LAND SURVEYING
Done Quickly. Done Right.
We provide hundreds of affordable and accurate surveys each year. Services are provided for large commercial projects, as well as, small private jobs.
Land Surveys
- Land Surveyors ensure that property owners are building in the correct location and/ or are purchasing property that is free of easements and encroachments. Whether it be a farmer’s fence line, a real estate sub-division, or a new commercial complex we offer the latest technology in data collection, drafting, and modeling to ensure accurate results.
- Land Surveyors research disputes about right of ways, easements and possible encroachments by measuring terrestrial boundaries described in the property’s legal descriptions. They then locate, mark and map these locations to create independent resolutions.
- Northwestern Surveying and Engineering has been involved with most of the large surveying projects in the area and have a substantial amount of the critical data close at hand. This ensures that you get the best service for the best possible price.
Boundary Surveys
- Boundary Surveys are two dimensional and are necessary to determine property corners and lines based on the legal description found on the property deed. Historical data and research are used to determine and locate government section monumentation and other historical markers to establish permanent boundary lines and corners. These boundaries are mapped and can be added to county databases for future documentation.
- Property disputes are common and costly. Boundary surveys are recommended before building fences, roads or buildings to ensure location accuracy and avoid encroaching on your neighbor’s property or vice versa.
- Boundary Surveys are also significant when purchasing property. Ensure that the previous owner has not encroached on his neighbor, also acknowledge current easements and property restrictions.
Topographic Surveys
- Topographic Surveys are three dimensional and are used to view the contours of the land via elevation changes. Topographic surveys are commonly required for construction and water drainage purposes.
- Topographic Surveys are used when developing land and is essential to determine costs associated with earth removal and fill.
- Civil Engineers require topographic surveys to determine the rate and flow of water drainage to meet government requirements when building sewers and hard cover surfaces.
Construction Surveys
- Construction surveys are site layout surveys which tell the builder where to build and at what elevation to build. They generally include an as-built survey before construction and then set staking flags to mark the new location of structures and buildings based on the civil engineer’s construction plans.
- Rough Grade Staking identifies the change in current grade elevation and final grade elevation at site locations. It is used prep the site for construction by changing slopes for drainage, building foundations, catch basins, parking lots and road ways.
- Construction Staking is used to reference the plan layout and design so builders know the location of where and to what depth to place underground utilities, buildings, curb and gutter, sidewalks, fire hydrants, catch basins parking lots and street paving.
- Construction staking is a continuous process throughout the project and is used at various levels of development.
- As-built Surveys depict the results of the construction site and locate buildings, parking spaces, utilities, etc. As-built surveys are commonly done in layers and are created at specific phases in a project.
ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys
- An ALTA/NSPS Survey is a survey that meets national standards to prepare a title survey. An ALTA survey is a complex boundary survey that ensures that a surveyor creates a professional quality survey and all information and maps are uniform, complete and accurate. They certify to the title company, lenders and purchasers any potential legal issues that may arise from unrecorded easements, rights-of-ways, land ownership, hidden assets, parcel boundaries, and unrecorded liens.
- They include boundary lines, locations of main building, locations of auxiliary buildings, unrecorded improvements and identification of easements.
- ALTA/NSPS Surveys are certified by a Licensed Land Surveyor.
- Most commercial mortgages require ALTA/NSPS Land Title Surveys.
Cadastral Surveys
- Northwestern Surveying and Engineering perform cadastral surveys which create, define, mark and re-establish the boundaries of subdivisions of public lands of the United States.
- During a cadastral survey, certificates of location for section corners are created and used for public use on large areas of land.
FEMA Flood Plain Certificates
- The Elevation Certificate is an important tool used by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is required when requesting a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA). Northwestern Surveying and Engineering can issue an elevation certificate by preparing a definitive topographic survey that pinpoints specific elevations requested by FEMA.
Platting Services
- Platting Services are generally required by counties and municipalities when dividing land or adding to it. Platting maps will include the lot boundaries for each parcel, as well as, street dedications, right of ways, and easements.
- Northwestern Surveying and Engineering works with the client and the Planning and Zoning Department to meet specific municipal requirements.
Done Quickly. Done Right.
We have been providing land surveying services for small legal surveys to large heavy construction for over 20 years.
PROUD TO BE
VETERAN OWNED
Northwestern Surveying and Engineering, Inc. is proud to be one of the only Veteran-owned land surveying and engineering companies in Minnesota. We offer veterans preference to qualified personnel who would like to join our team.
