Do I need a property survey before building a fence?

Start with what you already have

Most homeowners around Conroe already own a survey. It's usually in the closing packet from the title company, and it shows the lot lines, easements, the house footprint, and the iron rods or pipes set at each corner. Bring it to the estimate, or text us a photo of it ahead of time.

The drawing tells us where the corners should be. The pins tell us where they actually are. On wooded lots in places like Harper's Preserve or Graystone Hills, pins hide under pine straw, roots, or a few inches of soil, and a metal detector usually turns them up. When every corner is found and they agree with the drawing, a new survey rarely changes anything.

When we'd tell you to order one

• A neighbor questions the line. A stamped survey answers the question before posts go in, which beats paying to relocate one. For splitting the bill, read our cost-sharing answer.
• Acreage north and east of town. Around Huntsville, Willis, and Cleveland, old wire fences often follow the easiest ground instead of the deed. Our acreage fencing work starts from a line you're sure of.
• Pins are missing. If two or more corners can't be found, a surveyor can reset them.
• The city asks for it. Cleveland's fence permit application calls for a site plan with property lines and says the city may require a survey. Panorama Village's permit packet asks for a plot plan showing lot lines and setbacks.
• Easements cross the yard. Utility and drainage easements show on the survey and plat, and some cities limit fences inside them. See fencing in flood zones and easements.

Lake lots on Lake Conroe and Lake Livingston

Shoreline lots are where a survey matters most. Under SJRA's Lake Conroe rules, everything below the 201-foot contour counts as Authority land, and building an encroachment on it without an SJRA permit is a violation. Your deeded line may stop at that contour, which can sit well back from where the lawn meets the water. A survey showing the 201 line, or a surveyor who stakes it, keeps the posts on your side. SJRA posts its rules at sjra.net.

Lake Livingston runs on different numbers. The Trinity River Authority manages it, normal pool is 131 feet, and the flowage easement reaches 135 feet at the south end and 140 feet at the north. Shoreline permits go through TRA's Lake Livingston Project office, so for a waterfront fence at Cape Royale, Waterwood, or Westwood Shores, we check with that office before staking anything.

The cost of skipping it

A fence built a foot onto the neighbor's lot can turn into a removal demand, a sale that stalls at title review, or a long argument over the back fence. Survey fees vary with lot size and how much fieldwork the job takes, so get a quote from a local surveyor. On a small lot with known pins, you can usually skip it. On five wooded acres, it's money well spent.