Building, permits and setbacks0 answersAI answer
Our builder has the site plan. Why would we pay a surveyor to stake the building?
Asked October 25, 2026
AI answer · not yet verified by a surveyor
The plans show where the building should go. Staking puts that location on the ground accurately before work begins [1].
What a surveyor stakes:
- building corners or offset lines,
- foundation elevations and finished floor height,
- driveways, utilities and grading points on larger projects.
Why it matters:
- Setbacks: a building a few feet too close to a line can fail inspection or need a variance.
- Elevations: floor and drainage heights affect flooding and permits.
- Fewer mistakes: contractors work from marked points instead of measuring from fences or curbs [2].
For a home addition, staking is often a short visit that saves far more than it costs. Ask your builder to schedule it before excavation.
General information only. Answers here are not a survey or legal advice, and no one here can tell you where your boundary is. For your property, hire a licensed land surveyor in your state; for legal questions, a real-estate attorney.