survey stakes and neighbors

[Ifixcars]

I just got the property line between me and my neighbor surveyed and staked out. The surveyer put standard wooden stakes with ribbon flags every fifty feet or so along a 700 foot line. My neighbor, who didn't chip in for the survey, does not like the stakes because they are "unsightly", and wants something else less visible. I was thinking of maybe replacing them with steel pins driven down to ground level, so that lawn mowers can cruise over them. Is there something available maybe with a head like a big roofing nail so that they don't dissapear into the ground forever? By the way, since the survey was done, my yard has grown a few feet over the length of the line. Seems my neighbor, who was here before me, was wrong about how much yard he had. He was kind enough to show me where the line was when we moved in, and helped himself to a 5 or 10 foot strip 700 feet long. That's over now though.

 

[BTDT]

Something like this might work to keep him on his side
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...an-doing-what-fencemen-do-837250-dsc02450.jpg

I'm sure wroughtn_harv could fix you right up


To answer your question, yes. I bought 12" spikes (BIG nails) to hold some railroad ties together that were stacked to make a porch. I'm sure one of the box stores will have them. Good luck.

 

[Harvster]

You can use pieces of rebar. Drive them flush with the ground and a metal detector or big magnet on a string will find them later. Or use something more aesthetically pleasing like a nice line of pink flamingos.

 

[tallyho8]

I use 8' long rebar on the corners, to make sure they stay there.

 

[jinman]

Are you sure your surveyor didn't put down metal stakes? I had a property line survey done several years ago and at every wooden stake, there was an 18" stake driven into the ground (about every 100'). I'd check with the surveyor to see if he didn't already drive in a pin.

 

[thcri]

Are you sure your surveyor didn't put down metal stakes? I had a property line survey done several years ago and at every wooden stake, there was an 18" stake driven into the ground (about every 100'). I'd check with the surveyor to see if he didn't already drive in a pin.

Jinman,

We bought some lake property about 13 years ago and it was surveyed like a year before that and the surveyer did put metal ones down also right next to the wooden ones about 3" under ground.

murph

 

[dirtworksequip]

ifixcars, here are some products that are used to mark survey pins. The yellow caps fit 5/8ths rebar. You can get them in varying sizes to fit different diameter rebar. The only drawback is usually you have to buy them by the 100. The orange plactic marker slips onto a 10 penney nail which is shoved into the ground leaving the marker above the ground for easy visablility. They will last about 1 or 2 years if you mow over them with a lawn mower- will last for years if you don't mow them. You can concrete around your pins using a small coffee can for a form and they will out last your or me! I do have some extra caps and markers.Let me know how many you need and we can work out a price. My bar caps are imprinted with "country aire estates" but that could be sanded off.

Sincerely,
Dirt

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q259/dirtworksequip/surveymarker.jpg

 

[zeuspaul]

Ask the surveyor for some *feathers* or stop a surveyor on the street or try a survey supply. Feathers are about six inches long and made of plastic. You can hammer them into a survey stake or drive a 60 penny nail through them. All you will see is the *feather* sticking up marking the location of the nail or stake.

Edit...Dirtwork got there first. You can see a picture of a *feather* in his post.

Zeuspaul

 

[TractorLegend]

I sounds as if a fence is in your future...
according to my "reading between the lines" skills :~}

 

[Timber]

I would lay fence myself but thats me

 

[pappy19]

You can also get some big aluminum nails and do the same thing, that way if you hit them with a mower or plow, it won't break the machinery. The property corners should always be marked with buried re-bar and the survey plat should be signed and stamped by a registered surveyor and recorded at your county court house.

 

[MikePA]

In most places you can not place a fence right on the property line. Also, the wooden stakes are probably guard stakes. No surveyor I know, or worked for, would use wooden stakes sticking up out of the ground to mark the line.

 

[BruceR]

We use wooden laths to mark the line unless requested otherwise by the client. Time and cost constraints dictate for the most part.

Bruce
R.P.L.S.

 

[MikePA]

We use wooden laths to mark the line unless requested otherwise by the client. Time and cost constraints dictate for the most part.

Bruce
R.P.L.S.

Actually, we only marked corners and other changes in direction, where we placed square, oak stakes, driven flush. We added a tack in the top of the stake to mark the exact point then marked them with guard stakes. We never put in line stakes unless the client asked and paid for them.

 

[Ifixcars]

Dirt, I think I see how the "flags" work, you pin it to the ground and run over it if you want. But what do the caps do? You drive a piece of rebar to ground level then cap it?

 

[dirtworksequip]

ifixcars, yes the rebar caps slip over the end of the rebar. It makes them easier to find visually. You can also concrete around and them and leave the top of the cap exposed.

Sincerely,
Dirt

 

[turnkey4099]

STandard survey method is to set a permanent marker, usually a rebar rod driven below ground at each corner or point of direction change. The stakes with ribbons above ground are not ment to be permanent.

I wouldn't rely on short nails (even long ones). Too easy for them to be removed while doing land work, grading, etc.

Take pictures of the survey stakes trying to show their relation to permanent features to include in your records. Makes the permanent stakes a lot easier to locate in the future.

Sorta OT. Do the same the next time you dig up the septic tank if it doesn't have something sticking above ground. I have dug mine out every 5 years in the past 30 so I knew -exactly- where it was. Well last fall I cleared off the sod from it and found I was the tank width off of the location.

Harry K
Harry K

 

[MossRoad]

If he finds the stakes unattractive, plant a row of trees.

 

[scott_vt]

He was kind enough to show me where the line was when we moved in, and helped himself to a 5 or 10 foot strip 700 feet long. That's over now though.

Afternoon Ifixcars,
My neighbor does the same thing on the bottom side of my property. Although I have the steel pins down there, if I decide to reclaim it, shouldnt be a problem !

 

[zeuspaul]

I would just remove the flagging from the witness. As indicated in previous posts there should be something more substantial at or slightly below grade. If not then consider setting something more permanent.

Zeuspaul