land surveying project. Routine survey projects may be estimated as to cost, but the client should be aware that in many situations, the Professional Land Surveyor cannot predict the amount of work that will be required to recover necessary monuments, restore lost or obliterated corners, research city and county records, collect field data, complete mathematical calculations, and prepare descriptions and maps of the property. All of this must be combined and analyzed to establish the location of property corners and create the final map.

One of the most uncertain and costly parts of the survey is the recovery of various types of monuments. It is important for land owners, contractors and the general public to be aware that the careless treatment and destruction of survey monuments adds time and cost to subsequent surveys.

Competitive bidding for the lowest price does not necessarily protect the interests of the client, the public or the Professional Land Surveyor. The competency, reputation, education and experience of several surveyors should be considered before one is selected to perform the survey.

Duties of the Professional Land Surveyor
A Professional Land Surveyor renders a highly technical service to the Client. As a licensed professional, the services provided by the surveyor must comply with several applicable laws, regulations, standards and codes which have been established by state, county, and local governments and professional societies. The Professional Land Surveyor must conform to these guidelines and will abide by these high standards of conduct and practice.

What can a Professional Land Surveyor do for me?
The Professional Land Surveyor can:
Review your deed along with other evidence and render a professional opinion as to the locations and conflicts of the boundaries of your land.
Set monuments at your property corners and mark them so they can be easily found and identified. 
Keep an accurate record of all services performed and measurements obtained.
Identify and advise you of any apparent defect in your land description or evidence of conflict of ownership and/or use.
Prepare a plat or map of your property indicating boundary measurements, the monuments found and placed, and the calculated area.
Provide the client with copies of these maps bearing the Professional Land Surveyor's signature and seal. Copies of these maps will also be filed in the County Records where the land is located. This will ensure that the plat or map is available for public inspection. In addition, a Professional Land Surveyor is qualified to:
Create a property description for all new parcels or any existing parcels that may have a defect.
Appear in court as an expert witness concerning real property ownership, location or use.
Assist you in the planning and layout of the Lots, Blocks, streets, easements, etc. in a new subdivision.

Protect your investment
In order to protect your investment, it is best to retain a Professional Land Surveyor prior to the planning of your development and investment of funds. The Professional Land Surveyor can locate the boundaries of a property upon which improvements are planned and constructed, and can layout proposed improvements on your property. These professional services assure that your improvements are positioned correctly, possibly preventing costly complications.

Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado, Inc.
Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado, Inc., founded in 1966 and incorporated in 1981, is an organization dedicated to the improvement of the profession of Land Surveying and the education of the public about the profession. We are affiliated with the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping and the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and are a member of the Western Federation of Professional Surveyors. The PLSC takes an active role in shaping educational programs and legislation in Colorado, and our members subscribe to high standards of ethics, professional conduct, and protection of the public welfare.

The information contained on this page comes from "When You Need A Land Survey" Published as a public service by the Professional Land Surveyors of Colorado, Inc.