Your Final Stop for ALL of Your Survey Needs! Contact us today for a free quote!
This site is intended to provide you with information on Land Surveying in the Pittsburgh, PA and Allegheny County area of Pennsylvania. If you’re looking for a Pittsburgh Land Surveyor, you’ve come to the right place. If you’d rather talk to someone about your land surveying needs, please call our local number at (412) 214 7670 today. For more information, please continue to read.
Land Surveyors are professionals who make precise measurements to determine the size and boundaries of a piece of real estate. While this is a simplistic definition, boundary surveying is one of the most common types of surveying related to home and land owners. If you fall into the following categories, please click on the appropriate link for more information on that subject:
Pittsburgh Land Surveying services:
I need to know where my property corners or property lines are. (Boundary Survey)
I have a loan closing or re-finance coming up on my home in a subdivision. (Lot Survey)
I need a map of my property with contour lines to show elevation differences for my architect or engineer. (Topo Survey)
I’ve just been told I’m in a flood zone or I’ve been told I need an elevation certificate in order to obtain flood insurance or prove I don’t need it. (Flood Survey)
I’m purchasing a lot/house in a recorded subdivision. (Lot Survey – See Boundary Survey if you’re not in a subdivision.)
I’m purchasing a larger tract of land, acreage, that hasn’t been subdivided in the past. (Boundary Survey)
Contact Pittsburgh Land Surveying services TODAY at (412) 214 7670.
The metal pins, pipes, and small discs you find in your yard are survey markers, also called monuments. A surveyor places them to mark the exact corners and lines of a property. They are the physical proof of where your land sits, and in most places it is against the law to move or remove them.
You are digging a hole for a new plant, and your shovel hits something solid. You clear the dirt and find a metal pin or a small round cap sticking out of the ground. It is easy to ignore, but that little marker may be one of the most important objects on your property. Here is what these markers are, why they matter, and what you should never do with them.
What a Survey Marker Actually Is
A survey marker is a physical object placed in the ground to mark a specific point on a property. Surveyors use them to show exactly where the corners and lines of a parcel sit. Without these markers, property lines would only exist on paper, and it would be hard to prove where one piece of land ends and another begins.
These markers turn the measurements on a survey into real, fixed points you can see and touch. That is why they carry so much weight. When there is a question about a boundary, the marker on the ground is often the clearest answer.
Common Types of Markers You Might Find
Markers come in several forms, and the type often depends on when and where the property was surveyed. Here are the ones you are most likely to run into.
Iron pins or rebar. These are thin metal rods driven into the ground. They are one of the most common markers on residential property.
Iron pipes. Older properties sometimes have hollow metal pipes used as corner markers.
Capped markers. Many pins have a plastic or metal cap on top. The cap is often stamped with the surveyor’s license number.
Concrete monuments. These are solid blocks set into the ground, usually for larger or more important boundary points.
Brass or aluminum discs. These flat discs are often set into concrete or pavement and are common at major control points.
If you find a capped marker, the stamp on the cap can tell you which surveyor placed it. That information can be useful if you ever need to confirm or revisit the boundary.
Where Markers Are Usually Placed
Markers are not scattered at random. A surveyor places them at meaningful points so they describe the shape of the property. The most common spots are the corners, where two property lines meet.
You may also find markers along a line, especially on a long boundary where extra points help keep the line clear. Some markers sit at the edge of a road or at the point where your land meets a neighbor’s. Knowing this pattern can help you guess where a marker might be hiding before you start searching.
Why Survey Markers Matter So Much
These small objects do a big job. They protect your property rights by giving everyone a clear, agreed point to measure from. When a marker is in place, there is far less room for argument about where a line sits.
Markers matter in many everyday situations:
Building a fence in the right spot
Settling a friendly question with a neighbor about a shared line
Planning an addition that must stay inside your boundary
Selling your land and proving its limits to a buyer
In each case, the marker is the trusted reference. Losing or moving it can turn a simple project into a confusing and costly problem.
Why You Should Never Move a Marker
This is the part many people do not know. In most areas, it is illegal to remove, damage, or move a survey marker on purpose. These markers are protected because they serve a public purpose, not just a private one. Other people rely on them too.
If a marker is moved, the original point is lost. Restoring it usually means hiring a surveyor to research records and measure the property all over again. That costs time and money, and it can be avoided simply by leaving the marker alone.
So if you find one, the best thing to do is nothing. Do not pull it out, paint over the stamp, or pave over it. If a marker is in your way for a project, talk to a surveyor first. They can advise you on the right and legal way to handle it.
How to Find Your Markers
Sometimes a marker is easy to spot, and sometimes it is buried under grass or soil. If you want to locate yours, start with your survey report. It shows where each marker should be and how far it sits from known points.
Here are a few gentle tips for searching:
Measure roughly from a known point, such as a corner shown on your survey
Look for a small cap, pin, or disc near the property corners
Check along the edge of the yard where lines are likely to run
If you cannot find a marker, it may be buried deeper or it may be missing. In that case, a surveyor can locate the point and, if needed, set a new marker in the correct spot.
When to Call a Professional
You can search for and look at your markers on your own, but some situations call for an expert. If a marker is missing, damaged, or seems out of place, a licensed surveyor is the right person to help. The same is true if you and a neighbor disagree about a line, or if you are about to build close to a boundary.
A quick visit from a surveyor can confirm exactly where your markers belong. That peace of mind is well worth it before you spend money on a fence, a wall, or an addition.
A land survey report is a map of your property filled with lines, symbols, numbers, and notes. To read it, start with the title block to confirm the basics, then study the boundary lines and their measurements, check the legend to decode symbols, and review the notes for important details like easements or flood zones.
You finally get your land survey back, open it up, and stare at a page full of strange marks, abbreviations, and numbers. It can feel like reading a foreign language. The good news is that once you know what each part means, the whole report starts to make sense. Below is a friendly walkthrough of the pieces you will find on almost every survey.
Start With the Title Block
The title block is usually in a corner of the page. Think of it as the report’s name tag. It tells you who made the survey and what it covers.
Look here first to confirm the basics:
The property address or legal description
The owner’s name
The surveyor’s name, license number, and stamp
The date the survey was done
The scale, such as “1 inch = 30 feet”
The scale matters because it tells you how distance on paper compares to real distance on the ground. If the scale says one inch equals thirty feet, then a line two inches long stands for sixty feet of actual land.
Understand the Boundary Lines
The bold lines around the edge of the drawing show your property lines. These are the most important lines on the page because they mark where your land begins and ends.
Along each line you will see two kinds of numbers. One is the distance, written in feet, which tells you how long that side of the property is. The other is the direction, often shown as something like “N 45° E.” This is called a bearing, and it describes the angle of the line using compass directions. Together, the distance and bearing explain the exact path of each property line.
Decode the Symbols With the Legend
Surveys are full of small symbols, and you are not expected to memorize them. That is what the legend is for. The legend, sometimes called the key, is a small box that explains what each symbol means.
Common symbols you may spot include:
A small circle or dot for a found marker, such as an iron pin already in the ground
A different mark for a new marker the surveyor set
Short dashed lines for easements or setback limits
Symbols for utility poles, water valves, or manholes
When you see a symbol you do not recognize, just match it to the legend. It works the same way as reading the key on a road map.
Read the Lines and Their Styles
Not every line on a survey is a property line. The style of a line tells you what it represents, so the type of line is a clue in itself.
Here is a simple guide to common line styles:
Line style
What it usually means
Solid bold line
Property boundary
Thin solid line
A building, driveway, or other structure
Dashed line
An easement or setback
Dotted line
A utility or underground feature
Line with small tick marks
A fence
Knowing these styles helps you tell the difference between your actual property line and something like a fence that may not sit exactly on the boundary.
Check the Curve and Corner Data
Some property lines are not straight. When a boundary follows a curve, such as along a cul-de-sac, the surveyor includes extra numbers to describe it. These often include the radius, the length of the curve, and the angle. You do not need to do the math yourself. Just know that this data fully describes the shape of the curved line.
At each corner, you will usually see a marker symbol. These corners are the anchor points of your property. The markers placed there are meant to be physical proof on the ground of where your corners sit.
Look at the Notes and Labels
The written notes on a survey are easy to skip, but they often hold the most important information. Surveyors add notes to explain anything the drawing alone cannot show.
Notes may tell you:
Whether the property sits in a flood zone
Any easements that give others the right to use part of your land
Whether a fence or building crosses a property line
The source of the legal description, such as a recorded deed
Always read the notes carefully. A single line of text can reveal a detail that affects how you use or build on your land.
Find the North Arrow
Every survey includes a north arrow, usually a simple arrow pointing toward the top or side of the page. This tells you which way the drawing is oriented. Without it, you would not know which direction you are looking at. Use the north arrow to match the survey to the real property when you stand on the land.
Put It All Together
Reading a survey gets much easier when you go in order. Start with the title block, then trace the boundary lines, check the legend, study the line styles, and finish with the notes. Each part adds a layer of meaning until the full picture comes into focus.
If something on your survey still does not make sense, it is always worth asking the surveyor who made it. They can walk you through any detail, and a quick question now can save you from a costly mistake later.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the title block on a land survey?
The title block is a labeled box, usually in a corner, that lists the property details, the surveyor’s name and license, the date, and the scale of the drawing. It is the best place to start reading.
What does a bearing like “N 45° E” mean on a survey?
A bearing describes the direction of a property line using compass points and an angle. It works with the distance measurement to show the exact path and length of each side of your property.
Why are there different line styles on my survey?
Each line style stands for something different. A bold line is usually a property boundary, a dashed line often marks an easement, and a line with tick marks usually shows a fence. The style helps you tell features apart.
Should I read the notes on a land survey?
Yes. The notes often contain key details that the drawing cannot show, such as flood zone information, easements, or whether a structure crosses a property line. Skipping them can mean missing important facts.
The main types of land surveys are boundary, ALTA/NSPS land title, topographic, mortgage, subdivision, construction staking, and elevation surveys. Each one answers a different question about a property. The right choice depends on what you are trying to do, so picking the correct survey saves you both time and money.
Have you ever been told you need “a survey” before building a fence or buying property? Many people are surprised to learn that land surveying is not just one service. There are several different types, and each has its own job. Ordering the wrong one can lead to delays and extra costs.
Land Survey Types at a Glance
Survey type
What it shows
When you need it
Boundary survey
Property lines, corners, and markers
Fences, disputes, or confirming lot lines
ALTA/NSPS survey
Boundaries plus easements and other details
Commercial purchases and loans
Topographic survey
Elevation, slopes, and features
Site design and drainage planning
Mortgage survey
Where buildings sit on the lot
Many home closings
Subdivision survey
How land is split into lots
Dividing land to sell or build
Construction staking
Where to build on the ground
Before and during building
Elevation survey
Height compared to flood levels
Flood insurance and flood zones
1. Boundary Survey
A boundary survey finds, measures, and marks the legal property lines and corners of a piece of land. This is the most common type of home survey. It is what most people mean when they say they need a survey to settle a property line.
The surveyor first studies the deed and records maps. Then they measure the land in the field and place markers at the corners. The result shows you exactly where your land starts and ends. You will want this survey before building a fence, planning an addition, or solving a disagreement with a neighbor.
2. ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey
An ALTA/NSPS survey is a detailed survey that follows the same rules across the whole country. It includes the boundaries plus easements, buildings, and other title details. It is used mostly in commercial property deals to satisfy banks and title companies.
ALTA stands for the American Land Title Association, and NSPS stands for the National Society of Professional Surveyors. The first standards were created in 1962 and have been updated about ten times since then. The current rules took effect on February 23, 2021. These standards are updated about every five years and are trusted by buyers, lenders, and lawyers across the nation.
The big benefit of this survey is that it is the same everywhere. A surveyor in Pennsylvania and one in another state follow the same minimum rules. There is also a list of optional extras, called Table A, that the buyer and seller can request. This is why it is seen as the gold standard for major business deals.
3. Topographic Survey
A topographic survey maps the shape of the land. It records the elevation, slopes, and features such as trees, ditches, and buildings. Engineers and architects use it to plan grading, drainage, and where a building will sit.
While a boundary survey is about lines, a topographic survey is about shape. The results are often shown as contour lines that connect points of equal height. If you are designing a new building or worried about how water drains across a property, this is the survey you need.
4. Mortgage Survey
A mortgage survey, sometimes called a location survey, is a simple survey. It shows roughly where the buildings sit compared to the property lines. Lenders often ask for it when someone is buying a home.
This survey checks that the house sits inside the lot lines and that nothing is obviously crossing onto a neighbor’s land. Because it is lighter than a full boundary survey, it is faster and cheaper. However, you should not use it to place a fence or settle a dispute, since it is not precise enough for those jobs.
5. Subdivision Survey
A subdivision survey splits one piece of land into two or more separate lots. It creates new legal descriptions and an official map that can be recorded. Builders and landowners use it when they want to sell or develop separate parcels.
Dividing land is controlled by local rules, so this survey involves both fieldwork and approval from the city or county. Once the new map is approved and recorded, the land legally becomes several distinct lots.
6. Construction Staking
Construction staking is the work of placing stakes in the ground to show exactly where to build. It turns the design plans on paper into real positions on the site. The stakes guide the crew on where roads, pipes, and buildings should go.
This is surveying that supports the act of building. The surveyor takes the approved plans and marks them on the ground so the crew builds in the right spot at the right height. Mistakes here can be very costly, which is why careful staking matters so much.
7. Elevation Survey
An elevation survey measures the height of the ground and of a building compared to an official flood level. It supports flood insurance forms and helps property owners follow flood zone rules.
If your property sits in or near a flood zone, this survey gives insurers the height data they need. It is often the key piece for getting fair and accurate flood insurance pricing.
How to Choose the Right Survey
The right survey depends on your goal, not just the price. Here is a quick way to decide:
Settling a line or building near it? Boundary survey.
Buying commercial property? ALTA/NSPS survey.
Designing or grading a site? Topographic survey.
Closing on a home? Mortgage survey.
Splitting land into lots? Subdivision survey.
Ready to build? Construction staking.
Dealing with flood insurance? Elevation survey.
When you are unsure, just describe your project to a licensed surveyor before you order. Choosing the wrong survey is one of the most common and easily avoided costs property owners face.
Land Surveyors are professionals who make precise measurements to determine the size and boundaries of a piece of real estate. While this is a simplistic definition, boundary surveying is one of the most common types of surveying related to home and land owners. If you fall into the following categories, please click on the appropriate link for more information on that subject:
