Basic Information On Land Surveyors

Land surveyors are basically concerned with land and water boundaries. Before constructing a house or building, the land must be examined as to whether it is suitable for construction purpose.

Land surveyors have to work in office, but in certain conditions they have to work on field. They must be able to work in all situations. They should also make sure that their equipments do not get damaged in rain or storm. Equipments that they should carry with them are computer aided design software, Global Positioning systems, digital cameras, laptops or personal digital assistants and metal detectors, to name a few.

Land surveyors work for government agencies, construction companies, architectural and engineering firms and utility services. Some major duties of land surveyors are Documentation research, Land Measurement, Boundary Disputes, Determining Boundaries and Legal Documentation

A surveyor can find out property boundaries by working on legal documents and on-site measurement. He has to work outdoors most of the time and do lot of research work. Research can be done in libraries, government offices and on the computer. He should have certain qualities to become a land surveyor.

To become a surveyor, he/she should have a bachelors degree in Surveying and Mapping or a degree in surveying technology. Those people who are working in this field for several years without any formal education may find it difficult to be hired by a different employer.

Apart from the degree, he should have done knowledge in geometry, trigonometry, industrial math, engineering mechanics and law for surveyors and technical surveying methodologies.

A land surveyor must have a professional license. Requirements vary among states and jurisdictions, and many surveyors obtain a license in several states. New surveyors should contact the state Department of Licensing for specific requirements. Basic duties of land surveyors include researching legal boundaries of property in public records and other documents, such as deeds, legal records and maps.

To get a license a person should have a formal education in Bachelor of Science accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Some states provide license to people who have 8 to 12 years of surveying experience. To get a license he/she should also pass two exams. A new surveyor must first complete the fundamentals of surveying exam and then gain experience under the supervision of a licensed surveyor before being eligible to take the Principles and Practice of Surveying Exam. They should be physically fit and walk long distances while carrying surveying equipment and stand for long periods of time.

In United States, salary of a land surveyor is somewhere $56,000, though this number varies based on location, company, experience and education. The middle 50 percent of U.S. land surveyors earns $46,250 to $62,712 annually.