Licensed professional engineering & land surveying · Kentucky · Est. 2010
Home / Plot Plan vs. Boundary Survey
A homeowner’s guide to choosing the right one.
Boundary Survey
A boundary survey is our professional opinion of where your property lines are located. We retrace or reestablish the lines using deed research, prior surveys, field measurements, and evidence found on the ground. It meets the standards of practice required by law. Like all surveys, it has a small margin of error and does not establish ownership, but it provides the best available evidence of your property limits.
Plot Plan
A plot plan is a drawing for permitting purposes. It shows where proposed improvements (like a new house, addition, or garage) sit in relation to setbacks, easements, lot coverage, flood zones, and silt fence locations. It uses the corners we find but does not confirm if those corners are correct, nor does it resolve discrepancies in property lines.
Quick comparison
| Plot Plan | Boundary Survey | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Building permits, showing improvements | Establishing or reestablishing property lines |
| Corners | Found but not verified | Verified and set to standards of practice |
| Accuracy | Stated on each drawing | Meets legal survey standards |
| Discrepancies | Not addressed | Identifies discrepancies, conflicts, and encroachments |
| Use for fence | Safe distance inside | On the line |
Frequently asked questions
You only need a plot plan for permitting.
It may show found corners, but only a boundary survey confirms them to professional standards.
We can mark corners we find, but we do not verify them or set new ones without a boundary survey.
For a plot plan, we use found corners to measure setbacks. This is adequate for permitting. A boundary survey is needed to verify the corners.
With a plot plan, we can stake it a safe distance inside the corners we find. If you want it directly on the line, you’ll need a boundary survey.
Because it retraces the original surveyor’s steps, considers gaps or overlaps, and identifies potential encroachments or conflicts. It provides a documented record, though like all surveys, it may or may not be upheld in court.
