Surveying Articles

About a month back I began reading the writing on the wall regarding possible deregulation of Land Surveying in the current administration.   As we enter this year's National Surveyors Week (arguably possibly the most important NSW ever) I can't seem to shake the feeling that right now might be the most consequential time for Land Surveyors to act.  However I look around and it seems like everyone is aloof.   Perhaps surveyors have become complacient over the many years of being begged to make the public more aware of their importance.  Perhaps this has not been thoroughly explored.  For whatever reason, those of you who know me already know how many years I have been trying to convey the enormous importance of raising your voice.  18 years to be exact.  But very few of you have listened.  Now we have no choice, if we hope for land surveying to in any way resemble its current form in the future.   This post tries to illustrate just a few of the eventualities of remaining silent.

Everyone reading this should already know that Land surveyors are the unsung heroes of modern civilization, quietly ensuring the orderly development of our cities, roads, and property boundaries. But what if they suddenly disappeared or their profession became deregulated to the point where anyone could claim to be a surveyor? What would happen to our neighborhoods, infrastructure, and legal systems?

In this second installment of In a World Without Land Surveyors, we examine six increasingly chaotic scenarios where the absence of qualified land surveyors leads to legal disputes, economic disruptions, and structural catastrophes. These scenarios paint a picture of what might unfold if land surveying is deregulated and why their expertise is irreplaceable.

Scenario 1: Suburban Chaos – Overlapping Property Fences

Imagine a suburban neighborhood where every homeowner is responsible for determining their own property lines. Without trained land surveyors, no one knows exactly where their yard ends and their neighbor’s begins.

At first, this might seem like a minor inconvenience—until people start building fences, sheds, and driveways in areas they assume belong to them. Some properties shrink while others expand due to miscalculations, and soon disputes arise. One neighbor wakes up to find that a portion of their garden has been fenced off by someone else. Another discovers that their driveway now extends into what was supposed to be their neighbor’s property. Lawsuits over encroachments flood the local courts, and property values plummet as buyers hesitate to invest in areas where land ownership is unclear.

Without a standardized, legal reference for property lines, the suburban dream turns into a nightmare. A once orderly community transforms into a battleground of DIY land claims and conflicting blueprints.

Scenario 2: Skyscraper Mayhem – Misaligned Towers

In a deregulated world, developers eager to cut costs bypass professional land surveyors, trusting unverified online tools or self-proclaimed "surveyors" to guide multimillion-dollar projects. The results are disastrous.

Without proper surveying, new high-rises in a bustling metropolis are built slightly off their intended sites. One building leans precariously into another, causing structural strain and emergency evacuations. Streets become congested as sidewalks are misaligned and underground utilities are damaged due to incorrect digging locations.

Building inspectors scramble to enforce safety regulations, but without accurate land data, their warnings come too late. Legal battles erupt between property developers, city planners, and businesses affected by the chaos. Insurance companies refuse to cover buildings with disputed boundaries, causing financial ruin for developers and investors. In the end, entire city blocks require demolitions and costly rebuilds, setting urban development back by decades.

Scenario 3: Rural Land Rush – Overlapping Farm Plots

The deregulation of land surveying has devastating effects in rural America, where farmland is the backbone of the economy. Without reliable surveyors, farmers rely on outdated or inaccurate maps to determine their property lines.

The consequences become clear during harvest season when farmers realize their crops have been planted on land claimed by multiple parties. Fields overlap, leading to confusion over ownership. One farmer unknowingly harvests another’s crops, leading to violent confrontations. Lawsuits pile up, and small farms are driven out of business as they drown in legal fees.

Even worse, environmental regulations meant to protect water sources and wetlands are impossible to enforce without clear land demarcations. Unregulated farming expands into ecologically sensitive areas, leading to erosion, water contamination, and loss of biodiversity. The very foundation of food security is shaken by the lack of proper land surveying.

Scenario 4: Highway to Nowhere – Roads That Don’t Align

Infrastructure projects, from highways to bridges, require meticulous planning based on land surveys. But in a world where surveying is left to untrained individuals, these critical projects turn into logistical nightmares.

Picture a major highway expansion project where engineers unknowingly rely on inaccurate boundary data. As construction progresses, roadways veer off course, clashing with private properties and existing structures. Some ramps lead to dead ends, while others dangerously cut through residential zones.

Government agencies scramble to correct the mistakes, but each misalignment requires millions of dollars in repairs, further delaying the project. Traffic congestion worsens as motorists navigate incomplete road systems, causing frustration and economic slowdowns. Ultimately, taxpayers foot the bill for costly reroutes, and the credibility of city planners collapses.

Without professional land surveyors, the precision required for infrastructure planning disappears, creating dangerous, dysfunctional cities.

Scenario 5: DIY Surveying Disaster – Clueless Homeowners with Measuring Tapes

With land surveying deregulated, a new wave of self-proclaimed “surveyors” emerges, offering cut-rate services with little to no training. Homeowners, desperate to settle property disputes or plan renovations, turn to cheap apps and handheld measuring tapes instead of professionals.

The results? Pure chaos.

One homeowner builds an addition to their house only to later discover that it extends into their neighbor’s property. The neighbor, equally misinformed, sues, forcing the homeowner to tear down the costly expansion. In another case, a family purchases a new home only to find that the backyard they were promised legally belongs to someone else.

Meanwhile, real estate deals collapse as banks and mortgage lenders refuse to approve loans without verified property boundaries. Fraudulent surveys become rampant, with dishonest individuals exploiting the lack of oversight to sell land they don’t even own.

As consumer trust in property records erodes, the housing market experiences a downturn. Buyers and sellers alike hesitate, unsure whether they can truly rely on the property lines they see on paper.

Scenario 6: Historical Monument Madness – Land Disputes Gone Wrong

Without land surveyors to uphold historical records, even national monuments and landmarks are not safe from boundary confusion.

Imagine the Statue of Liberty suddenly facing ownership claims from multiple parties, each arguing that they have historical maps proving its rightful location. Court battles drag on for years, while tourism suffers from access restrictions. In another case, Mount Rushmore’s boundaries are debated, with different states claiming jurisdiction, leading to disputes over maintenance and funding.

Local governments struggle to settle these conflicts, and political tensions rise as different interest groups stake claims on historic lands. Without an authoritative system to validate these borders, historical sites fall into disrepair, and national identity suffers as landmarks become symbols of dispute rather than unity.

Conclusion: Why Deregulation Is a Dangerous Path

Each of these scenarios paints a grim picture of a world where land surveying is either unregulated or left in the hands of unqualified individuals. From suburban disputes to national crises, the absence of trained land surveyors leads to confusion, financial loss, and even safety hazards.

Land surveying is not just about measuring land—it is about preserving order, ensuring fairness, and maintaining the integrity of property ownership. As deregulation efforts gain traction in certain states, policymakers and the public must recognize the essential role of licensed surveyors in preventing the very chaos illustrated in these scenarios.

Rather than weakening professional standards, governments should invest in modernizing the profession—expanding education, improving accessibility, and incorporating new technology into surveying practices. The cost of deregulation is simply too high. If we fail to act, we risk turning our carefully planned world into a landscape of disputes, failed infrastructure, and economic instability.

In the end, a world without land surveyors isn’t just inconvenient—it’s unsustainable.

Here is a comprehensive list of how the deregulation of land surveying would impact both professional surveyors and the industry as a whole:

Effects on Professional Land Surveyors

1. Loss of Job Security – With no licensing requirements, anyone could claim to be a surveyor, leading to job losses for trained professionals.
2. Devaluation of Expertise – Years of education, certifications, and experience would become irrelevant as unqualified individuals enter the field.
3. Lower Wages – Increased competition from unlicensed individuals could drive down wages, making it harder for professionals to earn a fair salary.
4. Increased Legal Liability – Without regulation, clients may not know who is qualified, leading to legal disputes against legitimate professionals.
5. Difficulty in Maintaining Standards – Professional organizations and institutions would struggle to enforce ethical and quality standards.
6. Reduction in Professional Training Opportunities – Universities and technical programs might cut surveying courses due to reduced demand for licensed professionals.
7. Erosion of Professional Networks – Associations like NSPS and state boards could lose influence as their standards become optional.
8. Increased Risk of Fraud – Without regulations, fraudulent surveys would rise, making it harder for honest professionals to maintain credibility.
9. Decline in Professional Insurance Availability – Insurers may hesitate to cover surveyors in a deregulated industry, making liability protection harder to obtain.
10. Weakened Influence in Policy Making – Surveyors would lose their seat at the table in legislative discussions, reducing their ability to advocate for industry needs.

Effects on the Surveying Profession as a Whole

1. Loss of Public Trust – Clients and the public would have no way to verify whether a surveyor is truly qualified, leading to widespread skepticism.
2. Increased Property Disputes – Without accurate surveys, lawsuits over property lines would skyrocket, clogging court systems.
3. Construction Failures – Buildings, roads, and infrastructure projects would face increased risks due to inaccurate surveys.
4. Real Estate Market Instability – Buyers and lenders may hesitate to trust property boundary data, affecting home sales and property values.
5. Municipal Planning Challenges – City planning and zoning departments rely on surveyors to prevent overlapping claims and ensure land-use compliance.
6. Rise in Unregulated Technology Use – People may rely on unreliable apps and GPS tools instead of trained professionals, leading to widespread errors.
7. Insurance and Banking Impacts – Mortgage lenders and insurance companies require certified survey data—without it, financial institutions may pull back on property-related loans.
8. Environmental Damage – Unregulated land development could lead to destruction of wetlands, forests, and protected lands due to unchecked construction.
9. Loss of Historical and Cultural Landmarks – Boundaries of historical sites and indigenous lands could be altered or disputed without professional oversight.
10. Potential for Widespread Fraud and Corruption – Without oversight, corrupt practices in land sales, title transfers, and land claims would become rampant.

Call to Action

If you are concerned about the future of land surveying and the integrity of property ownership, make your voice heard. Support professional organizations advocating for strong surveying regulations, contact your state representatives, and educate your community on the risks of deregulation. The future of our land and the greatest profession known to man depends on it.