Demarc Land Surveying & Engineering

Land surveying and civil engineering work together to move a project from concept to construction. Surveying establishes property lines, elevations, and site conditions used for design, permitting and construction. Civil engineering then builds on that information to support site design, grading, and stormwater management required for permitting and approvals.

Demarc provides boundary surveys, building permit surveys, house staking, construction staking, topographic surveys, and ALTA/NSPS surveys, along with civil engineering services for site design and permitting.

Most projects involve a combination of fieldwork, historical research, and coordination with local municipalities to ensure accuracy and compliance. For example, older properties in Minneapolis and St. Paul often require additional research when original monuments are missing or disturbed

Demarc is based in Minneapolis and serves clients throughout the Twin Cities, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding suburbs, as well as projects across Minnesota.

Surveying and engineering requirements can vary significantly by city or county. Experience working across multiple municipalities allows us to identify local requirements early, which reduces delays during permitting and approval.

Most residential land surveys in Minnesota are completed within 1 to 3 weeks, while commercial surveys typically take 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the scope of the project.

Projects can take longer when additional research is required, such as verifying older boundary records or coordinating with municipalities during permitting. Properties with clear, well-documented boundaries typically move much faster than those requiring historical research.

The most common delays come from older or unclear boundary records, properties near water, or additional coordination required for permitting.

Civil engineering work generally takes longer due to design, permitting, and review cycles. Timelines can range from several weeks to multiple months depending on project complexity and how quickly approvals are obtained.

Projects move fastest when information is clear, recent survey data is available, and coordination is handled early. Experience working across multiple municipalities helps identify requirements upfront and avoid unnecessary delays.

The type of land survey you need depends on your goal, whether you’re building, buying, or developing property.

For most residential projects, a boundary survey establishes property lines, while construction staking is used for building layout. Topographic surveys are used for design and grading, and ALTA/NSPS surveys are typically required for commercial real estate transactions.

Requirements are often driven by the city, county, or lender. In Minnesota, residential property purchases do not require a survey while commercial transactions are often tied to lender requirements and ALTA surveys.

Once the project scope is clear, the correct survey type is straightforward – it is dictated by the project, not preference.

We’ve completed over 90,000 projects across Minnesota, which allows us to work faster and catch issues early. Our experience across local municipalities allows us to anticipate requirements, avoid delays, and keep projects moving. In many cases, we’ve worked on the same property or nearby parcels before.

Most firms can complete a project. The difference is how efficiently it’s done and how many issues are caught early.

We’ve also been here for over 64 years, so when your survey needs to be updated or defended, we’re still here.