How Much Does a Property Boundary Survey Cost?
Land surveying is highly technical. Land and boundary surveyors have extensive skills including understanding land law, geometry, trigonometry, engineering and even meteorology. Land surveyors are involved in most construction and engineering projects, however, for this article, we are focusing on the work undertaken in boundary surveys.
A boundary survey typically costs from £300 to £1000 per day, plus extra for drawings. Our fixed fee quote might not be the cheapest you can find, but that's because it includes all the essentials.
Our property boundary survey cost starts from £995 Exc VAT
- Production of accurate topographical site survey plans
- Evaluation of available boundary documentation and mapping
- Digital overlay of boundary mapping onto topographical plan
- Boundary reports compatible with Civil Procedure Rules part 35 (CPR35)
- RICS Registered Expert Witness for court proceedings
Boundary disputes can be incredibly contentious and can cause rifts between neighbours, costing thousands of pounds to remedy.
What is a land survey?
Land surveys measure the topography, elevation, rivers and/or services on a property, and confirm its physical boundaries. Often the boundary aligns with fences, hedges, walls, roads, or river banks. However, you may find that 'your' hedge belongs to your neighbour, or that the wall you thought you shared is your responsibility alone.
The surveyor will take various measurements and create technically correct official drawings, mapping their findings. These drawings are useful for:
- putting a new fence, wall, or hedge around the perimeter;
- selling or splitting the property;
- resolving boundary disputes; or
- planning construction or excavation works on the land.
What factors affect the land survey cost?
The total cost for any land survey will vary:
Size
Larger properties will take longer to survey and to draw up plans, so they will cost more than smaller property surveys.
Location
Some regions will cost more based on the higher property value and labour costs in the area.
Complexity of terrain
Steep and uneven ground, lots of plants, or otherwise complex terrain will increase the work required for a land survey along with its cost.
Accessibility
If there is restricted access to the property, this may involve extra work or specialist equipment which could increase the cost.
Required level of detail
Check what details and drawings are included in your quote, some surveyors may charge extra for more in-depth surveys or drawings.
Surveyor's level of expertise
As with any profession, a highly experienced professional may charge more than one who is newer to the role. All our surveyors are chartered, which means you can expect a higher level of competence, commitment, and accountability.
Additional requirements
Some surveyors may charge extra for additional services like legal documentation and historical research. Speak to our team to discuss your requirements, so we can provide you with a fully inclusive quote to meet your needs.
Why are property boundaries important?
It's important to know where exactly the property boundaries lie. If either side encroaches over the boundary, unchallenged, and treats the land as their own (this may even include planting or taking ownership of maintaining a hedge which sits on your neighbour's side), they may be able to claim that sliver of land through adverse possession.
Boundaries are especially important when it comes to construction. If you mistake the position of the boundary and, therefore, build too close to the true boundary, you could be forced to pull the new building down. This means that clearly defined boundaries will be essential to any buyers who want to build on the property.
How do I find my boundaries?
If you're lucky, you may find that your title deed already has clearly defined boundaries, however, most do not have the exact boundary or any record of who owns the hedge, fence or wall separating the properties. This may be indicated with 'T' or 'H' marks on the official deed plans. You can find your title plan online if the property is registered with HM Land Registry.
The title plan is created by the Land Registry, using Ordnance Survey mapping which adopts the General Boundaries system. This shows the boundary of the property in relation to other physical features on the ground, such as hedges, trees, or walls. This does not map the precise location of the legal boundary.
If you are civil or friendly with your neighbour, you should try and discuss the boundary informally. You can make a formal boundary agreement to establish the position of the boundary and responsibility over the maintenance of hedges, trees, fences, or walls on the boundary. This can be helpful, but it often offers no protection for when either property changes hands to a new owner. You should always get legal advice around making a boundary agreement.
The safest solution is to apply to record the exact boundary. This will be valid even if you or your neighbour sell your property, so it's the only option which will be sufficient for any potential buyers who want exact boundaries on the property. This will require a boundary survey from a land surveyor.
How does a boundary surveyor help resolve boundary disputes?
Disputes arise from encroachments over the boundary line or physical boundaries changing, where both neighbours claim ownership over a bit of land and/or property on it.
What is an example of a boundary dispute?
- Neighbour one builds an extension which comes too close to or crosses the perceived boundary line
- Neighbour one fails to maintain a wall which neighbour two believes they are responsible for
- Neighbour one removes a partition wall, fence or hedge and they may or may not replace it with an alternative physical boundary which may be in a different position
- Neighbour one cuts down a tree on the boundary which neighbour two claims is theirs
- Neighbour one fails to trim or prune a hedge which is encroaching onto neighbour two's property
Homeowners are right to worry about this, especially with the law of Adverse Possession, where you can claim ownership of land which you have treated as your own, unchallenged, for a certain length of time. (The rules for this are different if your land is registered at the Land Registry or unregistered).
How do you resolve a boundary dispute?
It may be possible to resolve a boundary dispute with some simple mediation between yourself and your neighbour. Otherwise, a boundary dispute surveyor will be required and a property solicitor for legal advice on your application. They can also help you communicate with your neighbour.
A 'determined boundary' will resolve the boundary dispute once and for all. You can apply for a determined boundary as long as the property is registered (very few properties except new builds are still unregistered) but first registration is taking over 12 months to process, so get started as soon as possible.
Get legal advice before making an application for a determined boundary
If your neighbour disagrees with your application, you may have to go to a tribunal.
- 1 Get a boundary survey from a chartered land surveyor
Our hand-selected panel of boundary surveyors provides nationwide coverage, and you will have your boundary report in just 2-3 weeks.
RICS Surveyors – Local Knowledge – Same Week Availability*
- 2 Collect evidence which supports your application
This may include certified copies of the title before it was registered, an experts report or a written statement signed in front of a solicitor, magistrate or commissioner of oaths.
- 3 Submit 1 & 2 along with your DB form & £90 fee
The DB Form is the 'Exact Line of Boundary: Registration' form from HM Land Registry. If your neighbour agrees, they'll need to sign the form and the plan as well. Send your application to:
HM Land Registry Citizen Centre
PO Box 74
Gloucester
GL14 9BB
If your neighbour objects and HM Land Registry decide the objection is valid, they'll give you a chance to agree between yourselves. If you can't decide it will go to a tribunal who will either:
- aapprove your application, update the register and send you the updated plan and register; or
- breject your application and set the exact boundary themselves, or decide not to set any exact boundary. You may have to pay your neighbour's costs.
When is it necessary to get a land surveyor?
You'll need a boundary dispute surveyor for any boundary dispute which can't be resolved informally between yourself and your neighbour. It is also necessary to get a land surveyor if you need to define boundary lines for a sale or transfer of the property; if you want to put up new boundary fences, walls, or hedges in the correct locations; if you want to construct a new building or extension; or if you want to subdivide your plot into separate titles.
What types of Land Survey do you need?
There is no special meaning in law to the word boundary, however in land ownership, it is understood in two ways; Physical Boundary and Legal Boundary.
The Physical Boundary:
A registered title rarely shows ownership of individual boundary structures such as walls, fences and hedges.
There may, however, be some relevant information on the register or in the Land Registry’s files. For example, the Land Registry may have kept a copy of a deed that refers to a boundary declaration or agreement, or the ownership or maintenance of boundaries. You would measure your physical boundary if you were planning work.
The Legal Boundary:
A legal boundary deals with the precise separation of ownership of land. It is an invisible line dividing one person’s land from another’s. It does not have thickness or width and usually, but not always, falls somewhere in or along a physical boundary feature such as a wall, fence or hedge.
The exact positions of the legal boundaries are almost never shown on registered title plans. You would measure your legal boundary to protect your land.
What happens during a Legal Boundary Survey?
The land surveyor for boundaries will provide an accurate survey using a Total Station to measure and locate the current legal boundaries on site. They will need to investigate all source data to aid in their delivery of the service.
The boundaries for the property will be measured as accurately as possible using a standard laser measuring device and tape measure. The report will only deliver a plan of the physical boundary, not the legal boundary plans (although, in some cases, these may be the same):
- Floor plan
- Title plan
- Site plan
- Original title deeds including original registered plan - your current Register of Title that is registered at the Land Registry may not contain the original title plan so you may have to do some research and contact the solicitor who acted for you on your purchase to get this document.
How much does a land survey cost?
A Legal Boundary Survey requires much more work and can take days to complete. The research into the legal boundary needs to be thorough and there may be several site visits to ascertain the exact legal boundary.
Getting this wrong can lengthen boundary disputes or, if going to court to get your boundary determined, could cause your application to be denied.
Our hand-selected panel of boundary surveyors provides nationwide coverage and you will have your boundary report in just 2-3 weeks, including:
- Production of accurate topographical site survey plans
- Evaluation of available boundary documentation and mapping
- Digital overlay of boundary mapping onto topographical plan
- Boundary reports compatible with Civil Procedure Rules part 35 (CPR35)
- RICS Registered Expert Witness for court proceedings
Boundary survey cost
Our average prices begin from £995 Exc VAT
RICS Surveyors – Local Knowledge – Same Week Availability*
Caragh is an excellent writer and copy editor of books, news articles and editorials. She has written extensively for SAM for a variety of conveyancing, survey, property law and mortgage-related articles.
