Order a boundary and topographic survey

Survey costs catch most owners off guard — "couldn't we just use the assessor map?" No, and here's why. SDCI requires a stamped survey, fences in older Seattle neighborhoods are routinely a foot or two off the real line, and your designer needs the topography to draw real elevations. It's the foundation under every downstream drawing.

What gets shot

A standard residential boundary + topo (topography) survey gives you:

• Property corners physically located and pinned.
• Topography at 1-ft contours across the lot.
• Tree inventory with species, DBH (diameter at breast height), and drip lines for any tree above the SDCI threshold for protection.
• Existing improvements — house footprint, accessory structures, driveways, fences, retaining walls.
• Easements that show up in the title commitment, drawn on the survey.

Where to find a land surveyor

Three reliable channels, in order of how the founder would actually shop:

1. Your designer's referrals. Designers carry 2–3 surveyors they've worked with on similar projects. Ask first — the existing relationship makes scheduling smoother.
2. WA DOL professional license search. Verify a license lets you filter by Professional Land Surveyor (PLS) and search by city.
3. Recent permit history. The SDCI Permit and Site History Research Tool — the surveyor of record on recent residential addition permits in your neighborhood is a local specialist who already knows SDCI submittal expectations.

What to look for: active license; residential experience; written quote with deliverables clearly enumerated.

How long it takes

Two to four weeks from order to stamped drawing, depending on surveyor backlog. Order this early — the designer can't start without it.

Who does it

A surveyor licensed in Washington. Verify via the DOL license lookup. Surveyors set their own fees; for a standard Seattle lot expect $1,500–$3,500.

How this differs from a DADU survey

For a DADU you're locating a new structure on the lot. For a second-story addition you're not adding footprint, but you still need the survey so the designer can confirm the existing house is where the deeds say it is — title-vs-actual mismatches are common on older Seattle lots and can ripple into permit problems if not caught early.