How to use Forums
Our forums on Land Surveyors United are here to be used as much for finding help with problems in the field as the are for you to express your opinions on anything that has to do with land surveying in general. Feel free to share anything that is on your mind, as long as it isn't meant to damage another member's reputation. Please keep it clean and help insure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of being part of a community that grows together.
We are committed to allowing freedom of expression for all of our members, and that includes maintaining a safe space for people with opposing views to express themselves. We get posts from all over the country and even the globe, so needless to say, people come with different viewpoints on lad surveying practices and processes. We see this diversity and variety as a real strength-- dialogue and debate are an integral part of the educational process, as well as an important tool in exploring different sides of complex issues.
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Community Hubs inside the community have their own forum for asking specific questions to other surveyors, by location, equipment type, etc.
Replies
I agree with you and have argued with several surveyors over their opinion as to surveying. I am still learning and studying everyday but even at my level of training in surveying I can see how wrong they are. The ones who argue with me say that if you discover an error on a survey that is somewhat minor and tell the owner then the adjacent property is affected and a can of worms is opened and so small errors are not as important as following previous surveyors intent. There are many people who no longer trust surveyors due to this attitude where ALL people used to see surveyors as the most honest and dependable craftsmen that exist. When I am finally able to become a surveyor I will report only what I can verify and not what is expedient. You have tons of experience and I totally respect your points and appreciate any and all tips that you give me. By the way, what brand of used Total station would you recommend?
What reference would you use to verify that? Several surveyors say that the description on a legal land description doesn't really mean much as you do not know what basis for the angles was used. Most just shoot in the general direction and locate a pin if possible and accept that as what the intent of previous surveys was regardless of what the absolute angle is. In locating old pins I try to reference to true north first then to grid north and finally to magnetic north if all else fails. I have old surveys done back in the 1800's and even then they used true north by calculating angles after taking into account the magnetic declination. Thanks to you that responded and shared your insight.
Thanks for your reply and I would agree if both calls ended at the same place. In this case there are two different ending places which would result in the owner either having more land than he thought or less land than he thought. Also, as you know I am a student of surveying and appreciate your knowledge on the subject but still wonder if you are given a POB, an angle and length then shouldn't all interpretations end at the same place?