Learn more about surveys and plans that J.K. Holmgren Engineering, Inc. provides.
- Property Line Stakeout
- A Property Line Survey and Stakeout is typically prepared to stake the location of the property corners in the field. An example of this may be that the local building department requires you to submit a plan for a proposed fence, pool, shed, deck, driveway, etc.
To perform a Property Line Survey and Stakeout JKHE would:
Perform research at the local assessor’s office and the Registry of Deeds for not only the locus property, but of the adjoining properties as well.
Next a field crew would be sent out to uncover monuments and evidence of lines of occupation. The field crew would then perform a survey to locate the uncovered evidence. This evidence would then be compared to the record information and any discrepancies would be reconciled. The field crew would then be sent back to stake the property corners with iron rods. To help in identifying the location of longer lot lines intermediate wooden beanpoles would be set.
At the client’s request we will perform a walk-through to show the location of the staked corners.
At the client’s request concrete monuments could be set at the property corners for an additional charge.
- Data Accumulation Survey
- A Data Accumulation Survey is pretty much what it sounds like, the gathering of data.
Most commonly this data is used by site designers such as Civil Engineers, Architects, Planners, and Developers and consists of topographic, utility, photogrammetric, site, or hydrographic information. JKHE performs these surveys in accordance with The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulations Chapter 250, section 602 (CMR 250. 6.02)
A Data Accumulation Survey requires that thorough research be performed at the local assessor’s office, the Registry of Deeds, local utility companies, public offices, state agencies, and any known private sources.
A field survey is performed to locate the existing monuments and physical lines of occupation of the property along with the existing features with elevations including, but not limited to existing buildings, trees, utilities (both above and below ground), wetlands and water bodies, pavement and associated curbing, ledge outcroppings, landscaped areas, and any other pertinent site features.
This data is then analyzed and tied into the property lines and shown on a plan along with the contours to create a base plan for the designer to use in his/her site design.
- Boundary or Retracement Survey
- A Boundary or Retracement survey is a survey that re-establishes the property lines and corners on the ground for one or more existing parcels of land. JKHE performs these surveys in accordance with The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulations Chapter 250 section 6.01 (CMR 250. 6.01).
To prepare a Boundary or Retracement Survey JKHE would:
Perform research at the local assessor’s office and the Registry of Deeds for not only the locus property, but of the adjoining properties as well. Obtain copies of available documents from “local assessor’s office and the Registry of Deeds, public offices, state agencies and known private sources. This information would then be thoroughly examined and analyzed as to its completeness and any inconsistencies would be reconciled.
Next a field crew would be sent out to uncover monuments, (concrete or stone bounds, drill holes, iron pins, pipes, or rods, etc.) and evidence of lines of occupation (fences, hedges, walls, etc.). The field crew would then perform a survey to locate the uncovered evidence. The field crew would also locate all physical features on the property including, but not limited to: buildings, wetlands, brooks, rivers, tree-lines, etc.
Once this information is brought back to the office it would be analyzed and compared to the record information and a final determination as to the location of the property lines would be established. Once the boundary is determined, the field crew would be sent back to set the property corners and the information gathered in the field would then be drawn on a plan suitable for recording at the Registry of Deeds.
- Lean more about Boundary or Retracement Surveys
- Certified Plot Plan
- A Certified Plot Plan is typically prepared to depict existing conditions of the locus property and how they relate to the property lines. An example of this may be that the local building department requires you to submit a plan for a proposed fence, pool, shed, deck, driveway, etc.
To prepare a Certified Plot Plan JKHE would:
Perform research at the local assessor’s office and the Registry of Deeds for not only the locus property, but of the adjoining properties as well. Next a field crew would be sent out to uncover monuments and evidence of lines of occupation. The field crew would then perform a survey to locate the uncovered evidence. The field crew would also locate all physical features on the property including, but not limited to: buildings, driveways, walkways, trees, pools, patios, decks, etc. The information gathered in the field would then be drawn on a plan.
The plan would show any and all buildings along with all physical features on the locus property and their relationship to the property lines.
At the client’s request monuments could be set at the property corners for an additional charge.
- Mortgage Loan Inspection Plan
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A Mortgage Loan Inspection is prepared to secure mortgage title insurance.
J.K. Holmgren Engineering, Inc. (JKHE) performs Mortgage Inspection plans in accordance with Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulation 250. 6.05 (CMR 250. 605). A Mortgage Loan Inspection Plan is NOT a boundary survey.
To perform a Mortgage Loan Inspection Plan JKHE would:
Obtain a copy of the locus deed and any plans associated with such; perform a field investigation of the locus property and locate any and all buildings and improvements on the property with accuracy sufficient to show their relationship to the property lines. (If the property lines cannot be sufficiently reestablished to identify possible encroachments, the surveyor shall recommend to the client that a property survey be performed).
Prepare a plan showing the property lines, improvements, buildings and their offset distances to said property lines. The Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) zone and zoning district will also be noted.
The Mortgage Loan Inspection Plan is mandatory by most banking institutions, mortgage companies, and attorneys involved in mortgage transactions and are only prepared for this purpose. A Mortgage Loan Inspection Plan is not to be confused with a property survey, nor is it to be used to establish property, fence, hedge, or building lines.
Under normal circumstances, no property corners will be set, although permanent property markers may be set after a property survey has been performed at an additional charge.
- ALTA/ACSM Land Title Survey
- The
ALTA*/ACSM** Land Title Survey is one of the most comprehensive surveys that we perform and is held to a national set of standards as detailed in Download the The 2005 ALTA Standards as well as the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulation 250 6.04,(CMR 250 6.04)
The ALTA/ACSM Survey, is an extended title insurance survey. It is prepared for the purpose of providing the client, the lender and the title insurance company with the survey information (boundary, improvements, encroachments, easements, exceptions, and other legal encumbrances, etc.) required for issuing American Land Title Association or extended coverage title insurance for the subject property.
JKHE specializes in providing high quality, extremely thorough surveys that satisfy the most demanding title officers, attorneys and lenders. We realize that ALTA/ACSM Surveys are typically prepared in conjunction with the closing of a loan that has definite time requirements; therefore JKHE provides these surveys the highest priority so you will be certain to make your deadline.
Our ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys are valued because they are delivered when promised, are concise and meet or exceed the minimum detailed requirements as set forth in the 2005 ALTA Standards, as well as Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulation 250 6.04, (CMR 250 6.04)
*American Land Title Survey
**American Congress of Survey and Mapping
- Download the The 2005 ALTA Standards
- Condominium Plans
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A condominium plan is typically prepared to convert an existing building or buildings into condominiums or for newly constructed multi-unit condominium buildings. JKHE performs these surveys in accordance with Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulation Chapter 250, section 6.01 (CMR 250.6.01), Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulation Chapter 250, section 6.02 (CMR 250.6.02), and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulation Chapter 183A (CMR 183A.).
Condominium plans consist of a Site plan and Unit Deed Plans. Often times an Architect will prepare the Unit plans, however, the Site Plan must be prepared by a Registered Professional Land Surveyor.
The Unit Deed Plans will depict the layout and interior dimensions of the floor plans of each unit along with the common areas.
The Site Plan will depict the property lines, as per CMR 250.6.01, and the buildings with exterior dimensions and offset distances to the property lines, the Site Plans shall also depict the parking spaces, curbing, driveways, walkways, utilities, easements, and any common areas, as per CMR 250.6.02.
The plans will be prepared for recording in the Registry of Deeds or with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Land Court.
- Global Position System (GPS) Surveys
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Global Positioning System (GPS) Surveys allow JKHE to survey large tracts of land far more rapidly and effortlessly than in years past while maintaining a high level of accuracy. JKHE owns state of the art GPS equipment (Topcon Legacy E and Hiper GGD receivers) that allow us to perform GPS traverses to instrument survey precision over great distances or Real Time Kinematic (RTK) surveys to centimeter accuracy.
RTK location is quickly becoming the norm on large data accumulation and topographic surveys and gives JKHE yet another tool to provide our clients with a rapid and reasonable alternative to the more traditional surveying methods.
GPS static surveys are used over large tracts of land and are most commonly used for Photogrammetric target location or a Survey Control Network.
JKHE can also maintain an existing GIS system or perform the location work necessary to get your GIS project off the ground.
- Forensic Survey
- A Forensic Survey is a valuable tool for insurance companies, attorneys, and officials investigating the scene of an accident or crime. J.K. Holmgren Engineering, Inc. is experienced in forensic surveys and has had experience consulting with the client and producing a plan for a specific set of needs. JKHE also has extensive experience in Professional Witness testimony in the courtroom setting.
- Elevation Certificates
- The Elevation Certificate is an important administrative tool of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It is to be used to provide elevation information necessary to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances, to determine the proper insurance premium rate, and to support a request for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Letter of Map Revision based on fill (LOMR-F).
The Elevation Certificate is required in order to properly rate post-FIRM buildings, which are buildings constructed after publication of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), located in flood insurance Zones A1-A30, AE, AH, A (with BFE), VE, V1-V30, V (with BFE), AR, AR/A, AR/AE, AR/A1-A30, AR/AH, and AR/AO. The Elevation Certificate is not required for pre-FIRM buildings unless the building is being rated under the optional post-FIRM flood insurance rules.
As part of the agreement for making flood insurance available in a community, the NFIP requires the community to adopt a floodplain management ordinance that specifies minimum requirements for reducing flood losses. One such requirement is for the community to obtain the elevation of the lowest floor (including basement) of all new and substantially improved buildings, and maintain a record of such information. The Elevation Certificate provides a way for a community to document compliance with the community’s floodplain management ordinance.
- Lean more about Elevation Certificates
- Topographic Survey
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A Topographic Survey is performed to depict the conditions of the property in its natural state. The Topographic Survey produces a plan showing contours and significant site features and is most commonly used as a base plan for subdivision plans, site plans, ALTA plans and data accumulation surveys. JKHE performs these surveys in accordance with The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulations Chapter 250 section 6.02 (CMR 250. 6.02)
A Topographic Survey requires that thorough research be performed at the local assessor’s office, the Registry of Deeds, local utility companies, public offices, state agencies, and any known private sources.
A field survey is performed to locate the existing monuments and physical lines of occupation along with the existing features of the property with elevations, including but not limited to, existing buildings, trees, utilities (both above and below ground), wetlands and water bodies, pavement and associated curbing, ledge outcroppings, landscaped areas, and any other pertinent site features.
This data is then analyzed and tied into the property lines and shown on a plan along with the contours to create a base plan for the designer to use in his/her site design.
- Subdivision Plans
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Subdivision Plans are one of J.K. Holmgren Engineering Inc.’s specialties. We have designed dozens of subdivisions, from the small two lot residential subdivision on an existing way of record to the multiple lot residential or industrial subdivision requiring new roads and utilities. JKHE performs these surveys in accordance with the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 41, Sections 81K through 81 GG and the local by-laws of the community in which the property resides.
JKHE has Registered Professional Engineers and a Registered Professional Land Surveyor on staff, as well as an experienced site design staff assuring that your project will be designed from start to finish in an expedient manner and completely in-house.
- Land Court Plan
- Easement Plans