Buying in Central City comes with character and history you can’t find in typical suburbs. It also comes with unique questions about where property lines actually sit, how old mining-era plats affect today’s lots, and what your lender and title company will require. If you’re weighing an Improvement Location Certificate (ILC) versus a full boundary survey, you’re not alone. In this guide, you’ll learn what each option delivers, what fits common scenarios in Central City and Gilpin County, how much to budget, and how your choice can affect your offer and closing. Let’s dive in.

ILC vs full boundary survey basics

Improvement Location Certificate (ILC)

• What it is: A limited drawing prepared by or under the supervision of a licensed land surveyor that shows visible improvements (home, garage, decks), approximate property corners if readily found, and measured distances from improvements to record lines or setback lines. It can document visible encroachments relative to record lines.
• What it is not: An ILC is not a legal boundary determination. It usually does not include corner monumentation, a full boundary retracement, deep title research, or certification of boundary lines to remove survey exceptions for title insurance.
• Typical uses: Meeting certain lender requirements, quick due diligence for buyers not planning construction, or satisfying limited local permit needs when accepted by the jurisdiction.

Full boundary survey (including ALTA/NSPS)

• What it is: A comprehensive boundary retracement that establishes legal parcel lines, locates and sets monuments, resolves conflicting calls in the record, and produces a stamped plan certifying boundary locations. When completed to ALTA/NSPS standards, it also maps items often required by lenders and title companies like recorded easements, rights-of-way, and certain utilities.
• What it is not: A quick sketch. It is a legal instrument used to resolve ownership and boundary questions and is often accepted by title companies to clear survey-related exceptions.
• Typical uses: Purchasing vacant land, new construction, resolving encroachments or disputes, and any transaction where title or a lender requires an authoritative survey.

Central City specifics that matter

Older mining-era subdivisions, vacated streets or alleys, and irregular lots are common around Central City. That history can create unrecorded encroachments like sheds or retaining walls that don’t match today’s setbacks, and it can complicate how boundaries are retraced. Steep slopes, rock outcrops, and forested terrain add time to fieldwork, especially when snow limits access.

Local logistics also matter. Gilpin County Planning and Zoning and the Building Department can confirm which survey documents they accept for permits. The Clerk and Recorder (or Assessor) can help you research plats, easements, covenants, and mining claims that affect a parcel. Lenders and local title companies may require surveys that align with ALTA/NSPS standards to remove survey exceptions. Confirm acceptance criteria early.

Which do you need in Central City?

Historic homes and cabins

If you are buying a mining-era home on an irregular lot, an ILC can give you a quick picture of where visible improvements sit relative to record lines. If your lender accepts it, an ILC may be enough to close a standard resale. That said, it will not resolve long-term boundary uncertainty. If you plan renovations that touch setbacks, notice visible encroachments, or find ambiguous corners, a full boundary survey is recommended.

Vacant lots and building plans

For building placement, septic or well siting, driveway layout, and steep mountain slopes, you need precise boundaries and recorded easements mapped. A full boundary survey, often to ALTA/NSPS standards or a county-accepted retracement, is recommended before purchase or permitting. An ILC is typically insufficient if you plan construction.

Remote or steep parcels

Remote, mountainous parcels around Central City often require more field time due to terrain, vegetation, and seasonal access. Old mining easements and abandoned access rights are more common and may affect title and buildability. These are typically investigated in a full boundary survey alongside your title work.

Cost and timing in Gilpin County

Every parcel is unique, but here are typical ranges in mountain markets like Central City. Obtain local bids for accuracy.

• ILC: Usually in the low hundreds up to around $1,000+ depending on parcel complexity. Expect the upper end where access and terrain are difficult.
• Full boundary survey (residential retracement): Often from the low thousands upward. Simple suburban lots may run roughly $800 to $2,000, while mountain or complex title conditions commonly land in the $1,500 to $5,000+ range.
• ALTA/NSPS survey: Typically more than a standard boundary survey due to additional mapping and title research. Commonly $1,500 to $5,000+ depending on complexity.

Timeframes also vary by season and scope:

• ILC: Often within a few days to 2 weeks in straightforward conditions.
• Full boundary or ALTA: Commonly 2 to 6 weeks or longer. Winter conditions, deeper title research, or utility coordination can add weeks.

Key cost drivers:

• Acreage and lot shape, especially irregular boundaries.
• Terrain, vegetation, rock, and seasonal snow or access limitations.
• Monument recovery difficulty and how many corner monuments must be set.
• Title complexity: old mining plats, multiple deeds, or recorded easements.
• Extra deliverables such as topographic contours, stakeout for construction, or septic/well location mapping.

How survey choice affects your offer

Your survey decision shows up early in negotiations. Buyers typically address survey type, who pays, and timing in the contract’s due diligence and survey contingency language.

• Survey contingency language: Specify whether you will accept an ILC or require a full boundary or ALTA/NSPS survey. Clarify that it must be completed by a Colorado licensed land surveyor and be acceptable to your lender and title company.
• Who pays: You can propose the buyer pays, the seller provides a recent acceptable survey, or a cost split. Align this with the value of the information you need.
• Timing: Build enough time into the contingency to order and review results, then negotiate remedies if issues arise.

Sample elements to discuss with your agent or attorney:

• “Buyer’s due diligence includes a [ILC / full boundary / ALTA/NSPS] survey performed by a Colorado licensed land surveyor acceptable to Buyer’s lender and title company.”
• Specify which party pays and how much the buyer is willing to cover.
• Set a clear deadline for ordering and reviewing the survey.
• Predefine remedies if the survey reveals encroachment, lack of ingress/egress, or other title defects, including seller cure, price reduction, escrow for resolution, or the right to terminate.

During due diligence and closing

If an ILC shows an encroachment, it flags the issue but does not confirm legal boundary lines or resolve who has rights. If that finding is material, you may need a full boundary retracement to verify the line and support a solution.

When a full boundary survey reveals a problem, options can include a seller cure, obtaining an easement, a price reduction, escrow for post-closing resolution, or contract termination per your contingency. Title companies often include a survey exception unless an acceptable recent boundary survey exists. Lenders may require an ALTA/NSPS survey to remove survey exceptions. Known encroachments or unresolved title issues can delay closing until addressed through endorsements or agreed remedies.

Central City buyer checklist

Before you make an offer

• Ask the seller for any existing recorded survey or recent ILC and review it early.
• Check Gilpin County records for plats, recorded easements, covenants, and maps.
• Talk with your lender and title company about survey requirements and whether they will accept an ILC for your loan and title policy.

Questions to ask a surveyor

• Will this be an ILC or a full boundary retracement, and will you set monuments and provide a signed certification?
• What is the estimated cost and timeframe for this specific parcel given terrain, access, and record complexity?
• Will the deliverable include recorded easements, rights-of-way, and recommendations for construction stakeout?
• Do you have experience working with Gilpin County plats, mining claims, and historical records?

If the survey reveals a problem

• Consider a seller correction, an easement, a price adjustment, or escrow for resolution, or use termination rights if negotiated. Complex disputes may require a surveyor’s boundary opinion, title work, or legal action. Consult your professional team for next steps.

Pro tips for Central City properties

• Order early in winter: Snow and access can push timelines. Build schedule cushion into your contract.
• Flag mining-era quirks up front: Share any known vacated streets, alleys, or mining claims with your surveyor and title team.
• Confirm county acceptance: If you plan to renovate or build, verify whether Gilpin County requires a boundary survey for permits.
• Map access and easements: Many mountain homes rely on shared driveways or rights-of-way. A full boundary or ALTA survey helps identify recorded easements.
• Plan for construction: If you intend to build or add a structure, budget for construction stakeout and, if needed, topography.

Work with a field-savvy local guide

Central City’s historic lots and mountain terrain reward careful survey decisions. Choosing between an ILC and a full boundary survey affects your risk, timeline, and closing. If you want a practical plan tailored to your goals, Temaat Real Estate brings construction-aware, boots-on-the-ground guidance that helps you avoid surprises. Ready to talk through your property and next steps? Connect with Paul Temaat to set up a local consultation.

FAQs

What is the difference between an ILC and a boundary survey?

• An ILC is a limited drawing that shows visible improvements relative to record lines, while a boundary survey retraces and certifies legal property lines and is often used to clear survey exceptions with title companies.

When is an ILC enough for a Central City purchase?

• For a standard resale where no construction is planned and the lender accepts an ILC, it may be adequate for closing, but it will not resolve long-term boundary questions.

Do I need an ALTA/NSPS survey to build on a vacant lot?

• If you plan construction, a full boundary survey is recommended and an ALTA/NSPS standard may be required by your lender or title company to map recorded easements and remove survey exceptions.

How much do surveys cost in Gilpin County?

• ILCs commonly range from the low hundreds up to around $1,000+, while boundary and ALTA surveys often run from roughly $1,500 to $5,000+ in mountain conditions depending on complexity.

How long do surveys take around Central City?

• ILCs can take days to about 2 weeks; full boundary or ALTA surveys often take 2 to 6 weeks or more, with winter conditions and title research adding time.

How does a survey impact my contract and closing?

• Your contract can specify survey type, who pays, and remedies. Title companies may not remove survey exceptions without a full boundary or ALTA survey, which can affect closing timing.