Looking for property markers.....

[Auba14]

Let me start out by saying if this post is in the wrong place I apologize. Wasn't sure where this should go but figured I would start here.
The Daughter and Son in Law want to put up a fence around their backyard so they can let their dogs get out and run instead of being on a leash. I went over last weekend to see if we could find the markers. We have a rough idea where these things should be at so away I went. Hit a strong iron signal and figured that was most likely it. Dug down about 8 inches or so, darned if it wasn't a just a big old nail. Kept trying but had no luck.
So their neighbor sees us out there and comes over. Said the markers are 1/2" rebar and are usually less than a foot down. Ends up he works for the city and was more than happy to run to the shop and get the detector they use for finding the markers, water pipes, etc.........
Sorry to say but after about 15 minutes or so he came up empty as well. Cool unit they use but it seemed to do no better than my detector.
Does anybody have any tips for finding these things? Seems to me it should be fairly straight forward but I'll be darned if I have had any luck. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.........

 

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[RobRieman]

Go slow in all metal if they are deep. Don't just dig the iron grunts either, rebar on end sounds pretty darn good sometimes.

 

[Simon1]

Might check with the City Assessor's office, or go on-line if available. Naturally, you should have 4 markers. Could be some kids pulled one up at one time and just tossed it. If you can find one on the opposite side of the yard, then measure over how ever many feet your property deed says and that should give you the general area. I could not find one of mine so I found the neighbors and measured over and sure enough, mine was down there.

 

[donald pare]

check town hall , locate nearest stone bound , you should be able to pace off to the nearest corner , I did property marking for a surveyor for years , you should have rebar at each corner marking , and they shouldnt be under ground , most of the time get yanked out . ( usually the surveyor has them tied into setlocations like your shed or house corner etc , 100 ft tape will make it real easy if you can get one . Happy boundary hunting !

 

[PA Sleuth]

I have had success if I can find one, see how it rings up, discriminating nearly everything else and then hunting the other corners. See if one of your neighbors knows the location of one of theirs

 

[releventchair]

A previous survey will indicate markers placed. Iron stakes are not always a given.
Sometimes nearest iron markers,or wood if used alone or with iron will be on a neighboring property .
The survey crew can use a section marker and go from there if no other documented markers exist.
There was no iron placed at the site I'm on now ,so a survey crew was employed.
Another place had one stake I located that allowed pacing the others off from by the lot's dimensions given.
A metal detector then allowed fairly easy locating, though with repeated attempts on one corner..
Most iron stakes have a plastic cap on them and start out flush with the ground or just below.
Depending on how long it has been...trimmed trees, even single branches or brush can indicate a line cleared for surveying..

 

[Skippy SH13]

I moved into a new home 13 years ago (have since switched)... the backyard was all dirt. I went through and was picking up all kinds of garbage the crew had left, before we laid sod down. In the far corner of the yard, I saw this chunk of rebar sticking out of the ground and so I pulled it out. Thought it was odd that it would be there. A few weeks later, we had the fence erected, and the fencing guy came and told us he manually measured the yard, and had to give 1 foot away to the neighbors because he absolutely could not find the property marker. I asked him what a property marker was, and he told me "a piece of rebar hammered into the ground." I just said, "OH."

Never did fess up, but was happy to lose the 1' of land so i didn't have to mow it. LOL Moved 2 years later, so now not my problem.

My point here is... It may not be there.

Sorry on behalf of every 20-something who wasn't informed there's a piece of rebar in the ground marking the property line...

 

[stefen]

The corner markers vary by city, county and state, none being consistant.

Have seen markers being nothing more than a 2X2 redwood stake with a nail and tin set in the top.

Also have seen broken axles, galvanized iron pipe, and the like.

I agree with Simon-1...find a neighbors and measure over and reset the corner.

 

[jeff of pa]

I've only failed once at Property Markers.
And still think I may have found that one also.
the Property owner refused to let me dig the Spot I felt it was .
he said it couldn't be there.
so All I can figure it didn't fit his hopes, or he wanted to find out if his stash was safe from detectors
he did throw me $40.00 though

found at least a dozen for people over the years,, never took me more then 5 minutes each, never asked for a cent.


I've found them in Nickle Range & all Metal range.

I never had one more then 3 inches deep,
but of course Fill can change things.

in most cases property owners are close.

the last one I found I had to get down with my Garrett pinpointer to detect it, as it was
very close to a big old Iron Pot, and My coil couldn't separate

 

[Auba14]

Thanks to all. The info given should be really helpful. The "kids" do have an overhead photo that shows the the outline of their property. The Gentleman that ran and got the detector is fairly certain of the lot line on his side and is not to concerned about it. They have worked something out that they both can agree on. The neighbor on the other side of them.........that's a whole different story. Took the Delta with me last time, might try the Compadre this time. You know usually when I am not looking for an Iron object I find them in abundance, now that I want to find one..............

 

[stefen]

Aint life wunnerful...

 

[Auba14]

Why yes Stefen, yes it is.....................We should be able to find something that tells where the property lines are. I even took my "witching sticks" with me. They hit on that darn nail like it was gold. Oh well, another day, maybe the detecting gods will smile down upon me and let me find what I seek. Until then........................

 

[Meucci]

I was a land surveyor for 12 years. The rebar should not be very deep at all. If it marked within the past 20 years or so ago they should even have a plastic cap with the Surveyor's identification number. I have many right up again an iron pole marking the position, sometimes they even remove the markers and place the fence post where the markers were, which is a big no no. We used an Schonstedt metal detector. They will cut out almost anything except the markers surveyors use. They are very expensive though. I would just try to dig around the post and maybe you will get lucky and find the iron rebar we used to mark them with.

 

[mehreenzafar]

I got success, well i wonder what's next

 

[Simon1]

When the "neighbor" frowns on you trying to locate your maker it is usually because he has tried to increase his lot size by "absorbing" an extra foot or two off a neighbor or two, or he has erected something on the lot line which he knows is questionable.