Land survey required

[pa_of_6]

I need a quarter of land surveyed by bellis/vilna area

Any suggestions of who to get?


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[Alberta bull hunter]

Not sure if you are looking for someone more local but I used pals geomatics out of Edmonton. Depending on your needs they may be able to do it remotely. I just needed a quarter section divided in half so they were able to do it without coming to site and it was a lot cheaper.


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[fishpro]

Are there any Global Raymac offices in your vicinity? I seem to recall them covering a large area.

[leo]

Originally Posted by Alberta bull hunter

Not sure if you are looking for someone more local but I used pals geomatics out of Edmonton. Depending on your needs they may be able to do it remotely. I just needed a quarter section divided in half so they were able to do it without coming to site and it was a lot cheaper.


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Another vote for PALS Geomatics. I've worked with them for close to 20 years. They are #1 in my books.

[big_plinker]

Originally Posted by Alberta bull hunter

Not sure if you are looking for someone more local but I used pals geomatics out of Edmonton. Depending on your needs they may be able to do it remotely. I just needed a quarter section divided in half so they were able to do it without coming to site and it was a lot cheaper.


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Don't they need to tie in existing, for verification of boundaries, and place pins with a subdivision? Or have the laws changed substantially in the last few years?

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by Alberta bull hunter

Not sure if you are looking for someone more local but I used pals geomatics out of Edmonton. Depending on your needs they may be able to do it remotely. I just needed a quarter section divided in half so they were able to do it without coming to site and it was a lot cheaper.


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^ without boots on the ground, there's no way a subdivision like that will stand up in court (if that time ever comes)

J.

[Alberta bull hunter]

Originally Posted by jcrayford

^ without boots on the ground, there's no way a subdivision like that will stand up in court (if that time ever comes)

J.

I’m not an expert in the area by any means but we hired them to do the job under recommendation by others and they were very professional and knowledgeable and got the job done. They had a legal department that assisted us with our needs so I’m not too concerned. From what I remember being the simple subdivision of cutting a quarter section in half they gave us the option to come to site and place pins or to do it remotely and provide drawings with measurements and no pins placed. We went with the remote option as it served our purpose, we have the legal documents that were needed and are satisfied. I do believe if we ever want to take a smaller subdivision out then they are required to come to site and re check everything.


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[Alberta bull hunter]

Originally Posted by big_plinker

Don't they need to tie in existing, for verification of boundaries, and place pins with a subdivision? Or have the laws changed substantially in the last few years?

Mine was done just over a year ago just so you have an idea of time line. It was one raw quarter section divided in half. I’m not positive on the laws but I trusted them to know what they were doing. They did not provide the option of doing the subdivision remotely until they had all the info on the land so I would guess there are factors in all situations that may determine if this works or not.


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[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by Alberta bull hunter

I’m not an expert in the area by any means but we hired them to do the job under recommendation by others and they were very professional and knowledgeable and got the job done. They had a legal department that assisted us with our needs so I’m not too concerned. From what I remember being the simple subdivision of cutting a quarter section in half they gave us the option to come to site and place pins or to do it remotely and provide drawings with measurements and no pins placed. We went with the remote option as it served our purpose, we have the legal documents that were needed and are satisfied. I do believe if we ever want to take a smaller subdivision out then they are required to come to site and re check everything.


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Hmmmm..... I'm no lawyer either, but have been in the survey industry for over 30 years and have seen every type of survey known in Alberta. I've seen a few instances (few and far between) of doing a split without pins being placed in the ground, but there were still boots on the ground to find the primary evidence defining the parcel.

Not arguing and not trying to prove a point, just providing some context to the OP's question. Don't know of one farmer anywhere that doesn't know where his land begins and ends without some knowledge of the legal boundaries. Fence lines DO NOT define legal boundaries.....

J.

[big_plinker]

Originally Posted by Alberta bull hunter

Mine was done just over a year ago just so you have an idea of time line. It was one raw quarter section divided in half. I’m not positive on the laws but I trusted them to know what they were doing. They did not provide the option of doing the subdivision remotely until they had all the info on the land so I would guess there are factors in all situations that may determine if this works or not.


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I could use my phone to get you the legal documents created from legal drawings, it would probably cost me $20 and take me a day to teach myself to use CAD again. And if I was an ALS (Alberta Land Surveyor; surveyors have to be registered in whatever province they are working in for the survey to be legal) I could sign off on those drawings, and submit them to the province.

But that's not a survey, and any ALS that signs off on those drawings without boots on the ground, tying in and confirming the legal evidence with checks and balances, is playing a risky game with his license, and the legality of your subdivision.

It's extremely expensive for a reason. It involves lawyers and stuff because it involves the law.

[MooseRiverTrapper]

https://www.krawchuklandsurveys.ca/

Very good guy

[Alberta bull hunter]

Originally Posted by big_plinker

I could use my phone to get you the legal documents created from legal drawings, it would probably cost me $20 and take me a day to teach myself to use CAD again. And if I was an ALS (Alberta Land Surveyor; surveyors have to be registered in whatever province they are working in for the survey to be legal) I could sign off on those drawings, and submit them to the province.

But that's not a survey, and any ALS that signs off on those drawings without boots on the ground, tying in and confirming the legal evidence with checks and balances, is playing a risky game with his license, and the legality of your subdivision.

It's extremely expensive for a reason. It involves lawyers and stuff because it involves the law.

It’s quite possible that I am misunderstanding how the whole thing went to be honest, as mentioned it is not my area of expertise. Regardless Pals geomatics is not some fly by night company so I assume they were doing everything by the book. I had to deal with a few people from their company during the process and all was great in my books and so I would recommend them.


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[Alberta bull hunter]

Originally Posted by jcrayford

Hmmmm..... I'm no lawyer either, but have been in the survey industry for over 30 years and have seen every type of survey known in Alberta. I've seen a few instances (few and far between) of doing a split without pins being placed in the ground, but there were still boots on the ground to find the primary evidence defining the parcel.

Not arguing and not trying to prove a point, just providing some context to the OP's question. Don't know of one farmer anywhere that doesn't know where his land begins and ends without some knowledge of the legal boundaries. Fence lines DO NOT define legal boundaries.....

J.

Agreed I am well aware as to where my property lines are without a piece of paper.

I think this is all good info provided for the op from folks who work in the industry. I always recommend doing your own research and talking with a few different companies before choosing who to give your money to. I did talk with other companies before making my decision and I am still comfortable with the choice I made and would still make the same recommendation.


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[trailraat]

Originally Posted by jcrayford

^ without boots on the ground, there's no way a subdivision like that will stand up in court (if that time ever comes)

J.

This incorrect.

It's called a descriptive plan. It's not uncommon. Often that is how acreages are divided out of parcels.

PALs is a good company and knows what they are doing.

[big_plinker]

Originally Posted by trailraat

This incorrect.

It's called a descriptive plan. It's not uncommon. Often that is how acreages are divided out of parcels.

PALs is a good company and knows what they are doing.

Descriptive plans are still legal (https://www.alberta.ca/register-land...ment-plan.aspx) but usually require tying in of monuments, i.e. Pins.
Do what you want. If you know where the pins are (and as a land owner you really should), great.

But if you don't, and your trusting these people to give you quality legal boundaries that are dependent on the quality of other surveyors, I just want to point out that surveyors have probably proven to be the most drunken bunch of crazy bastards I've ever had the pleasure of working with, and that's after 2 years on the drilling rigs in the 90's (when things were 'different') and 3 years as a tunnel labourer in Edmonton in the early 2000's.
Most surveyors I know wouldn't trust the work of another unless they literally knew them well.

And encroachments suck.

[jcrayford]

Originally Posted by big_plinker

Descriptive plans are still legal (https://www.alberta.ca/register-land...ment-plan.aspx) but usually require tying in of monuments, i.e. Pins.
Do what you want. If you know where the pins are (and as a land owner you really should), great.

But if you don't, and your trusting these people to give you quality legal boundaries that are dependent on the quality of other surveyors, I just want to point out that surveyors have probably proven to be the most drunken bunch of crazy bastards I've ever had the pleasure of working with, and that's after 2 years on the drilling rigs in the 90's (when things were 'different') and 3 years as a tunnel labourer in Edmonton in the early 2000's.
Most surveyors I know wouldn't trust the work of another unless they literally knew them well.

And encroachments suck.

^ Hey! I've resembled that remark a few times LOL....

I've also met a few tradesmen (and women) that can continue carrying that party torch long after I've set it down. But we all seem to show up the following morning ready for work.

And it's not that surveyors don't trust the work of other's - sometimes things need to be proven as stated on plans, both in front of an ALSA panel and in court.

Originally Posted by trailraat

This incorrect.

It's called a descriptive plan. It's not uncommon. Often that is how acreages are divided out of parcels.

PALs is a good company and knows what they are doing.

^Yes, descriptive plans are out there but still require boots on the ground to find evidence. My brother had a descriptive plan done to subdivide his house and yard from a 1/4, but the survey company still had to go to the field to find pins - even though brother and I knew exactly where the pins were. Survey needed to prove that the boundary pins existed prior to the descriptive plan.

J.