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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Do I have to be at the property during the surveying work?
  2. Can we arrange the surveyor's visit around my schedule if I am required to be present during the surveying work?
  3. The surveyor or the surveying crew came to my house, but they didn't give me my Elevation Certificate. Why not?

1. Do I have to be at the property during the surveying work?

No, you do not have to be present. However, if special arrangements are required to allow the surveyor access to the property, crawl space, or basement, someone will need to be present to provide access.

If you have special requirements that may require an appointment, please be sure to include a contact name and phone number of a person who can provide access when entering the property information for your order.

2. Can we arrange the surveyor's visit around my schedule if I am required to be present during the surveying work?

Absolutely. Give us a call us at (800) 862-2070, and we'll promptly contact the surveyor to assist in coordinating a convenient time for his or her visit.

3. The surveyor or the surveying crew came to my house, but they didn't give me my Elevation Certificate. Why not?

The visit to your property is strictly to locate the elevation benchmark and take elevation readings on your property. Once the measurements are taken, they are electronically transmitted back to the surveyor's office, where they are double-checked for accuracy and used in various mathematical calculations to determine your property's elevation.

Once the surveyor is satisfied that the calculations are correct, he or she completes the Elevation Certificate using FEMA's approved Form 81-31, signs, and seals the form. Then he or she sends it electronically to First American, where it undergoes a final quality check to ensure compliance with FEMA's requirements. Once it meets First American's standards, we send it to you as an email attachment. (If your state doesn't accept electronic signatures, then the certificate is mailed to you.) You also have the option, when you place your order, to have a hard copy of the certificate sent to you or to someone else.