Order a boundary and topographic survey

What gets shot

A standard residential boundary + topo 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.

Why an addition makes the survey more important

For an interior-only remodel, the survey is mostly a sanity check — you're not building anything new on the lot. For an addition, the survey is what proves the new footprint respects every setback. SDCI will reject a submittal that doesn't tie the addition to a stamped survey.

How long it takes and who does it

Two to four weeks from order to stamped drawing, depending on surveyor backlog. Order this early — the designer can't start without it. Verify your surveyor via the DOL license lookup. For a standard Seattle lot expect $1,500–$3,500.