ADU & House Site Surveys Los Angeles

So you’ve made the plunge. You’ve decided to get started with your project to convert your garage into an ADU/granny flat, but you have encountered one small challenge. Your home sits on the side of a hill.

One thing you’ll want to do is get a site survey before you do garage conversion or new construction ADU. The Building And Safety department from your city will request the following reports from you in order to obtain permits for an ADU:

1. Topography Report
2. Site Survey
3. Soil testing (geologist)
4. Structural engineering (if building 2 stories or retaining walls)
5. ADU Architectural floor plans

Getting an architectural/boundary survey that includes setting the property corners and a comprehensive map of the site is a great way to avoid disputes with neighbors, costly slowdowns or shutdowns.

What is a site survey in the Los Angeles Area? And Why does your property require one for your ADU?

A site survey is basically just a record of your property lines. Let’s say, for hypothetical purposes. You and your neighbors live on hillside houses and you decided to build an ADU behind your house. You and your neighbor cannot visually and property determine each other’s property lines. It’s impossible.

People often assume they know where a property’s boundaries are, but your fences can be deceiving. The location of a fence or a driveway or even hedges and trees cannot be counted on as reliable indicators of your property line. There is no way to know exactly what your property’s boundaries are unless you’ve had a recent site survey.

You probably had your property surveyed when you bought it. However, there is no way of knowing exactly where your property lines are unless you’ve had a survey in the last two years. You may be surprised to find out where the actual boundary lines are.

The surveyor you hire will:

• Update boundary lines
• Prepare your property for construction to avoid costly legal disputes
• Make precise measurements of your property
• Provide data regarding the shape of your property for engineering and construction projects.

How does a site survey work in the Los Angeles Area?

Most houses in Los Angeles don’t need a site survey, however, if you are disputing your neighbor about property lines you might as well get one. The only residents who need a site survey are those who own homes on a hillside. Cities like Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Highland Park, and Echo Park are some cities that need a site survey.

To be sure of the boundaries on your property, you should ask about the four corners of your property. Look for metal survey pins or brightly colored markers at property corners or where the land turns.

The most common survey monuments (or markers) are:

• Rebar -- This is a solid iron rod that is typically placed flush to the ground. When one of these is set by a surveyor, it will have a cap placed on the rebar with the company name and license number stamped into it. These caps are usually pink, orange, or yellow.
• Iron Pipes -- These usually have a plastic cap inside the pipe with the company name and license number stamped into it. Again, these are usually pink, orange or yellow.
• Cut Crosses -- These are typically etched into the concrete of the street or a curb. These are probably NOT an actual property corner. Most likely, it is a point on the projection of the property line.
• Cotton Spindle -- This is a 6”-8” spindle from a cotton-picking machine. Surveyors use them to mark property corners that fall into asphalt, tree roots, and other hard surfaces. The spindle has a sharp tip that allows it to be set where rebar or iron pipes cannot be set.

By the way...those wood markers and pin flags that are commonly seen on properties? Those aren’t the property corners themselves. They are witness items to help you find the property corner. So, don’t worry if the neighborhood kids pull up the wood stakes to have a sword fight.

If you don’t see those markers, another important thing to check is the disclosure portion of your closing papers. You’ll want to check these especially if you have an older home that backs up to a hill, park, path, trail, forest area or storm drain channel.

To find out more about your property, you can call or visit the Los Angeles County assessor’s office:

• Call (213) 974-3211
• Go to www.lacountyassessor.com

Why should I get a site survey in the Los Angeles Area?

If your house sits on a hillside or surrounded by a wild trail the ADU designer will need to know the boundaries of your property. Since you need 4 feet setbacks from each neighbor, you will need to know the exact perimeter of your property. Boundary disputes are the most common types of legal disputes between neighbors. Neighbors often end up in costly legal battles over disagreements over trees, fences, and driveways. Neighbors frequently argue over who is responsible for the maintenance of trees, or whose land fences are on. Not to mention shared driveways -- who is responsible for the upkeep? Having a recent site survey on hand can mitigate many of these disputes.

But I got a site survey when I bought my property. Why should I get a new one?

Any time you are planning new construction on your property, it is a good idea to get a new survey to accurately record the boundaries of your property. In addition, advances in technology (especially the use of GPS) have made these surveys even more accurate.

A site survey will cost you between $800-$5,000. If you live in property with a lot size larger than 7,000 sq. ft. and has twists and turns, expect to pay more for your site survey.

What do surveyors do?

A surveyor is someone who determines official land and water boundaries. When you hire a surveyor, he or she will:

• Determine the exact location of important land features in the survey area using special equipment.
• Establish official land and water boundaries.
• Research land records and other sources of information affecting properties
• Look for evidence of previous property boundaries to determine where boundary lines are.
• Work with architects and construction managers
• Record the results of surveying and verify the accuracy of data
• Present findings to clients, government agencies (like the Los Angeles County Assessor’s office), and others
• Write descriptions of land for deeds, leases, and other legal documents.

Getting your site survey in the Los Angeles Area

Once you have decided to convert your garage into an ADU/granny flat, you’ll want to get your site survey in order to determine your property lines and setbacks. Call us for a free estimate.