An ALTA survey should be ordered as soon as you enter due diligence on a commercial deal. Wait too long, and it becomes the thing holding up your closing date.
This guide walks through the right timing for an ALTA survey, from due diligence through construction planning, and what makes projects a little different. No filler. Just what a developer needs to know before picking up the phone.
Start the ALTA Survey During the Commercial Property Due Diligence Phase
Due diligence is the best window to order your ALTA survey. Here’s why.
Fieldwork takes time. So does record research. The surveyor has to pull recorded easements, review the title commitment, and check county records before they can finalize a drawing. None of that happens overnight.
If you wait until close to the closing date, you leave no room for problems. And problems do show up. Maybe there is an old easement nobody disclosed. Maybe a fence or a parking lot sits over the boundary line. Maybe a utility line crosses the parcel in a spot the seller never mentioned.
Ordering early gives you time to deal with these issues before they become deal-breakers. It also gives your attorney and lender time to review the findings instead of rushing through them at the last minute.
A good rule of thumb: order the survey the same week you order title work. They depend on each other anyway.
Order an ALTA Survey Before Finalizing Development or Redevelopment Plans
If you are buying land to build or redevelop, do not finalize your site plan before the survey is done.
The survey shows you exactly what is on the ground. Existing structures. Pavement. Drainage paths. Utility locations. Tree lines. All of it gets mapped to scale.
Design teams need this information early. An architect drawing a building footprint without confirmed boundary lines and easement locations is just guessing. That guess can cost real money once construction starts and something does not match the plan.
Practical tip: share the survey with your civil engineer and architect as soon as it is finished, not after the design is already locked in. Catching a conflict on paper costs nothing. Catching it in the field costs a change order.
Know When an Existing ALTA Survey Should Be Updated or Replaced
Sometimes a buyer already has an old ALTA survey on file. That does not always mean it is still good.
A survey is a snapshot of the property at the time it was done. If anything has changed since then, the old survey may no longer match reality. Watch for these signs that an update is needed:
- New buildings, additions, or paving added since the last survey date.
- A parcel split, combination, or boundary line adjustment recorded after the survey.
- New easements or utility lines recorded with the county since then.
- Any visible site changes, like a new fence, retaining wall, or drainage feature.
If any of these apply, treat the old survey as a starting point, not a final answer. A surveyor can often update an existing survey faster than starting from scratch, but only if the prior survey is recent and reliable.
Coordinate the ALTA Survey with Your Title Company and Project Team
An ALTA survey does not work in isolation. It is built around the title commitment.
The surveyor needs the title company’s Schedule B exceptions to know which recorded easements and rights to plot on the drawing. If the title commitment is incomplete or outdated, the survey will be too.
This is why timing matters so much. Loop in your title company early, and make sure your surveyor gets an updated title commitment before they finalize the drawing. Skipping this step is one of the most common reasons a survey needs revision later.
Beyond title, your project team matters too. Lenders often have specific requirements for what the survey must show. Attorneys may need the survey before drafting closing documents. Engineers need it before finalizing grading plans. A short call between these parties early in the process saves several rounds of email later.
Plan for Kansas-Specific Factors That May Affect Survey Timing
A few things about Kansas can shift your survey timeline.
County record access. Some Kansas counties have records that are easy to pull online. Others still require an in-person request or have slower turnaround on copies. Rural counties can take longer than metro areas like Johnson or Sedgwick.
Rural versus urban sites. Rural commercial parcels often involve more acreage and fewer existing reference points, which can add field time. Urban infill sites may be smaller but come with more existing utilities and structures to map.
Multi-parcel projects. If your project spans several adjoining parcels, expect more research time. Each parcel may have its own deed history and easements that need to be reconciled together.
Seasonal conditions. Kansas weather affects fieldwork. Heavy snow, flooding, or thick summer growth can all slow down a field crew, especially on larger or rural sites. Building in extra lead time during winter or after heavy rain is smart.
Build a buffer into your schedule for any of these factors. A survey ordered with realistic lead time rarely becomes the reason a closing slips.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should I schedule an ALTA survey for a commercial property?
Aim for at least 30 to 45 days before your target closing date, longer for rural or multi-parcel sites. This gives time for fieldwork, title coordination, and any follow-up research.
Can I order an ALTA survey before my title commitment is complete?
You can start the process, but the final survey depends on the title commitment’s Schedule B exceptions. Expect the surveyor to need an updated commitment before they can finalize the drawing.
Is a new ALTA survey needed if the property has been recently developed?
Likely yes. New construction, paving, or site changes since the last survey date mean the old drawing no longer reflects current conditions. An update or new survey is the safer choice.
What factors can delay an ALTA survey?
Slow county record access, large or rural parcels, multiple adjoining parcels, and seasonal weather like snow or flooding are common causes of delay. Planning extra lead time helps absorb these risks.
Can multiple commercial parcels be included in one ALTA survey?
Yes, multiple adjoining parcels can often be combined into a single survey. This usually requires more research time since each parcel’s deed history and easements need to be reviewed together.
