Why you should ALWAYS check your property boundary

Have you bought, or are considering buying, a new home and want to build a fence, shed or deck or otherwise spruce up your residence? Here's why you might want to check your property boundary first.

A recent analysis conducted by Krcmar Surveyors Ltd. showed that about 49 per cent of residential properties in the Greater Toronto Area have boundary discrepancies with significant potential to cause disputes between neighbours.

Horror stories of feuding neighbours, litigation nightmares and tens of thousands of dollars in legal costs are not just the stuff of movies – it really does happen.

And yes, even with new homes.

Sometimes, it’s just difficult to tell where one property ends and another begins. “It’s not as easy as one would think, in a muddy construction zone with no fences and rudimentary driveways, curbs and roads to delineate land parcels,” says Sasa Krcmar, executive director of Krcmar Surveyors Ltd., whose company has helped launch ProtectYourBoundaries.ca, a site designed to help homeowners prevent and resolve property boundary issues.

Although legal iron bars are set to mark out each lot prior to construction, they often get knocked out, moved or buried during the building phase.

“Many homeowners naturally, and incorrectly, assume that the wooden stakes that dot the perimeter of their property represent the boundary and use them as a guide to start planting a hedge or put up a fence,” Krcmar told New Home & Condo Guide. “However, these wooden stakes are generally used for site grading. And while they are likely located near the property line, they can’t be relied upon to determine the legal boundary.”

Here are some tips for new-home owners to avoid property boundary issues

Get the Surveyors Real Property Report: Your property boundary will be recorded in the Surveyors Real Property Report (SRPR) that is performed after the foundation walls are poured (approximately a foot above grade) and the soil is backfilled around the home. The SRPR is your official documentation of your building location and the property boundary lines. Builders typically provide this plan when you close the deal. Be sure you receive a copy and keep it in a safe place for future reference.

Mark the four boundary corners of your property: Ask the builder to have the surveyor mark the four boundary corners of your property with iron survey bars as a condition of closing. Even if the builder charges a nominal fee for this service, it is a cost-effective practice that will allow you to add structures and landscaping with confidence and peace of mind in years to come.

Protect the iron survey bars that define your property: Protect the iron survey bars that define the corners of the property. They are legal monuments that provide the most important evidence of your property boundaries. Don’t remove or move them, or allow others to.

Be a good neighbour: Be a good neighbour, while at the same time ensuring that your neighbours don’t establish a pattern of using part of your property for their routine activities.

And, if all else fails: Visit ProtectYourBoundaries.ca, where, for a cost that varies depending on the surveyor (usually $200 to $300), homeowners can find their exact property boundaries.