09-25-2012, 06:16 AM
We have a law that says only a licensed land surveyor can identify a boundary corner. The reason for the law is to protect you and your neighbors from the problems that were created by incompetent surveyors. We invest a lot of money in our land and it’s very expensive to go to court to resolve problems. We want our rights in our land protected as do the people on the other side of our boundary.
Measuring is not that difficult. We have tremendous tools today. Total stations and data collectors have simplified the work and reduced errors. Many surveyors work like doctors. When you visit the doctor’s office a nurse will measure your height, weight, temperature and blood pressure. It’s not necessary for a doctor to make those measurements. The data is then given to the doctor who begins to form an opinion based on those measurements. Likewise a surveyor will send his well-equipped and highly trained field crew to measure your boundaries. The hard part of boundary surveying is determining the following: What to do with the measurements. The original location of missing boundary corners. What rights do all parties to a boundary have and how to preserve everyone’s rights.
When you are determining who to hire, I suggest you ask the following:
What is the name and license number of the land surveyor overseeing the work?
The license number will start with the letters LS (land surveyor). Look them up on the states web site, (Google the words “ Hawaii license look up”, select the site labeled professional vocational licensing, pull down to LS for license type and enter the number)see if the license is active, see if there are any complaints on file.
Where is the land surveyor located? Is she here in Hawaii? Can you talk with her? Or is she always unavailable?
Rubber stampers like to hide out of state.
What training/certifications do your field crews have?
How much insurance do you carry?
Part of the beauty of being an unlicensed surveyor (pinfinder) is that there is nothing to lose. The total investment in the business is a cell phone some business cards and a 200 foot tape. (ok, some do have outdated survey equipment) If someone has a problem with a pinfinders work they just change their cell phone and the problem is gone. No need for insurance to pay for the correction of mistakes. (We are human, mistakes will happen in a land surveyor’s long career.) No need to worry about someone filing a complaint against your license. You don’t have one.
How many boundary surveys have you performed in my subdivision/area?
Boundary surveying is regional. A surveyor must be familiar with the type of pins (boundary corner monuments) used by the original surveyor. Your boundary corners are located at the place the original surveyor of your subdivision set them. Original pins rule, measurements are secondary. Your subdivision map gives directions to help find the original corner monuments (pins), but the measurements on the map are supposed to reflect what is on the earth. The pins were set on the earth before the map was drawn, so pins control. Pins are visible and permanent, measurements are not. When you purchase a lot it’s assumed you visited each corner, saw the pins and found the lot acceptable for purchase. You then build fence and rock walls and your home based on those pins. A land surveyor cannot come to your lot fifty years, or more, later and decide to move your corners, your corners, with few exceptions, remain where the original sub-divider set them. PRESERVE YOUR ORIGINAL MONUMENTS. Don’t let the dozer take them out.
When you have qualified the candidates, decide who seem best able to meet your needs. Everyone has different needs and priorities, such as cost, scheduling, deliverables. Deliverables can include points along the boundary line between the lot corners, locating setback lines, locating proposed buildings, GPS coordinates, photographs, maps and written reports.
Good Luck.
Measuring is not that difficult. We have tremendous tools today. Total stations and data collectors have simplified the work and reduced errors. Many surveyors work like doctors. When you visit the doctor’s office a nurse will measure your height, weight, temperature and blood pressure. It’s not necessary for a doctor to make those measurements. The data is then given to the doctor who begins to form an opinion based on those measurements. Likewise a surveyor will send his well-equipped and highly trained field crew to measure your boundaries. The hard part of boundary surveying is determining the following: What to do with the measurements. The original location of missing boundary corners. What rights do all parties to a boundary have and how to preserve everyone’s rights.
When you are determining who to hire, I suggest you ask the following:
What is the name and license number of the land surveyor overseeing the work?
The license number will start with the letters LS (land surveyor). Look them up on the states web site, (Google the words “ Hawaii license look up”, select the site labeled professional vocational licensing, pull down to LS for license type and enter the number)see if the license is active, see if there are any complaints on file.
Where is the land surveyor located? Is she here in Hawaii? Can you talk with her? Or is she always unavailable?
Rubber stampers like to hide out of state.
What training/certifications do your field crews have?
How much insurance do you carry?
Part of the beauty of being an unlicensed surveyor (pinfinder) is that there is nothing to lose. The total investment in the business is a cell phone some business cards and a 200 foot tape. (ok, some do have outdated survey equipment) If someone has a problem with a pinfinders work they just change their cell phone and the problem is gone. No need for insurance to pay for the correction of mistakes. (We are human, mistakes will happen in a land surveyor’s long career.) No need to worry about someone filing a complaint against your license. You don’t have one.
How many boundary surveys have you performed in my subdivision/area?
Boundary surveying is regional. A surveyor must be familiar with the type of pins (boundary corner monuments) used by the original surveyor. Your boundary corners are located at the place the original surveyor of your subdivision set them. Original pins rule, measurements are secondary. Your subdivision map gives directions to help find the original corner monuments (pins), but the measurements on the map are supposed to reflect what is on the earth. The pins were set on the earth before the map was drawn, so pins control. Pins are visible and permanent, measurements are not. When you purchase a lot it’s assumed you visited each corner, saw the pins and found the lot acceptable for purchase. You then build fence and rock walls and your home based on those pins. A land surveyor cannot come to your lot fifty years, or more, later and decide to move your corners, your corners, with few exceptions, remain where the original sub-divider set them. PRESERVE YOUR ORIGINAL MONUMENTS. Don’t let the dozer take them out.
When you have qualified the candidates, decide who seem best able to meet your needs. Everyone has different needs and priorities, such as cost, scheduling, deliverables. Deliverables can include points along the boundary line between the lot corners, locating setback lines, locating proposed buildings, GPS coordinates, photographs, maps and written reports.
Good Luck.