Land Surveying Services
Title Survey
A title survey is a comprehensive examination and reporting of significant factors affecting a tract's boundary lines, right-of-way lines, setbacks, and easements. The parties to a transaction — the title insurance company, lender, buyer, and seller — all benefit from a title survey at closing.
What this service involves
Overview
The title survey includes detail not normally gathered for a traditional boundary survey, and, absent a title commitment or report, a survey of this magnitude cannot be performed.
We review the title commitment and the recorded documents it references, locate the boundary and improvements in the field, and show easements and encroachments that affect the property.
The TSPS Manual of Practice calls this a land title survey and sets it out as Category 1A — the category that defines what research and field work a title survey has to cover, and the one that requires a title commitment.
Most title surveys are completed in four to five business days of ordering, so closings are not held up waiting on the survey.
On new construction the title survey is performed once the house is finished. We locate the completed structure, driveway, walks, fences, and other improvements relative to the boundary, building lines, and easements. This is the drawing the title company relies on at closing, and it becomes the buyer's survey.
Surveys for new-home closings are scheduled to the closing date, and homebuilder work is typically completed in one to two business days.
Common uses
- Home purchases and refinances
- Title insurance requirements
- Lender requirements at closing
- Builder closings on new homes
- Documenting improvements as built
Who this service is for
- Homeowners and Buyers
- Title Companies
- Lenders
- Real Estate Brokers
- Builders
What you receive
- PDF survey delivered by email
- Signed hardcopies upon request
- Trimmed DWG/CAD data upon request
How the process works
Step 1 — Contact Us
Your title company or lender orders the survey, or you contact us directly by quote request or phone with the property address and title commitment. You should have a returned quote in 1–2 business days.
Step 2 — Review and Confirm
We research deed records, plats, and other documents to confirm scope, pricing, and timeline with you.
Step 3 — Fieldwork Scheduled
Our in-house field crew completes the field work. Most surveys are completed in four to five business days; homebuilder work is typically one to two business days.
Step 4 — Office Processing
Our in-house drafting department prepares the drawing as soon as our crew sends in the data, and it is reviewed and approved by a Registered Professional Land Surveyor.
Step 5 — Delivery
The survey is delivered by email as a PDF (signed hardcopies available upon request).
Frequently asked questions
Why does a title survey require a title commitment?
The title commitment lists the recorded easements, restrictions, and other documents the surveyor must research and show on the survey. Without it, a survey of this scope cannot be performed.
How is a title survey different from a boundary survey?
A title survey includes detail not normally gathered for a traditional boundary survey, such as recorded easements, right-of-way lines, and the items called for in the title commitment.
Is a final survey the same thing?
Yes. A final survey is the title survey performed once construction is complete, showing the finished house and improvements as built. Builders and title companies often call it a final survey; it is the same drawing and is covered here.
Can grade be shown on a title survey?
It can. A title survey is concerned with the transfer of title, so grade is not part of it by default, but it can be included. If the lot's drainage needs to be recorded as well, tell our quotes team and we will confirm the scope, or a grade survey can be ordered instead.
Sources
- 1. TSPS Manual of Practice, Category 1A — Land Title Survey. The manual calls it a land title survey, Category 1A. Approved 27 July 2024, effective 30 September 2024. Accessed . Copyright 2024 Texas Society of Professional Surveyors.