Finding property lines

[Lovecruzin]

I will keep you informed as time goes on.........thanks for all your suggestions and help......

 

[J_J]

dodge man,

I think one of the problems is, there is a creek that comes through the other 10 acres, and if you were to pull a straight line, you would get one measurement. but if you take into account that the property at the center of the creek has a 30 ft difference in height, and if some one were to measure down the decline and up the incline, they would get a different measurement. I am sure you guys have a tough job at times . Just how professional does one have to be to represent some one in court. Would the judge have to have any or a good knowledge of surveying?

 

[Egon]

Distances are always measured Horizontally in surveying. At one time chain levels, tension and temperature were all taken into account. With modern equipment it gets simpler but measurements are still horizontal.

 

[J_J]

Distances are always measured Horizontally in surveying. At one time chain levels, tension and temperature were all taken into account. With modern equipment it gets simpler but measurements are still horizontal.

How can that be, are you going to run a line for 1000 ft horizontally, or across a valley? Yea, I know about lasers, and the math involved for computing line of sight, and deviations from horizontal.

If what you say is true, then the 10 acres lots of the 40 acres should have came out true and equal matching up with my 1000 ft straight line.

How difficult would it be to survey a mountain?

 

[wedge40]

I find it odd that easement doesn't play a role here. Also if a property line is in dispute, can they still go ahead and build. If they do and you are correct, I'm guessing you could become very rich. Because Dr. could either put things back the way they were (I'm guessing this would include the 50' trees) or buy your part of the property. I do not envy you what so ever, but wish you luck. I really hate to see money rule.

Wedge

 

[Egon]

J_J it appears you are not familiar with surveying.

Distances are measured horizontally over some of the hilliest terrain. Thats why the chain gang used to use levels and plumb bobs.

With the new technologies with which I am not familiar chains are a thing of the past but the measurement still ends up as a horizontal Number!

Yes;I have worked on survey crews many a year ago. Some of it involved placing Third Order Monuments, other work required the layout of railway lines and roads for new construction. Got some sewer work in too. For the third order monument placings we set up on first order monuments placed on mountain tops in that area and turned horizontal and vertical angles as well as measured straight line distance with Geodameters. We used to do much of this work at night so heat waves did not distort the readings.

And at one time I could even do the calculations for running lines and taking the convergence of lines of longitude into consideration. If I was lucky I could even locate myself by taking a sight on a star!

 

[dodge man]

J.J. with new equipment, its very easy to compute the horizontal distance. Almost all modern equpment will display the horizontal distance and the slope distance of everything we measure. Its much easier than it sounds. In the old days, like Ergon says, they used a steel tape (a chain in the real old days) and a hand level and plumb bobs. I can tell you very few surveyors used hand levels and just estimated how high or low the guy in front of them was. Picture going down a steep hill, the guy on the downhill side holding the tape horizontal, maybe as much as head high, and using a plumb bob to make a mark at his feet, then repeating this process until you measure the distance you want. It's pretty slow and not that accurate. Now we use a EDM and measure the distances electronically, and measure the angles to compute the horizontal distance between two points.

This is also a good example of how newer surveys can vary so much. Say a survey done in 1960 vs one done in 2007. The 1960 survey would have been done with a steel tape, where today modern equipment would be used. The new survey could vary by several feet over the 1960 survey. That is why property corners should hold and landmarks should hold instead of absoulute distances. 100 years from now they may laugh at how inaccurate my surveys are today.

 

[kthompson]

Lovecrusing,

Just wondering who owns your property? Is it totally in your name or anyone else? I don't need an answer on that really none of my business but here is why I ask.

If anyone else (spouse even) is also co owner of the property, let them be the bad one who is unwilling to flex with your employer. It might make it better for you. If the land is family land go to the history of it and what that area meant or still does to the family. If there is a loan on the property that can also restrict your ability to allow them easement or such.

It is much better to be able to honestly say, I really wish I could but due to ....not possible than to just say NO.

 

[mikefromnh]

When discussing the issues, don't agree to anything on the spot - tell them you've got to think about it.

When they ask for something silence is a good negotiating tactic -- if you don't say anything for long enough they will get uncomfortable and start talking, usually they will better the offer. And you didn't even have to say 'no'

When building anything time is money - the Dr. is paying interest already or at least tying up principle with no income to show for it - the farther along in the process the more willing they will be to deal. More so if they need your agreement/land to get an occupancy permit.

Good luck

 

[zeuspaul]

I don't know about the attachment to the property. I would be inclined to see what the Dr. would pay for the whole thing. It's a good time to buy a replacement property. Shop arpound for a nicer house on a better piece of property. Then use the $ amount of the nicer spread as what you want for your place.

Zeuspaul