This type of survey is commonly called a boundary survey and results in a Land Survey Plat. Monuments (or pins) are either found or set to mark the boundaries of a parcel of land. A current Title Commitment is useful because it includes the legal description of the parcel together with exceptions such as easements and other encumbrances to the land.
A thorough effort is made to recover existing monumentation in the field and often times includes public land monuments such as section corners and quarter corners which may not be adjacent to the subject property. Frequently, legal descriptions of the subject property and the adjacent properties are in conflict with field measurements. These conflicts are documented and shown on the plat of the property boundary. Other evidence of property lines may be considered such as lines of occupation such as fences etc.
Once all the evidence is collected in the field, a determination of the property boundary is made and any missing corners are monumented. The monuments set are usually rebar driven in the ground with a cap showing the license number of the surveyor responsible for setting the monument.
When a Monumented Land Survey is performed on a parcel located within a platted subdivision filed more than 20 years ago or in an unplatted parcels of land, Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.38-51-107) require the preparation and filing of a Land Survey Plat. The Land Survey Plat is a map of the Monumented Land Survey which is filed in the public office designated by the county commissioners. One of the purposes of recording the plat is to provide survey data for subsequent land surveys. It also makes the results of the monumented land survey a matter of public record, which may help to protect your interests in the property.
The Land Survey Plat does not document improvements on the subject property , except where they are adjacent to the property. Improvement Location Surveys are similar to a Land Survey Plat but, in addition, document the improvements on the subject property.