Your needs for a boundary survey can be varied. If you are considering erecting a fence, for example, on a residential lot under an acre, you may need the dimensions of your lot prominently marked on the ground, at each corner and along the boundary lines.

In the case of a real estate transfer, the buyer, seller or lender may request that a boundary survey be performed, including a drawing of the premises showing improvements upon the land and the location of property corners and the dimensions of boundary lines. This type of survey would, graphically, show encroachments and other (unrecorded) uses and conditions which may assist in preparing a deed description that accurately reflects the physical conditions of the piece of property.

There are several other cases that might require a boundary survey. If you feel you need this service that we provide, feel free to contact us and we will discuss the details of your needs.

One of the least understood processes dealing with land use is the requirement for and the process of platting a subdivision.

According to Tennessee state regulations governing local planning authorities, a subdivision is defined as any division of property resulting in two or more lots. The regulation further states that if the area of the new lot(s) or the remaining lot is less than 5 acres, it must be platted, in accordance with the regulations of the local planning authority. In Hamilton County, all plats require approval from the Chattanooga Hamilton County Regional Planning Authority (RPA). Additionally, approval from the City Engineer is required if the subdivision will be utilizing city sewers. If the subdivision will require underground sewage disposal, approval will be required from the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department.

Subdivisions requiring the design of roads, sewers and other utilities are completed in tandem with a Licensed Civil Engineer. In general, we provide the engineer with a boundary and topographic survey that we have prepared. The engineer performs all of the necessary calculations and designs. Once preliminary approval is obtained by RPA, we prepare afinal plat showing lot, street and utility layout.

Simpler subdivisions (2-5 lots) generally do not require the services of a Civil Engineer. We perform a boundary survey of the property. If the subdivision lies outside of city sewers, we enlist the services of a state-approved Soil Consultant to "map" the soil and determine percolation rates and other matters requisite for the Health Department to approve a subsurface sewage disposal system (SSDS) easement area. In areas that are accessible to city sewers, only approval of the City Engineer is required.

There are also several fees that the developer will incur that are separate from those agreed upon between land surveyor and developer.

RPA	$200 plat review fee
City of Chattanooga	$110 review fee (1-10 lots), $10/lot (10+)
Chatt. Ham. Co. Health Dept.	$65 (per lot) review fee
Register of Deeds	$17 plat recording fee
Zoning Board	see RPA fee schedule Chatt. Ham. Co. RPA
Variances	see RPA fee schedule Chatt. Ham. Co. RPA

Elevation Certificates are usually required, by a lending institution, to determine if a borrower needs to purchase flood insurance on a particular piece of property. Elevations of the main dwelling on the property are measured, relative to a known benchmark and this information is transferred to the appropriate form published by FEMA.

We have a wide range of builders, large and small, that have utilized this service. With the ever-decreasing lot sizes of subdivisions, accurate placement of a structure, relative to setbacks and easements, is critical. Typically, we first locate the house on the lot for excavation. Once the footing is poured, we mark the masonry locations. If necessary, we are able to prepare a foundation survey to provide to a lending institution.

Commonly referred to in the past as "loan surveys", Inspections do not represent a boundary survey-they merely locate the improvements upon the property with reference to the recorded description of the property. By Tennessee state statute, these are known as "non-monumentation procedures", but they must still be prepared by a licensed land surveyor.

Upon completion of the foundation of a newly constructed house, many lending institutions require a foundation survey. We simply locate the new foundation, relative to the recorded description of the property, and prepare a drawing showing the dimensions of the structure and the dimensions to the nearest boundary lines. This survey is similar in scope and effect to a mortgage loan inspection.