With the increasing values placed on land, property, and resources in today’s world, the public needs surveyors more than ever. A surveyor can work in a multitude of areas, such as construction, real estate, and mining, to name just a few.
Who is a Surveyor?
A surveyor is a person who is mainly employed to assess the dimensions of a piece of land or any other real estate. It involves the collection, analysis, and dissemination of spatial information through the use of technology and optimized methodologies.
Types of Surveyors
‘Civil surveys’ is a broad umbrella and can generalize many fields so that surveyors can choose subfields to major in. Below are some common types of surveyors:
Land Surveyors:
The professional aim of land surveyors is to determine the location of land boundaries, easements, and other similar borders. They make certain that the physical land is properly subdivided and assigned in line with their legal descriptions.
Building Surveyors:
A building surveyor examines existing structures, evaluates the problems affecting them, and gives guidance to enhance their performance and safety. They may also give consultation on restoration, renovation, and demolition projects.
Quantity Surveyors:
It is the role of the quantity surveyor to be involved in cost control, especially in assessing and determining the cost of the construction projects at various phases of construction. They intend to identify the probabilities of cost overruns and suggest ways to avoid them.
Valuation Surveyors:
Valuation surveyors quantify property values for different usages, such as in mortgage transactions, insurance, or tax assessments. They employ various data-collection tools and methods for evaluating the market value of properties while preparing reports for decision-making.
Environmental Surveyors:
Environmental surveyors evaluate the effects of various activities on the environment. They foresee problems that may arise and advise on how adverse effects could be avoided and how work could be done safely for the environment.
Mining Surveyors:
Mining surveyors’ tasks are to oversee the safety and efficiency of the actual mining process. They apply smart tools, computerized models, and methodologies for defining the underground and surface characteristics so that new mining efforts are not done blindly.
Some Survey Services That Are Frequently Rendered
Surveyors provide the following services that may be useful to the general public and other companies:
Boundary Surveys:
Boundary surveyors are professionals who help determine the limits of the property as it relates to the land and attempt to divide the land as lawfully as possible. This service entails physically surveying the limits of a piece of land and preparing a written legal map.
Building Inspections:
Health and safety surveyors help organizations review hazards in existing structures and recommend ways of eliminating risks. This service ensures that owners of the property have proper structures to occupy as well as meet the requirements of local by-laws on construction.
Topographic Surveys:
Topographic surveys involve the measurement of land elevation and its features on the surface. In construction projects, this service can be used in planning, designing a landscape, and understanding the geographical formations of an area.
Property Valuations:
Property valuers offer an assessment of the fair market value of properties for different purposes, including mortgage, insurance, and tax purposes. This service assists the public and other forms of establishment in making the right decisions regarding the financial issues of property.
Construction Surveys:
Surveyors perform construction surveys that enable construction projects to be built correctly and without the risk of encountering an issue. It involves assessing progress made in construction projects and ensuring that construction is on course.
Environmental Assessments:
Environmental surveyors are the ones who offer opinions on the likely effects of human activities on the environment. It provides output as a reference source to alert developers, government agencies, and industry to potential impacts and measures to avoid negative ones.
When Do You Need a Surveyor?
You may need to hire Certain Surveyors in many situations, as pointed out below. Here are some common examples:
Buying a Property:
Before buying a building, a surveyor should be engaged in establishing boundaries, structural fitness, and property value. This will enable you to make a proper decision without many problems since you will be warned.
Selling a Property:
Consulting a surveyor when selling a property will assist you in estimating the value of the property you are selling and, therefore, be assured of a fair price. A surveyor may also advise you of some problems that may hinder the sale of the property.
Resolving Land Disputes:
In case of a land disagreement, a surveyor will assist the parties in assessing the physical demarcations of the land and solve the disagreement. Getting a surveyor can help prove your position right and come to a reasonable settlement.
Planning Renovations:
It’s also important, prior to any proposed alteration or a property extension, that you engage a surveyor to review the state of the building and possible defects. This will be instrumental in making sure that your renovation project is done safely and at an agreed-upon cost.
Starting a Construction Project:
The use of a surveyor is vital, especially in the construction of a building, before the commencement of any construction work. Construction surveys can be rendered by a surveyor, who can also help plan and monitor the construction project.
Environmental Concerns:
If you are concerned with possible effects that human activity can have on the environment you can consult an environmental surveyor in order to establish possible dangers and how these can be avoided.
The Tips for Selecting a Surveyor
Selection of the appropriate surveyor is crucial in that it will determine whether you get accurate information or not. Here are some tips for choosing a surveyor:
Check Qualifications:
Make sure that the surveyor that you hire possesses the required licenses and formal education to survey your region. This will prevent a situation whereby you are being advised based on a wrong understanding of the law or on old information.
Experience:
Select a surveyor with experience in the area you are interested in regarding surveying. It will assist in guaranteeing that you are getting necessary advice that suits your specific task and that the surveyor identifies the full range of issues within the venture.
Reputation:
Select a good surveyor who has been in the market for some time now. This is good for you in that the project that is being undertaken will benefit from a surveyor who is professional and honest in giving advice and who thus embraces the best practices in customer relations.
Services Offered:
Identify a surveyor that offers the services that you want. As mentioned at the start, surveying is a wide field with many specializations, so you can’t hire any type of surveyor for any type of project.
Coast:
Select a surveyor who has reasonable charges for the job offered. However, it does help to keep an eye on costs while also remembering that the cheapest surveyor might not be the best.
Conclusion
Geologists and geoscientists are valuable in demarcating property ownership, assessing the safety of structures, property re-evaluation, planning and development, cost control in construction projects, and, most importantly, environmental conservation. In case you have the need for a surveying service, it is considerate to find a certified and experienced professional surveyor of the kind of surveying service you need. In doing so, you can guarantee that your project’s work is done effectively, efficiently, and securely.
