Flat ground does not mean simple boundaries
The Illinois Professional Land Surveyor Act regulates boundary location, monumentation, and survey documents. Dense improvements can require careful access and encroachment measurement. Rural parcels can require longer lines, adjoining deeds, road and drainage evidence, and Public Land Survey System ties.
Illinois standards make the plat part of the comparison
The state's minimum standards for boundary surveys address research, field procedures, monuments, and the plat. Ask whether the proposal includes a complete boundary survey and plat or only limited staking. If the project is for design, specify the separate topographic and improvement detail.
Use the project to define the scope
- Fence or addition: corners, relevant line, offsets, easements, and signed plat.
- Closing: purchaser, lender, or title requirements and located improvements.
- Farm or acreage: all deeds, section evidence, roads, ditches, fences, access, and full perimeter.
- Drainage or design: contours, datum, utilities, structures, trees, pavement, and digital file.
- Commercial title: title commitment, exceptions, current ALTA/NSPS scope, and Table A choices.
Ask what is excluded
Common differences include monument setting, line staking, alleys, easement plotting, recorder or municipal work, utility locating, return visits, travel, and revisions. A proposal can be lower because it is more efficient or because it is a smaller product. The written scope tells you which.
An Illinois comparison brief
Purpose: [fence, closing, dispute, farm, design, title]
Records: [deed, plat, title, prior survey]
Site: [dense improvements, alley, field, woods, drainage, access]
Needed: [corners, lines, improvements, topo, signed plat, file]
Deadline: [date]
Please identify monument work, filing, return staking, and exclusions.
Confirm licensure
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