Realistic 2026 pricing for boundary, ALTA/NSPS, topographic, as-built, construction and aerial surveys—organized by survey type, acreage and Utah county.
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The average cost for a land survey in Utah depends on what must be measured, researched and delivered—not simply the number of acres. A typical residential boundary survey starts at $1,025, with many standard Utah lots falling between $1,025 and $2,500. Larger rural parcels, commercial ALTA/NSPS surveys, detailed topographic work and accelerated deadlines cost more. This guide explains the ranges before you request a property-specific proposal.
Start with the parent page to compare survey types and identify the correct service for your property or transaction.
Most residential boundary surveys cost $1,025–$2,500 for a typical lot under one acre. Boundary surveys of 1–5 acres often cost $2,000–$4,000. ALTA/NSPS surveys commonly start near $3,000, while topographic surveys frequently range from $1,500–$4,500. The final price depends on the survey type, acreage, terrain, deed and plat quality, monument condition, travel and deadline.
Compare the professional scopes behind the pricing.
Survey type is usually the first pricing decision. A boundary survey answers a legal property-line question. An ALTA/NSPS survey adds title, easement and commercial-lender requirements. A topographic survey collects elevations and existing conditions for design. Each scope requires different research, fieldwork, drafting and professional review.
Establishes legal property corners and lines for fences, additions, purchases, lot splits and disputes.
Boundary survey details →Title-grade commercial survey with required standards and the Table A items selected for the transaction.
ALTA survey details →Maps elevations, contours, structures, pavement, drainage and other surface features for design.
Topographic survey details →Documents installed improvements, utilities, grading or construction conditions after work is completed.
As-built survey details →Transfers approved design information to the ground for foundations, utilities, roads and site improvements.
Request staking pricing →Efficient aerial data collection for acreage, construction progress, surface models and larger mapping projects.
UAV surveying details →Start with the outcome the property owner needs.
Property owners usually begin with a project—not a survey name. Use this table to identify the likely service and a realistic planning range before requesting a property-specific proposal.
| Your Project | Likely Survey | Planning Range | What the Scope Must Confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build or replace a fence | Boundary survey | $1,025–$2,500 | Legal corners and boundary lines—not an approximate GIS line. |
| Buy an older home or rural parcel | Boundary or transaction survey | Scope based | Record boundary, occupation, encroachments and available monuments. |
| Design an addition, driveway or site | Boundary + topographic survey | $2,500–$6,500+ | Property limits, improvements, elevations, drainage and design features. |
| Resolve a property-line disagreement | Boundary survey with expanded research | Often above standard | Conflicting deeds, monuments, occupation and prior survey evidence. |
| Split or adjust a parcel | Boundary + subdivision services | Project based | Jurisdiction requirements, legal descriptions, mapping and approvals. |
| Close or refinance commercial property | ALTA/NSPS survey | $3,000–$8,000+ | Title commitment, easements, improvements and selected Table A items. |
| Lay out construction | Construction staking | $800–$5,500+ | Approved plans, control, staking phases and return visits. |
| Document completed improvements | As-built survey | $800–$5,500+ | Installed locations, elevations and agency or design-team requirements. |
Acreage matters, but fixed research and professional costs remain.
Acreage matters, but it does not create a simple per-acre formula. Every project has fixed costs for records research, mobilization, control, computation, drafting and professional review. That is why the cost per acre usually decreases as parcel size increases.
| Survey Type | Under 1 Acre | 1–5 Acres | 5–20 Acres | 20+ Acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boundary Survey | $1,025–$2,500 | $2,000–$4,000 | $3,500–$6,500 | $5,000+ |
| ALTA/NSPS Survey | $3,000–$5,000 | $3,500–$6,500 | $5,000–$9,500 | $8,000+ |
| Topographic Survey | $1,500–$3,000 | $2,500–$4,500 | $3,500–$6,500 | $5,000+ |
| Construction Staking | $800–$2,000 | $1,500–$3,500 | $2,500–$5,500 | Scope based |
| As-Built Survey | $800–$1,800 | $1,500–$3,000 | $2,500–$5,500 | $5,000+ |
| UAV / Aerial Survey | Ground methods often better | $1,500–$3,500 | $3,000–$7,500 | $5,000–$20,000+ |
These are planning ranges—not binding quotes. Records, terrain, monument condition, deliverables, jurisdiction, travel and urgency can move a project outside the range.
Choose the closest project conditions to receive a preliminary planning range. This tool does not replace records review or a written proposal.
Travel, records, terrain and parcel history vary across Utah.
County and city location affect travel, records access, terrain, parcel history and local submittal requirements. The ranges below reflect a typical residential boundary survey and help owners establish a starting budget.
| County or Region | Typical Residential Boundary Range | Common Local Cost Factors |
|---|---|---|
| Juab County Nephi, Mona |
$1,025–$2,200 | Close to the Ludlow Engineering office, with reduced mobilization for many projects. |
| Utah County Provo, Lehi, Orem, Spanish Fork, Payson |
$1,025–$2,500 | Modern subdivision records can simplify research; hillside and older parcels may add complexity. |
| Salt Lake County | $1,200–$2,800 | Older neighborhoods, disturbed monuments, dense improvements and access can increase field time. |
| Davis County | $1,100–$2,600 | Many modern subdivisions are straightforward; older areas may require additional deed reconciliation. |
| Weber County Ogden area |
$1,100–$2,600 | Older city parcels and historic descriptions can increase records research. |
| Sanpete County Manti, Ephraim, Mount Pleasant |
$1,200–$2,800 | Rural metes-and-bounds descriptions and older monumentation can require deeper research. |
| Sevier County Richfield area |
$1,200–$2,800 | Pricing varies between city lots and larger outlying rural parcels. |
| Millard County | $1,400–$3,200 | Larger acreage and mobilization distance frequently affect the final fee. |
| Wasatch & Summit Counties | $1,500–$3,500 | Hillside terrain, vegetation, snow and seasonal access often increase field time. |
| Iron & Washington Counties | $1,400–$3,200 | Travel, desert access, acreage and project scheduling are reflected in the quote. |
The conditions that change office and field effort.
Two neighboring parcels can receive different quotes even when they appear similar. These are the variables that most often change the amount of field and office work required.
A boundary map, commercial ALTA/NSPS survey, topographic base map and construction-staking package are different scopes with different standards.
Larger parcels generally require more monument searches, control, measurements and drafting, although the effective cost per acre often falls.
Clean modern records can reduce research. Conflicting legal descriptions, old deeds or missing prior surveys can add substantial reconciliation time.
Recovered and verifiable corner pins simplify fieldwork. Missing, disturbed or contradictory monuments require more measurements and professional analysis.
Steep slopes, snow, dense vegetation, fences, livestock, locked gates and undeveloped access increase crew time and equipment planning.
Projects farther from Nephi may include mobilization costs, especially when multiple field visits or specialized equipment are required.
Rush work may require schedule changes, added crews or overtime. Share the deadline before the proposal is prepared.
Compare proposals by scope—not by the lowest number alone.
A low number is not meaningful unless the proposals cover the same professional work. Ludlow Engineering’s written proposal identifies the included scope and separates work that would require an amendment.
Why even a small parcel requires a complete professional process.
A small lot is not a “quick measurement.” Before a surveyor can place professional responsibility on a map, the team must identify the parcel, review deeds and plats, establish control, search for monuments, compare field evidence with the record, calculate the boundary, draft the deliverable and complete licensed review.
Even when the field crew spends only a few hours on the property, the project may include many additional office hours. The starting price reflects the records, equipment, field crew, drafting, quality control, liability and licensed surveyor review necessary to produce a defensible result.
Representative planning scenarios—not binding promises.
The examples below show how a quote may be assembled. They are illustrations, not promises for a property that has not been reviewed.
Lot under one acre, accessible corners, usable recorded plat, no active dispute and standard delivery.
Older deed description, partial monument recovery, rural access and additional records reconciliation.
Commercial parcel, title commitment, selected Table A items, improvements, easements and closing coordination.
Standard scheduling versus fixed deadlines and rush work.
Standard scheduling allows records, fieldwork and professional review to move through the normal production process. A closing, hearing, permit or construction deadline may require the firm to rearrange active projects.
| Project Type | Common Standard Timeline | Rush Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Residential boundary survey | Often 1–3 weeks | Possible when records and access are straightforward |
| ALTA/NSPS survey | Often 3–6 weeks | Depends on title documents, Table A scope and closing date |
| Topographic survey | Often 1–4 weeks | Depends on acreage, season, detail and design schedule |
| Large acreage or complex boundary | Project specific | May be limited by research, access and monument recovery |
How Ludlow defines the work and fee before authorization.
A fixed-fee proposal defines the service and price before work begins. Hourly billing charges for time used, which may be appropriate when the final scope cannot be determined in advance. For standard survey projects, Ludlow Engineering prepares a written scope and fixed project fee based on the information available at quoting.
When new acreage, additional staking, an expanded title scope or another material change is requested, it should be added to the project scope before the extra work proceeds.
The information that improves scope and estimate accuracy.
A useful quote begins with the correct parcel and a clear explanation of why the survey is needed.
The address and assessor parcel number help confirm the correct property and county records.
Upload what you have. If you do not have it, the team may be able to obtain the record from the county.
A fence, closing, dispute, site design, subdivision and lender request may require different deliverables.
Share the closing, permit, hearing or construction deadline before scheduling is evaluated.
Existing records may clarify the scope and reduce avoidable research.
This page explains pricing. The service pages explain what each survey is designed to accomplish and what the final deliverable includes.
Send the parcel, purpose, records and target date.
Submit the property information and upload any records you already have. Ludlow Engineering will review the request and determine the correct survey scope before preparing a written proposal.
Thank you. The Ludlow Engineering team will review the property, requested survey and uploaded documents, then contact you about the appropriate scope and proposal.
The figures on this page are planning ranges organized around the scope variables Ludlow Engineering evaluates when preparing a proposal. They are not a statewide tariff, a guaranteed minimum for every parcel or a substitute for professional records review.
Use the service page for scope and deliverables; use this page for pricing guidance.
Direct answers to common Utah survey-pricing questions.
A typical residential boundary survey starts at $1,025, with many standard lots under one acre falling between $1,025 and $2,500. Rural acreage, difficult terrain, poor records, missing monuments and expanded deliverables increase the cost.
A property-line or boundary survey for a typical Utah residential lot commonly costs $1,025–$2,500. The price depends on lot size, monument condition, available plats and deeds, terrain, travel and whether a dispute or special deadline is involved.
For budgeting, many Utah homeowners should expect $1,025–$2,500 for a standard boundary survey under one acre. Parcels from 1–5 acres often cost $2,000–$4,000, while larger rural or complex boundaries can cost more.
ALTA/NSPS surveys commonly start around $3,000 and may cost $3,000–$8,000 or more. Parcel size, title complexity, improvements, easements, selected Table A items and closing deadlines all affect the fee. See the ALTA survey service page for scope information.
Many Utah topographic surveys cost $1,500–$4,500. Acreage, contour interval, feature density, vegetation, access, utility information, CAD standards and the design team's requirements affect the final price.
There is no universal per-acre price. Research, mobilization, control, drafting and professional review create fixed costs. A larger parcel usually costs more in total but less per acre than a small parcel. The acreage table above provides more useful planning ranges.
Older properties may have inconsistent deeds, missing subdivision records, disturbed corner monuments, long-standing occupation lines or descriptions created before modern measurement systems. Resolving those records and field conditions requires more professional analysis.
It may. A signed prior survey, recorded plat or reliable monument record can clarify the boundary history and reduce research. The surveyor must still verify the evidence and determine whether it supports the current assignment.
The written proposal should identify the survey type, property, research, fieldwork, requested deliverables, professional review, fee, anticipated schedule and exclusions. Extra staking, expanded acreage or additional deliverables should be listed separately.
A new survey may not be required for every residential transaction, but it is the most reliable way to identify the current property corners, visible encroachments and discrepancies between occupation and the record. It can be especially valuable for older parcels or unclear boundaries.
Provide the deed, parcel number, recorded plat, prior survey, title documents, purpose of the survey and deadline at the start. Arrange legal site access and identify any known monuments. Clear information reduces avoidable research and return visits.
Yes. Ludlow Engineering is based in Nephi and evaluates projects across Utah. Travel, access, project type and scheduling are considered when the written proposal is prepared.
Send the address, parcel number, survey purpose and available records. We will help identify the correct survey and prepare a written proposal for the property.