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Why Every Property Owner in Houston Should Get a Land Survey Before Building

Thinking About Building? Start with a Land Survey

Before breaking ground on any structure—whether it’s a new home, garage, patio, fence, or commercial facility—a professional land survey is the most important step you can take. Many property owners in Houston and surrounding counties overlook it, only to run into expensive setbacks, permitting delays, or boundary disputes down the road.

If your property is in Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, Brazoria, Galveston, Waller, Chambers, or Liberty County, local authorities may even require a survey before issuing a building permit. And even when it's not required, it's still your best protection as a landowner or developer.

Why You Need a Survey Before Construction

A land survey answers critical questions that affect your build:

• Where are the legal property boundaries?

• Are there any easements or encroachments?

• Is the land in a flood zone?

• What are the elevation changes and slope of the site?

• Are you complying with zoning and setback requirements?

• Will your structure be built legally and safely?

📌 A small mistake—like building a fence or driveway across a property line—can lead to lawsuits, forced demolition, or thousands in fines and corrections.

What Type of Survey Should You Get Before Building?

📐 Boundary Survey

Verifies your exact property lines and corners—essential for any new construction, fences, or landscaping.

📏 Topographic Survey

Maps elevation, slope, and surface features—critical for drainage planning and foundation design.

🛠️ Construction Staking

Physically marks where the structure will be built based on your site plan. Used by contractors to lay the foundation correctly.

🧾 Platting or Replatting Survey

Required if you’re subdividing land or altering existing lot boundaries.

🌊 Floodplain or Elevation Survey

Determines whether your land is in a FEMA flood zone and provides base flood elevation data—needed for permits or insurance in areas like Pearland, Galveston, and Baytown.

Building Requirements by County in the Houston Area

📍 Harris County

• Most residential and commercial permits require site plans based on recent surveys.

• If building in a floodplain, an elevation certificate is mandatory.

📍 Fort Bend County (Katy, Sugar Land, Fulshear)

• Surveys help confirm that structures comply with HOA setbacks and drainage easements.

• New development often requires construction staking and replatting.

📍 Montgomery County (The Woodlands, Conroe)

• Custom home sites and large lots require boundary and grading surveys.

• Some areas fall under ETJs (Extraterritorial Jurisdictions) with their own codes.

📍 Brazoria & Galveston Counties

• Low elevation makes topographic and floodplain surveys essential before permitting.

• Coastal setbacks must be verified before construction in shoreline communities.

📍 Waller, Liberty & Chambers Counties

• Less regulated, but still require accurate boundary and access surveys for safe, legal builds.

• Infrastructure projects like barns, warehouses, or private roads benefit from staking surveys.

Real Risks of Building Without a Survey

• Neighbor disputes from crossing onto someone else’s land

• Code violations for setbacks, easements, or zoning limits

• Permit delays or denials due to missing or outdated survey data

• Foundation problems from unaccounted slope or grading

• Insurance issues if you build in an unmapped flood zone

📎 In some cases, cities or counties may issue a stop-work order—forcing you to halt construction until a proper survey is submitted.

How South Texas Surveying Makes the Process Easy

With 40+ years serving Houston and surrounding counties, South Texas Surveying provides fast, accurate land surveys that give you the clarity to build confidently.

We offer:

✔️ Boundary, topographic, construction, and elevation surveys
✔️ Full support for permitting and site planning
✔️ Local expertise in Houston-area regulations and zoning codes
✔️ Fast turnaround for builders and homeowners
✔️ Services throughout Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Galveston, Chambers, Liberty, and Waller Counties

📞 Planning a new build? Call South Texas Surveying before you start—and avoid costly mistakes later.

Build Smart. Build Legal. Build With Confidence.

No matter how big or small your project, a land survey gives you a solid foundation—literally and legally. In Houston and beyond, it’s the first step toward building something that lasts.

📍 Whether you’re constructing a backyard garage in Cypress or developing a multi-family property in Missouri City, South Texas Surveying is your trusted land survey expert.