JADE Hanna Surveyors welcomes questions about the surveyor process and is happy to help you answer them. If you don't see what you're looking for below, feel free to call or request a call with the form on the right.

What is a Professional Land Surveyor (PLS)?

A Professional Land Surveyor is a person who is qualified by education, experience and who has become licensed by passing the Illinois Land Surveyors examination.

Only a Professional Land Surveyor duly licensed by the State of Illinois is legally permitted to perform land surveys in the State of Illinois.

When do I need a survey?

You may need a survey for one of following reasons:

• When purchasing or selling a residence or land.
• Before land is divided by deed, subdivision, will or by a court decree.
• When a lending institution requires one.
• Before building a house, fence or other improvement close to the property line.
• When local authorities require a survey prior to issuing a building permit.
• For drainage planning and topographical studies.
• When you believe someone is encroaching on your property.
• Before land is conveyed from a larger tract.

How do I obtain a survey?

You will need to provide a copy of the property's legal description and property index or tax ID number to the surveyor. The legal description can be found in your mortgage documents, title policy, insurance documents or deeds. Your property index or tax ID number is found on your real estate tax bill.

Other information regarding property line agreements, prior easements granted or other rights granted on the property should also be provided to the surveyor.

What will a survey cost?

Survey costs are determined by:

• Type of survey required, size and shape of lot, accessibility of property, vegetation, terrain, travel time to the job site and required delivery date.
• Records research, availability and credibility of previous documentation in the area.
• Sectionalized survey work, which may require us to survey one or more square miles before even surveying your property location (The surveyor must survey the property as the legal description dictates).

How do I pay for the survey?

Once the proposal has been agreed upon we accept: cash, personal checks, bank checks.

When will the survey plat be ready?

The time frame depends on the type of survey that was ordered. Typically a boundary survey would be ready the next business day after the field work was completed. In all cases, we will try to accommodate and meet your needs.