Plenty of Paddington homeowners could not point to their exact boundary if asked, and that is a fair position to be in. Fences get replaced every few decades and rarely go back in precisely the same spot. Titles can be old, and the plan on paper does not always match what is on the ground. A boundary survey settles the question. A registered cadastral surveyor re-establishes the corners of your lot from the original survey records and marks them on site, so you know exactly where your land starts and stops.
Paddington raises the odds of a mismatch more than most suburbs. Many of the lots were cut up in the late 1800s and early 1900s, frontages are narrow, and the steep ground means retaining walls, stairs, carports and sheds were often built hard against the line or over it. Layer a century of fence replacements on top and the boundary on the ground can sit well away from the boundary on the title.
Buying is the point where an assumption costs the most, because after settlement the problem is yours. A boundary survey before you sign, or during your due diligence period, confirms the true size and shape of the block and shows whether the fences reflect it. It will also pick up encroachments and easements that are far harder to deal with once the contract is unconditional. On a tight Paddington block, a metre in the wrong place can be the difference between the extension you planned and one that no longer fits.
Disagreements over a fence are draining, and they usually run on opinion rather than fact. A boundary survey replaces the guesswork with a marked line that both parties can see. Because the survey is independent and carried out by a registered surveyor, it is not your version or your neighbour’s version, which tends to take the heat out of the conversation. It also gives you something concrete to work from if the matter goes further, whether that is a fencing notice or QCAT. Most disputes we attend are resolved once the pegs are in the ground.
An encroachment is any structure sitting over a boundary, whether that is your neighbour’s shed and retaining wall crossing onto your land or something of yours crossing onto theirs. It matters most when you go to sell or build, since it can hold up a contract or force a redesign. A boundary survey shows precisely where structures sit in relation to the line, which is the first step toward sorting it out through an agreement, an easement or a relocation. Encroachments turn up regularly on older Paddington blocks where sheds and walls were built long before anyone had accurate records to work from.
Setbacks, siting and pool fencing are all measured from the boundary, so if the boundary is wrong the design is wrong with it. Getting a survey done early means your building designer or architect is working from the real block rather than the title dimensions and a tape measure off the fence. It is far cheaper to shift a line on a drawing than to move a footing, and it avoids the situation where a neighbour queries the work halfway through.
Survey My Block is a Registered Consulting Cadastral Surveyor Organisation with the Surveyors Board of Queensland. A boundary survey with us includes a search of the title and survey records, field work to re-establish and mark your corners, and a plan showing the boundary against the existing fences and structures on site. If you would like to know where you stand before your next decision on the property, get in touch and we will let you know what is involved for your block.
In Queensland, a survey of existing property boundaries is commonly called an identification survey. A registered cadastral surveyor examines survey records and physical evidence to identify, re-establish and, where appropriate, mark your property boundaries. An identification survey confirms existing boundaries, it does not create or alter property interests.
We recommend a boundary survey before installing or replacing a fence, constructing a retaining wall, building an extension, or carrying out other work close to a property boundary. It is also useful when purchasing or developing property, investigating a possible encroachment, or resolving uncertainty between neighbours.
Not necessarily. Fences, retaining walls and other improvements are sometimes built away from the true boundary, and the boundary cannot be reliably located by measuring from the kerb. GPS apps, Queensland Globe and online property maps are also not authoritative sources for locating boundaries on the ground. A cadastral survey is required to establish the boundary accurately
The surveyor will review the relevant title and survey information, undertake field measurements and reinstate the surveyed boundaries. Depending on the scope and site conditions, boundary corners may be marked or re-marked, and the survey plan may show relevant fences, retaining walls, buildings and encroachments in relation to the boundary.
A boundary survey provides independent professional evidence showing where the boundary is located and how nearby fences, walls or structures relate to it. However, the survey itself does not determine who is responsible for an encroachment or compel someone to relocate a structure. Where an affected improvement or encroachment is identified, the surveyor may be required to notify the affected landholder, and unresolved disputes may require negotiation, mediation or legal advice.
