Land surveying can be a complicated process and there is a lot of information that is to be collected and assessed by a land surveyor. Generally, the role of a land surveyor encompasses the mapping of a property, its topographical features and marking the legal boundaries.
There are many tools used by land surveyors in Melbourne such as altimeters, theodolites and GPS. An altimeter can measure the elevation of a site. GPS can provide a lot of useful information that they can add to the final map. Theodolite is the tool that is generally associated with surveying and this is used to measure angles between specific points. These angles can be measured vertically and horizontally. There are also more modern theodolites that can measure distance. Laser measuring devices are used to measure distances as well and modern lasers are able to give information on angles and record information as well. Sometimes there will be documents that have evidence regarding the boundary of the site and the surveyor can evaluate whether that is correct. There is a lot of information that has to be referred by the land surveyors before they visit the site. They need to go through wills, deeds, maps etc. to ensure that they understand the purpose of the project thoroughly.
Once all documentation regarding the site has been perused, the land surveyors need to check where there are any physical markers that will confirm the boundaries. This can be a fence or a marker but this will not be visible when it comes to an old property. After they visit the site and obtain physical evidence they will be able to cross check it with the documentation and prior research. This will help them make a decision on the actual boundary of the property. They will then mark the boundary of the property using new markers. There is a property description that has to be provided after the physical boundary is marked. This will require a lot of evidence and document. The document prepared by the surveyor will carry the details of the surveyor, the date of the survey and other pertinent information regarding the property.
With technological advancements, it has become easier to map out complex topographies. There is a lot of high tech equipment and tools that help surveyors understand the topography easily and quickly. While the above is the general surveying process that is included, the method of surveying will depend on what they are required to do. In conduction, the surveyor will be able to understand the changes to the boundary line and mark the exact locations of buildings and features in the site. They will be able to evaluate changes in property lines over time. Once a land survey is done, it can be effectively referred for about 10 years. Satellite and aerial imaging information is considered when a large scale property is to be surveyed. Some surveyors are able to make recommendations on the depth of building foundation.