Existing Surveys

Find your survey plan by searching Ontario’s largest database of existing plans.

At Protect Your Boundaries, we specialize in existing survey plans. Whether you are looking to confirm your boundaries or need one for your latest landscaping project, existing survey plans can offer a practical alternative to getting a new survey of your property done, and at a fraction of the cost.

What is an Existing Land Survey Plan?

An Existing Survey Plan is a plan that was previously completed by an Ontario Land Surveyor. Property Surveys are usually commissioned by home or landowners to make changes to their property or distinguish boundaries. If a survey was completed of your property in the past, then an existing copy of your plan should be in a surveyor database.

Where Can I Find my Survey Plan?

Protect Your Boundaries curates and hosts the largest database of existing survey plans for residential and commercial properties in Ontario. The database of over 2.5 million plans includes private surveys as well as public surveys from the Registry Office. Type your address in to see if we have a plan available for your property:

Remember, you can always call or email our office to ensure you’re getting the appropriate survey plan to suit your needs.

When Can You Use an Existing Land Survey Plan?

1. When buying or selling a home you are also purchasing the land that the home was built on. This is why your Land Survey Plan is one of the most critical documents to have on hand before any transaction is complete. Your land survey plan will show boundary lines that illustrate the true extent of your land ownership. Your plan will also show buildings and sometimes fences, hedges, sheds, and other structures on the property. A Land Survey Plan may also be requested by your bank as part of your mortgage application, so it is best to make sure you have a copy of this document available.
2. Boundary Disputes with a neighbour can be exhausting on your mental and financial health. Having a Land Survey Plan can help both you and your neighbour distinguish a boundary line so that you can both have a clear understanding of the extent of one another’s land ownership.
3. If you are building something new on your property, like a fence or a shed, a Land Survey Plan can assist in making sure you are building in the right location. For larger structures, pools, or home additions your existing survey plan may assist you in the permit process. You should always check with your local municipality for survey requirements before submitting your permit application.

Having your Land Survey Plan on hand is a proactive approach to avoiding unnecessary headaches involving your land. If you are unsure about which survey plan is right for you, email our office at info@protectyourboundaries.ca or give us a call and we can help you determine which plan is best suited for your needs.

Is an older Survey still valid?

The short answer is yes, but there are some elements to consider before confirming that your existing survey plan is valid. If the property still looks the exact same as it did when the existing plan was completed, an older survey plan would still be valid. However, if the property has been severed, or the old house was torn down and replaced with a new house, then that older survey may not be useful to you.

What Are the Benefits of Using an Existing Survey Plan?

If you need a Survey Plan of your property, purchasing an existing plan can be a superior choice to commissioning a new one for two reasons:

1. The cost of purchasing an existing survey plan ranges from $300 -$700, while hiring a Land Surveyor to complete a new survey runs in the thousands of dollars, and the cost will increase the larger your property is.
2. The turn around time on an existing survey plan is far less than having a new survey completed. At Protect Your Boundaries, our existing Land Surveys are available for download immediately after you make your purchase. The wait time to have a new survey completed is weeks or months depending on the availability of the OLS you hire.

In many cases, the benefits of using an existing Land Survey Plan outweigh the option of having a new survey completed, however, there are some circumstances where a new survey of the property must be completed.

You should always check with your local municipality what kind of survey plan you need before making any survey purchases or completing a permit application.

To find out more about our products and services visit our website at www.ProtectYourBoundaries.ca