Know Exactly Where Your Property Ends
Old fences lie. Title diagrams are hard to read. Your neighbour's opinion isn't legally binding. The only way to know your exact property boundaries in Sydney is a professional survey using NSW Land Registry records and precision equipment.
We dig into NSW Land Registry records, find the original survey marks (some dating back to the 1800s in Sydney's older suburbs), and use GPS accurate to within a few millimetres to pinpoint exactly where your land starts and ends. Then we mark it with pegs you can actually see.
How a Boundary Survey Works in Sydney
It starts with research. Before we set foot on your property, we order your title from NSW Land Registry and study the original deposited plan. We identify which survey marks should exist nearby and calculate where your corners should be relative to those marks.
On site, we locate the reference marks – often old sandstone blocks, brass plaques, or iron spikes set by surveyors decades ago. Using robotic total stations and RTK GPS, we calculate your boundary positions and mark them clearly. You get:
- Physical marks at each corner (pegs, star pickets, or paint on hard surfaces)
- A survey plan showing all boundaries with dimensions
- Notation of any encroachments or discrepancies we find
- Photo documentation of survey marks for your records
Common Situations That Need a Boundary Survey
Most people call us about one of these scenarios:
New Fence Going Up
The Dividing Fences Act 1991 (NSW) says fences should go on the boundary line. But where exactly is that? A survey before you build avoids the nightmare scenario of having to move a brand new fence because it's 200mm on the wrong side.
Neighbour Disagreement
Maybe they've built a shed suspiciously close to your yard. Maybe that hedge has been creeping over for years. A boundary survey creates an independent legal record that settles the question permanently.
Development Application Requirements
Council needs to know you can meet setback requirements. A boundary survey (often combined with a detail survey) gives your architect and the council the information they need to assess your DA.
Before Buying Property
Especially for older Sydney properties, acreage, or irregular lots – verify you're getting what you're paying for. That shed the seller mentioned might actually be on the neighbour's land.
What Happens During Your Survey
We schedule a site visit (usually within a week of your booking). The surveyor arrives with equipment and spends 1-3 hours on site depending on complexity. You don't need to be home, but we do need access to all corners of the property.
Within 5-7 business days, you receive your survey plan by email in PDF format. CAD files available for architects on request. We're happy to walk you through the results over the phone if anything needs explanation.
How Much Does a Boundary Survey Cost?
Typical pricing for Sydney residential properties:
- Two corners identified and marked: $900 - $1,800 (most common for fence disputes)
- Full property – all corners: $1,800 - $3,500 (recommended for DAs and purchases)
- Acreage or complex titles: We'll quote after reviewing your property
The price depends on how many corners you need, your property's history (newer subdivisions are faster), and site access. We provide fixed quotes upfront – no hourly billing surprises.
Where We Work
We cover all of Greater Sydney and regularly travel to regional NSW. Some areas we're in every week:
- Inner Sydney: Surry Hills, Paddington, Newtown, Balmain, Glebe
- Eastern Suburbs: Bondi, Randwick, Maroubra, Coogee
- Lower North Shore: North Sydney, Mosman, Neutral Bay, Kirribilli
- Upper North Shore: Chatswood, Gordon, Pymble, Turramurra
- Northern Beaches: Manly, Dee Why, Mona Vale, Newport
- Inner West: Marrickville, Ashfield, Strathfield, Burwood
- South: Hurstville, Kogarah, Cronulla, Miranda, Sutherland
- West: Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown
- Hills: Castle Hill, Kellyville, Baulkham Hills, Rouse Hill
Legal Requirements in NSW
Under the Surveying and Spatial Information Act 2002, only BOSSI-registered surveyors can legally define boundaries in NSW. Professional boundary surveys are:
- Admissible in court and tribunal proceedings
- Accepted by NSW Land Registry Services for lodgement
- Valid for council DA submissions and building certifiers
- Recognised by conveyancers and solicitors for property transactions