If you own property in Utah, you probably need land surveying at some point, whether you are buying, selling, building, splitting a lot, or sorting out a boundary question with a neighbor. In very simple terms, land surveying tells you where your land begins and ends, what is on it, and how that lines up with public records. A good place to start looking into land surveying Utah services is with a licensed surveyor who knows local rules, county practices, and the kind of project you are planning.
That is the short version.
Once you go a bit deeper, the topic can feel technical and a little dry. Lines, monuments, easements, legal descriptions. At the same time, if you get it wrong, you can end up with real frustration: neighbor disputes, city red tags on a project, or money wasted on the wrong spot. I think many women property owners are used to juggling a lot already, and something like land surveying often sits in the background until there is a problem. So this guide tries to keep things practical, with a focus on what you actually need to know to protect your interests.
Why land surveying in Utah actually matters more than you think
Utah is a bit tricky. The state has a mix of older rural parcels, newer subdivisions, steep slopes, and flood-prone areas. Water rights can matter. So can access roads. On top of that, some counties are very strict with permits.
Here are a few situations where a survey is not just a nice idea, but almost required:
- You want to build an addition, garage, ADU, or new home.
- You are buying or selling a home, especially with odd boundaries or large lots.
- You plan to add a fence, wall, or hedge right near the property line.
- You want to split a lot or combine parcels.
- You have a disagreement with a neighbor about where the line actually sits.
- Your lender or title company requests an ALTA survey.
Paying for a survey is usually far cheaper than moving a fence, tearing out a new driveway, or fighting over a boundary in court.
Women are more often buying homes on their own now, whether as single buyers, divorced, or widowed. That often means you are the one reading the survey report, talking to the surveyor, and signing the permit forms. You do not need to become an expert, but it does help to understand the main survey types and what to ask for.
Common types of land surveys in Utah
Utah surveyors offer several kinds of surveys. The terms overlap a bit, which is confusing. You might hear one thing from a contractor, another from a lender, and something else from the city. The table below can help sort that out.
| Survey type | What it does | Who usually needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Boundary survey | Locates the true property lines and corners based on records and field work. | Homeowners putting in fences, sheds, or dealing with neighbor issues. |
| Topographic survey | Maps the shape of the land, slopes, and features, often in contour lines. | New builds, additions, drainage work, retaining walls. |
| ALTA survey | High detail survey that follows national standards for lenders and title. | Commercial property, large deals, some complex residential closings. |
| Construction staking | Marks where to build, based on plans that an engineer or architect drew. | Builders, contractors, and sometimes homeowners acting as their own GC. |
| Subdivision or lot split survey | Creates new legal parcels, roads, and easements to be recorded with the county. | Owners splitting land between family members, investors, small developers. |
| Flood elevation certificate | Shows the height of a structure compared to flood levels. | Owners in or near FEMA mapped flood zones. |
You might not know exactly which type you need. That is normal. A decent surveyor can listen to your situation and say, “For your permit, the county will want this and this.” If they insist on a very complex product when you only need a fence layout, it is fair to ask why.
How Utah law and local rules affect your land
Utah counties and cities each have their own flavor of rules, but there are some patterns. Many areas care a lot about:
- Setbacks from property lines
- Height limits
- Driveway location and shared access
- Drainage and where water flows off your site
- Building on steep slopes or near ridgelines
All of those tie back to surveying in some way. For example, you might have space in your yard for a garage, but after the survey you discover that the planned spot would break a side setback rule. That sounds annoying, and it is, but at least you know before concrete goes in.
A survey cannot change the rules, but it can give you a clear picture so you can design around them instead of guessing.
Utah also has a lot of older parcels where fences do not match the legal line. Someone long ago might have placed a fence based on a guess, a handshake deal, or some marker that is now gone. As the current owner, you need to know what you are actually buying or improving, not what the old fence suggests.
Utah terrain and why it matters for women planning projects
Many women are managing home improvement projects while also handling family schedules and work. The last thing you want is a big surprise from the land itself. Utah’s terrain can be dramatic. Steep, rocky, clay, or soft soils, and sometimes all on the same lot.
A topographic survey, sometimes combined with a geotechnical report, helps your design team answer questions like:
- Where does water naturally flow during a storm?
- Will a walk-out basement make sense on this slope?
- How high will retaining walls need to be?
- Is there space to meet driveway slope rules?
It can feel like one more cost in a long list, but certain sites in Utah really need this step. If you are on a hillside, near a canyon, or in a newer subdivision carved into a slope, make time to talk with your surveyor about topography.
Using modern tools, including drones
You might hear your surveyor talk about GPS, total stations, or drones for aerial mapping. Drone surveying for construction has become more common on larger or rough sites. It can speed things up and add detail, but be a bit cautious with anyone who talks only about the gadget and not about the quality of the final map.
Fancy tools are helpful, but you are paying for judgment, experience, and clear drawings, not just for someone to fly a drone.
If you are a very technical person, you might enjoy asking how they check and adjust drone data against ground control points. If you are not, that is fine. You can still ask a simple question: “How do you make sure the measured elevations and lines are accurate enough for my project?”
Reading a survey when you are not an engineer
Survey drawings can feel like a different language: hatch patterns, contour lines, abbreviations. Many women I know are perfectly capable of reading them, but no one ever explained what the symbols mean. You should not feel embarrassed to ask.
Some key items to look for on a survey map:
- North arrow and scale bar, so you know orientation and size.
- Legend explaining symbols and line types.
- Legal description of the parcel.
- Bearing and distance of each property line.
- Location of buildings, fences, driveways, and visible improvements.
- Recorded easements, such as for utilities or access.
- Benchmark or reference points used for elevation.
I think the best way to understand is to ask the surveyor to walk you through it once. Even a quick 10 or 15 minute call can help. You can say something like: “Can you walk me through where my property lines run and point out anything that might affect building or fencing?”
Comparing the survey to the real ground
When the crew is done, they usually leave markers at corners, often rebar with caps or plastic stakes. It can help to walk your yard and match the drawing to the physical marks. If you do this with your kids or a friend, it also doubles as a small safety talk so no one pulls the markers out.
If something looks wrong, trust your instincts. Maybe the corner seems to be on the neighbor’s patio, or the fence is clearly off the line. Do not panic, but call the surveyor and ask. Sometimes the map is right and the fence is not. Sometimes they have already seen that and noted it on the drawing. You will not know unless you ask.
Choosing a Utah land surveyor when you are not in the construction world
If you are not in real estate or construction, finding a surveyor can feel like trying to pick a mechanic in a new town. You might rely on your agent, contractor, or title company. That is fine as a starting point, but you can still do your own basic check.
Questions to ask a potential surveyor
- Are you licensed in Utah, and for how long have you been practicing?
- How much experience do you have with residential work in this county?
- Have you worked with this city or county planning department before?
- What kind of survey do I really need for my situation?
- What will the finished product look like, and will I get it in both PDF and printed form?
- What is your typical time frame from field work to final drawing?
- How do you handle changes if the city or lender asks for more detail?
You do not need perfect answers, but you want clear ones. If someone talks in circles and never actually addresses the question, that is a small red flag. Also, if a surveyor dismisses your questions or talks only to your husband or contractor when you are the owner, that is a bigger red flag. Your name is on the line and on the deed. You deserve straight answers.
Talking about price without feeling awkward
Costs can vary a lot. A small, simple lot in a platted subdivision might be on the lower side. A large rural parcel with missing records will cost more. Slopes, trees, and brush can also add time.
It is reasonable to ask for:
- An estimate range, with a short explanation of what might make it higher or lower.
- Any extra fees that are not included, such as rush charges or record research fees.
- Payment timing, such as half upfront and half at delivery.
Do not feel pressured to pick the cheapest option if it feels off. A low price can mean less research, fewer checks, or less time explaining the end product to you. On the other hand, the highest price is not always the best match either. Sometimes you are simply paying for overhead that your project does not need.
Common situations women property owners face in Utah
Let us look at some real world type scenarios. They are simplified, but close to what many women in Utah run into with land surveying.
1. Adding a backyard ADU or studio
You want to add a small detached unit for a parent, for a college student, or for rental income. The city cares about:
- Distance from property lines
- Building height
- Parking layout
- Access for utilities
A boundary survey, plus a basic topographic survey if the site is not flat, can help your designer plan the layout correctly. It also gives you a clear base for any permit site plan. If your city allows ADUs but has tight rules, getting the survey early can save you from redesigns and long permit delays.
2. Fence drama with a neighbor
Maybe you moved in and discovered that the existing fence seems to tilt far into your yard, or your neighbor insists that a line is somewhere else. Emotions can run high, and as a woman you might feel pushed to accept whatever the neighbor, or even a family member, says so you do not seem “difficult.”
This is one of those times when facts help. Order a boundary survey and ask the surveyor to mark corners and, if needed, place stakes along the line. Then invite the neighbor to walk the line with you, calmly, with the drawing in hand.
There is no magic fix for someone who refuses to accept the survey, but you now have a professional opinion, with evidence, that supports your position. If you ever need a lawyer, that survey will be the first thing they ask about.
3. Splitting land between adult children
You might own a larger lot or some rural land and want to divide it between children or other family. It sounds simple in conversation: “We will just split it down the middle.” In practice, it involves:
- New legal descriptions
- Access for each lot, including future driveways
- Utility paths and easements
- Local minimum lot sizes and shape rules
A subdivision or lot split survey can feel slow, and the process can be slightly bureaucratic. Yet if you skip it or try to shortcut it, you risk years of confusion and friction in the family. The clearer the lines are on paper and on the ground, the fewer arguments your children will have later.
ALTA surveys and when Utah women property owners really need one
ALTA (often written as ALTA/NSPS) surveys show up most often in commercial deals. They are detailed, standardized surveys that lenders and title companies rely on. For a small home sale, you probably do not need an ALTA survey. For a multi unit property, a mixed use site, or land that comes with complex easements, you might.
For example, if you are a woman buying a small commercial building for your business in Salt Lake City, and the purchase price is high, your lender might require an ALTA survey. This can feel like overkill, but it protects you too. The survey can show:
- All improvements on the property
- Encroachments over lines
- Easements that affect where you can build or park
- Access rights that others have across your land
If someone suggests skipping the ALTA to “save time,” pause and ask yourself whose risk is really being reduced and whose risk is being raised. Sometimes you are better off insisting on the full picture, even if it takes an extra week.
Talking to lenders, title companies, and contractors
A lot of women end up in the middle, translating between lender, title, contractor, and surveyor. It can feel like four different languages. You do not need to accept that. It is reasonable to ask each party to say things in plain language.
Some phrases you might use:
- “Can you explain how this survey will be used in my loan or title policy?”
- “I want to make sure the contractor builds according to the survey lines, not the old fence. How do we coordinate that?”
- “If the survey shows any encroachments, what are my options?”
You might feel like you are being too careful. You are not. You are the one who lives with the result. Many men ask these questions all the time and never apologize for it.
What can go wrong without a proper survey in Utah
Sometimes it helps to see what happens when people skip the survey or accept poor work. Here are a few real-world style outcomes that come up in Utah:
- A garage built one foot into the neighbor’s lot, leading to a demand for removal.
- A driveway that crosses another parcel without a recorded access easement.
- A home built too close to a slope, triggering costly retaining wall work later.
- A buyer discovering after closing that a city sewer easement runs through the yard where they planned a pool.
- Insurance issues because the structure lies in a flood-prone area that was never checked.
Some of these sound dramatic, but they happen. Not every missed survey leads to disaster, of course. Some people get lucky. Relying on luck for a big asset like your home or land, though, seems like a poor strategy.
Practical tips for making the survey process smoother
To pull this together a bit, here are some simple habits that can make your surveying experience easier.
Before you hire
- Gather your deed, any old surveys, and your title report.
- Write down what you are planning: build, sell, split, or just clarify boundaries.
- Ask for recommendations, but still talk to at least two surveyors if the project is big.
During the survey
- Be clear about your time frame and any permit deadlines.
- Ask permission for the crew to step into neighbor yards if needed, or give them a note to share.
- Ask for a quick phone review once the draft is ready, before finalizing.
After you receive the survey
- Save the digital files in more than one place.
- Keep at least one printed copy with your property records.
- Walk the property with the drawing in hand to connect the map to the ground.
I think of a survey as one of those documents that stays useful for years. If you add on later or sell, you already have a base drawing that someone else can update instead of starting from zero.
Questions Utah women often ask about land surveying
Q: Do I always need a new survey when I buy a house?
A: Not always. If there is a recent, detailed survey that matches current conditions, your title company or lender may accept it. That said, if the last survey is old, or if you see changes like new fences or additions, ordering a fresh survey is usually smart. You are about to spend a lot of money. A modern map is small compared to that.
Q: Can I just use the county GIS map to place my fence?
A: GIS maps are great for general information, but they are not precise enough for construction or legal boundaries. Lines on those maps can be off by several feet. They also may not show private easements. For anything that goes on the ground near a property line, a true boundary survey is safer.
Q: Is it pushy if I ask the surveyor to explain the drawing to me?
A: Not at all. That is part of their job. You are paying for a service and for clarity. If someone makes you feel silly for asking, consider that a sign to look for a different professional next time. Good surveyors usually prefer owners who ask questions, because it avoids confusion later.
Q: How far ahead should I schedule a survey in Utah?
A: In busy seasons, surveyors can book out a few weeks, especially in growing areas. If you know you want to build in the spring, it can help to reach out in late winter. For real estate deals, talk to your agent early so the survey is not rushed at the end of the closing period.
Q: What if my neighbor’s structure crosses onto my land?
A: Start with calm conversation, backed by the survey. Sometimes neighbors agree to move the item, or you can sign a simple encroachment agreement that sets expectations. If the encroachment is serious or the neighbor refuses to talk, you may need legal advice. The survey does not solve the conflict on its own, but it gives you the facts needed to decide your next step.
Q: Is there a “perfect” time in a project to bring in a surveyor?
A: The best time is earlier than most people think. For a new build or major addition, you usually want the survey done before design goes too far. For a fence, survey before you sign a fence contract. For a lot split, start the survey before you make promises to family members about exact lines. It is much easier to adjust plans on paper than to move physical structures later.
If you had a chance to ask a surveyor one direct question about your property in Utah, what would you ask, and what kind of answer would leave you feeling confident enough to move ahead with your plans?