GPS for running fencelines

[newbury]

None of this GPS stuff really matters, for a legal boundary you need an accurate survey agreed on by the adjoining property owners.
/edit not necessarily approved, but usually lawsuits settle everything

Surveyors and lawyers are usually involved.
Now if you and your neighbour agree on a boundary line then it's the defacto line.

One of my best discoveries was where a certain forestry company "overstepped" their line in a swamp. Got a GREAT wife out of that one.

 

[aczlan]

One of my best discoveries was where a certain forestry company "overstepped" their line in a swamp. Got a GREAT wife out of that one.

I am sure that I am not alone in wanting to hear the rest of the story.

Aaron Z

 

[tawilson]

Sounds like somebody had to forfeit their oldest daughter.

 

[LRTX1]

A handheld unit is definately not accurate enough for establishing a Fence (property) line.

How old is the Survey? Has there been anything going on around the corner locations, i.e. clearing land, road grading, ditches cut? They are usually monumented with iron pipes, rebar, or 4" x 4" concrete monuments. Those monuments should be intact unless something disturbed them. Borrow a metal detector and start there.

The information on your Survey is probably given in Bearing and Distances and, the coordinates are more than likely a State Plane Coordinate System not Lattitude & Longitude. They can be converted so you can use a handheld to aid in finding your "corners." Also be aware of additional corners along a line, a jog in the boundary.

Surveyors are starving for work these days. Contact the Surveyor that preformed your survey, he might be willing to recover the line needed and place stakes along the line for a small fee. That would be cheaper and easier than moving a fence or clearing too much property.

Just a few suggestions.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

It's been a few years, but when my excavator took out a property corner marker it cost me $300 for the original surveyor to come back and reset the point.

 

[Carykong]

I just had a professional surveyer relocate my boundary pins on 25 acres packed with secondary woody growth with few lines of sight. He found the corners and some of the inline iron pins in about an hour and charged me $75. Granted this was not a re-survey but my surveyer was confident that we had located the markers. As he located the markers,I painted the nearby trees and,also, logged the lat/log with the function application on my buddy's I-Phone. I would consider GPS application as a good back up and nifty way to relocate survey markers. There is no substitude for verified markers with a professional survey particulary when boundary fences are desired.

 

[Gary Fowler]

We had a professional surveyor relocate the land lines on the farm and found that the fence the previous owner put up is off on one corner by over 75 feet. The surveyor said that we may have trouble moving it if the adjoining owner contested it since the fence had been there for over 20 years. My contention is that since it is now my fence, and I built it in the wrong spot, I can move it to the correct land line. It the neighbor had built it and the previous owner didnt object, that would be a different story.

 

[MMagis]

We had a professional surveyor relocate the land lines on the farm and found that the fence the previous owner put up is off on one corner by over 75 feet. The surveyor said that we may have trouble moving it if the adjoining owner contested it since the fence had been there for over 20 years.

Your surveyor is right. The neighbor COULD make a big deal of it if they wanted.They may or may not get their way, but either way it could be a hassle for you.

 

[Bartcephus]

like the Garmin e-trex Legend HCX. High sensitivity receiver, color screen built in barometer and electronic compass, and long battery life. Unfortunaltely mine was stolen by some burglers this past summer....

 

[Pops15]

We had a professional surveyor relocate the land lines on the farm and found that the fence the previous owner put up is off on one corner by over 75 feet. The surveyor said that we may have trouble moving it if the adjoining owner contested it since the fence had been there for over 20 years. My contention is that since it is now my fence, and I built it in the wrong spot, I can move it to the correct land line. It the neighbor had built it and the previous owner didnt object, that would be a different story.

I think it varies by state. Here in IL if you occupy and maintain the property for a certain number of years you can claim it. A friend in Washington state lost some of his ground that way. He spent more on legal fees than the land was worth fighting it, and ended up losing. I looked into claiming some land behind a rental property I used to own. It was a no mans land between my property and state owned property. I decided not to pursue it because it would have increased my property taxes. There would be some red tape involved but I suspect your neighbor could claim that piece of your land. You should talk to a real estate lawyer before you move the fence or talk to the neighbor.
I'm in the same situation with some property I own. The back fence is off by 20-some feet. I doubt if my neighbor will try to claim it though.