New Haven inks deal for development of former Coliseum site
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Whose Tree is That? A Property Survey Can Help
Among the many reasons for obtaining a property survey, a reoccuring concern of homeowners is, “Who owns this tree?”
Often, homeowners share property lines that are buffered by woods, and the responsibilities of tree maintenance are not exactly clear. (See other reasons people have property surveys).
Though we have seen a wide variety of tree-related concerns, ranging from the neighbor’s leaves and branches falling into the pool to a suspiciously unhealthy tree leaning towards the garage, it often boils down to the same questions: Who pays? Who is responsible? Who owns this tree?
The best authority on this issue is the Connecticut Association of Land Surveyors (CALS). They make a number of key points and suggestions that every homeowner should consider.
5 Suggestions
1. When the tree falls, the first thing to do is file an insurance claim for repairs and cleanup.
Even if your house is undamaged, check to see if your plan covers chopping and hauling. Most plans cover any damage caused during winds and winter storms. However, only some will cover damage unassociated with house damage.
2. Your neighbor is responsible for a tree that falls over a shared property only if you can prove they were aware that their tree was a hazard and refused to remedy the problem.
Regardless of this, your insurance company will restore your property first, and then seek to pursue reimbursement from the neighbor or their insurer if the neighbor was clearly negligent in maintaining the tree.
3. Before the tree falls, write a letter to your neighbor including a description of the problem, photographs, a request for action, and if necessary, an attorney letterhead (to indicate you mean business).
Taking this initial step can prove negligence should your neighbor decide to not remedy the tree of concern.
4. Trim their trees.
If the limbs of their tree hang over your shared property line, you may trim the branches up to the property line, but not cut down the entire tree. Keep in mind that should this trimming kill the tree, your neighbor can pursue a claim against you in civil or small claims court. Before you cut, tell your neighbor what it is you intend to do.
5. Your tree falls; what do you do?
At first, do nothing until their insurance company contacts you. You may not be liable unless you knew or should have known the tree was in hazardous condition. To this extent, it is always a good idea to keep the receipts of any maintenance you have done on trees. These receipts can prove your awareness of an issue and preventative action.
Key Takeaway:
Before taking these steps, knowing where your shared property line is, is a must. In a perfect world, your neighbor will also want to know, and the cost of a survey can be shared. However, prior to taking any action, it is always a good idea to make your intentions known to your neighbors and keep them in the loop.
If you have further questions, concerns, or interests in having your property surveyed, please consider requesting a free quote here.
Reference: "Tree Falls Over Property Line: Who Pays? Who Picks up the Pieces?" By: Ann Cochran, Houselogic, March 23, 2011
The Role of a Civil Engineer in a Commercial Project
A civil engineer is responsible for many facets of a project, such as designing, planning, managing, and creating reports on construction jobs. These responsibilities are even more important when it comes to commercial projects.
The responsibilities of a civil engineer increase extensively when working on a commercial project. They take on a more hands-on role in developing and making sure that the job is done safely and accurately. Commercial construction projects are more complicated and require a more planned and detailed approach.
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What You Should Know About Perimeter Surveying
Land is considered to be one of the best long-term assets that anyone can have. It is of high value, is always in demand, and is easy to liquidate.
On the other hand, owning a piece of land is not that easy. It includes certain duties and responsibilities that the landowner is required to perform in order to maintain its market value.
Perhaps one of the most important duties is performing an updated Perimeter Survey to determine the land’s boundaries and size.
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What is an Improvement Location Survey?
Most of the time, making improvements to your property is a wise decision. Developing it is not only profitable, but it also maximizes land usage and can enhance the surroundings. Upgrading structures within your property can increase the value of the land which, in turn, can help you sell it easier.
On the other hand, improving or planning to improve your property requires certain regulations to be followed. As a result, one of the items needed for this task is an improvement location survey.
The Importance of Staking Property Lines
Real estate properties are considered one of the most valuable assets that a person can possess. Moreover, with the continuous increase in property value, it is important that we make sure that the land we own is protected and accounted for.
With this information at hand, it is often recommended that our property lines are marked. In this way, we can install fences or any other improvements as close as your town regulations will allow to your property lines to maximize the use of our land. The process of marking your property limits is commonly referred to as “staking property lines.”
Staking Property Lines
Staking property lines can be described as a service provided by a professional land surveyor that involves the placement of survey markers at property corners with additional markers along the property lines (set at predefined intervals). This process creates a visible line that defines the limits of your property. Typically, a surveyor will utilize concrete monuments or iron pins/rebar to mark the property lines.
Why Should I Hire a Surveyor for Construction Layout?
While working to complete a project in Connecticut, there are many tools available for a contractor to utilize. One of these “tools” that may often be overlooked is the hiring of a licensed land surveyor’s services. Perhaps one of the most important services that a surveyor provides is construction layout. Proper construction layout is vital to a project’s success.
A surveyor uses their skills and knowledge to interpret the plans provided by the engineer or architect. By doing so, the contractor can rely on the accuracy and reliability of the layout provided. This relationship acts as a crucial step in construction that influences whether a project finishes on time, within the budget, and error-free.
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Civil Engineering in Connecticut
Everywhere we look, we can see magnificent infrastructures like tall buildings, huge dams, and sturdy bridges. We rely on these structures to supply us with clean water, energy, shelter, and even ways to recycle our waste and lessen pollution. All of these benefits that we receive everyday are created through the expertise of Civil Engineering.
Civil Engineering firms in Connecticut, such as Godfrey-Hoffman & Hodge, devote their time and energy to create these wonderful structures to help us live life as comfortably and conveniently as we can.
What Does an A-2 Survey in Connecticut Really Mean?
Many Connecticut residents become confused when someone tells them that they need an A-2 survey done on their Connecticut property. The vast majority of homeowners do not realize that this type of survey is required when they want to expand their existing structures or do any developmental work on the land that they own.
The confusion begins upon this request of the A-2 survey.The term “A-2” is not a survey type, nor a survey category, but it is actually an accuracy class. There are several classes of accuracy in regards to surveys: Classes AA, A-1, A-2, B, C, and D.
When talking about survey types or categories, Class A-2 is the industry standard for accuracy. If someone is requesting that you need an A-2 survey for your property, what they are actually intending is for you to obtain a “Property Survey,” or an “Improvement Location Survey.”
Having these types of surveys done on your property is important. It will provide you with the necessary information required for protecting your land assets and could save you from expensive lawsuits that may occur from insufficient knowledge of your land boundaries.
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How can we stop our land from being degraded in Connecticut?
It is estimated that 25% of the world’s land area has been affected by land degradation. It has accelerated enormously during the past decade, causing loss of biodiversity, poverty, and hunger. The impact on the global economy is huge, and it is taking away precious resources that are vital to us. The need to minimize land degradation has never been this critical, and solutions must be made to conserve and restore our land.
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