Learn About The Different Ways to Find a Survey of Your Residential Property in Toronto
BVM Contracting breaks down the various methods of obtaining a survey of your property in Toronto. When you do any major renovation work to your home/property you will need access to a survey of the property order for the City of Toronto to confirm that you are complying with zoning by-laws for your type of property. Surveys are especially important for new home construction (otherwise known as residential infill construction) projects, which require a specific type of survey that we will discuss in this article.
HOW TO FIND AN EXISTING SURVEY OF YOUR PROPERTY
During the process of getting plans created for your substantial renovation/home building project (i.e. home additions, home extensions, laneway suite construction, new home construction, and even interior renovations with minor exterior alterations (i.e. basement walk-outs)) you/your designer/your architect will be required to submit a survey and/or site plan with your permit submission documents. Before spending money on a new survey, check these following places beforehand to see if your property has a survey that will work! Sometimes the survey is too old and not representative of the current state of the property, and sometimes you will require a new survey no matter what (i.e. for a new home build/infill construction) but it is good practice to see what is available so you aren’t wasting money. The below methods are the most popular in obtaining surveys:
Get the survey when Buying your new home/property
When looking for that new property to create your dream home see if the seller has access (or would be willing to spend the money) to an updated survey of the property. In the past you wouldn’t see a single real estate transaction made without a survey attached but that method has died out unfortunately. It is up to the buyer now to inquire about this and we recommend you do so!
Get the survey through an Online Database
If you are unsuccessful in getting a survey of the property through the Transaction of buying the home/property your next best place to look is online. Below we have cited two very popular databases in Ontario for pulling up what they call a Surveyor’s Real Property Report (SRPR). Click below to get redirected to each of these databases.
We have partnered with Protect Your Boundaries to Provide on-site property search for survey, boundary, and title-related information from their Ontario database. Feel free to use the search below (which redirects you to their website anyways) or you can go directly to their website above.
WHAT IF MY SURVEY IS NOT UPDATED OR I AM COMPLETING INFILL (NEW HOME) CONSTRUCTION?
If you or your design partner finds old surveys of your property but they are not sufficiently updated to be used in a permit application, you will need to complete a new SRPR. The cost of completing a new survey for your property will vary but expect to pay anywhere from $2500-$4000 depending on the type of survey and size of property. If you are completing a new home construction project you will be wise to let the surveyor know so they can make sure that they complete a topographic study and also quote you for the lot grading plan that will be required for the property! Make sure you do the survey right the first time and make sure you talk with the experts before wasting money on a new survey (especially if you don’t need one for your project).
It is also important to note that for new home building projects, you will be required to complete additional surveying work during the construction, including pinning the footings to ensure correct location for your new foundation, as-built surveying to confirm that the height of the foundation walls and home are correct, and a grading plan for the property (including the final grading certificate). This will come at an additional fee (usually around $3000-$4000), and multiple site visits will be needed during the course of your new home construction project. It is recommended to go with the same company completing the SRPR/topographic surveying work to do the construction surveying work, as they will not have to redo any work and it will be more cost competitive for you.
If you have any additional questions about obtaining a survey of your property you can reach out to BVM Contracting to start your journey, or fill out our form below to get referred to one of our surveyor partners that will help you get a formal quote for your property’s surveying requirements.
About BVM COntracting
BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations and custom home builds (full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, new home construction, and laneway suites). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of building their home, from concept to completion.
Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.
To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.