Is a Land Survey Usually Included in an Agreement with a Contractor?

Whenever you enter into an agreement with a contractor it is important to be aware of what is and isn’t included. After all, if you think that they will take care of all the waste removal and then discover they haven’t; you could be left with a significant bill.

There are many different factors involved in any type of contractual agreement. For instance, have you considered how to remove wet and dry waste in large quantities without destructive digging. You may not have even heard of vacuum excavation but it is an effective solution to this problem which can save you from having to deal with damaged utilities. 

Trust me when I tell you that a vacuum excavation or “soft dig” is the way to go if possible. It is a less invasive method of excavation. They do this by sending a blast of air or water into the dig site to loosen soil and break up any large materials. Then they use an air vacuum hose to remove the debris from the hole and transfer it to a specially designed tank.

The Land Survey

A land survey is something that is completed by a professional and determines the heights of the ground, the boundaries, where utilities are and even if there are any current building regulations to be aware of.

In fact, it covers a huge array of options to help your build go smoothly; including the curb height!

Of course, a land survey comes at a price and it is not always included in the agreement with the contractor.

The usual practice, before an agreement is entered into, is for the contractor to visit the site and assess it. This will allow them to see the access and how much work is entailed. During this process they should assess whether a land survey is needed or not. This will largely depend on whether there is any risk of underground utilities and how deep they will need to dig to complete the project.

The contractor will then have two options:

• Provide you with a contract which includes the cost of having a survey done. There will probably be an additional clause regarding the results of the survey; in case this increases the workload for the contractor.
• Advise you that a land survey is required before they can start any work. This will allow you to commission your own survey and supply them with the results.

The second method does place you in more control and assures that you are aware of all the results from your land survey; this could be useful information.

In short, a land survey should be done when undertaking any development work but it may not be included in the contractor agreement. You must verify their expectations and what is included before you commission the company to start work.

These reasons to have a land survey done will remind you of the importance of checking whether it is included or not:

• You need and will get an accurate presentation of you site, specifically the boundaries.
• Knowing exactly what you will be dealing with above and below ground will ensure you do not waste money on excess construction materials. They can be extremely expensive.
• The survey provides you with all the info you need to keep the development inside your property and stay within current building regulations.
• It will advise of any easements and rights of way which should be taken into account.

The key point is to check whether a land survey is included or not and then make sure one is done.