If you're a homeowner who has just bought a sizable piece of land with hopes of building another home on it, you know you need to get surveyors in to check out the exact boundaries and see if there are any issues with flooding or land grading. But surveyors can also look for other issues that aren't as well-known. Here are three times you might need a land surveyor for reasons you might not have known about.

Tree Surveying

One survey you may need to do is a tree survey. This produces a map of every tree on your property, numbered and tagged. Sometimes you need to have a tree survey done because you want to know what might be in the way of your development project. Or, you may have heard that there are trees from invasive species or that have an infectious pathogen on the land. The survey can locate these trees so you can take appropriate action.

Family Cemeteries

It sounds unsavory, but if you buy land, there is always the chance that there will be bodies buried in it. It wasn't unusual for landowners decades ago to have private cemeteries on their land; over time, especially with land where the families died out or moved away, the cemeteries could fall into disrepair and be overtaken by plant growth. Vandals could destroy headstones, further hiding evidence of the cemetery. If someone has contacted you, claiming to be from the family who created the cemetery, or if you just want to be sure there won't be any surprises once you start developing the land, land surveying to find old grave sites is a good idea.

Bathymetric Surveys

Land surveys often concentrate on the surface of the land and any bodies of water that might be included. But you can find specialized survey companies that will do bathymetric surveys, or underwater surveys of lake, river, and pond bottoms. These can help you locate old structures or landmarks that might settle boundary or easement disputes. This is especially important if you are planning to drain or reroute any water on your land.

If you have questions about these surveys or want to find out more about surveying in general, contact survey companies in your area to see what services they offer. If you need bathymetric surveying, find out what the company's qualifications are. Survey companies may have package deals if you need several surveys done on the same piece of land.

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