Located in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, at the juncture of Lehigh, Bucks, Montgomery and Berks Counties.
Berks County, Pennsylvania
Land Surveying in Reading, PA
Certified boundary, ALTA, topographic, and construction surveying for Reading and Greater Berks County projects, from a firm serving southeastern Pennsylvania since 2001.
Serving Reading & Greater Berks County
Land Surveying Services for Reading Projects
Reading is the county seat and largest city in Berks County, with a 2020 census population of 94,983, making it the fourth most populous city in Pennsylvania. That scale brings a land development environment unlike anything in the surrounding townships. Projects in the city involve the City of Reading's Community Planning and Development Division, the City Planning Commission, and in many cases the Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) for work in or adjacent to Reading's historic districts. Land development plans are also referred to the Berks County Planning Commission under Act 247 before the City acts, and are recorded with the Berks County Recorder of Deeds at closing.
Horizon Engineering has served Berks County clients since 2001 from our Pennsburg office, situated at the junction of Montgomery, Bucks, Berks, and Lehigh Counties. That location gives us genuine familiarity with the Berks County regulatory landscape, including the Berks County Conservation District requirements that apply to any project involving land disturbance.
Our survey staff works alongside our civil engineers and land development planners in-house. For Reading projects that involve both site design and survey work, that integration matters. You get one point of contact, one timeline, and one firm responsible for coordinating through City and County review without the communication gaps that slow projects down.
We are a DBE/WBE certified federally self-certified Woman-Owned Small Business, with government clearances for airports, schools, railroads, and high-security facilities. Those credentials are relevant to institutional and public-sector work throughout Berks County.
What We Offer
Surveying Services for Reading and Berks County
We provide a full range of land surveying services to property owners, developers, contractors, lenders, and municipalities in Reading and throughout Berks County. Below is a sample of what our survey staff handles.
Boundary & Topographic
Required before subdivision approval, financing, and land development submissions reviewed by Reading's Planning Commission and the Berks County Planning Commission. We handle deed research, field work, and certified plat preparation.
- Boundary retracement surveys
- Subdivision surveys
- Topographic surveys
- Flood plain certifications
- Utility route surveys
- PA One Call coordination
- Environmental data collection
- Right-of-way acquisition services
ALTA/NSPS Title Surveys
Required by commercial lenders and title companies before closing on properties in Reading and Berks County. Goes beyond a standard boundary survey to identify encroachments, easements, and anything that could affect the title or trigger underwriter concerns.
- ALTA/NSPS surveys to current minimum standards
- Encroachment identification
- Easement and ROW mapping
- Title report review
Construction Survey & Stakeout
Field layout for residential, commercial, and infrastructure construction in Reading and the surrounding Berks County municipalities. Our crews coordinate directly with contractors and engineers to keep active job sites moving.
- Building and utility stakeout
- Highway and roadway layout
- As-built surveys
- As-built plan preparation
- Anchor bolt surveys
- Auxiliary contractor support
- Permit plan preparation
Transportation & Infrastructure
We have completed over 150 PennDOT projects statewide, including 30 bridge construction surveys and 50 bridge as-builts. Our crews hold government clearances for airports, railroads, and high-security sites, and we have experience working within PennDOT District 5-0, which covers Berks County.
- PennDOT District 5-0 projects
- PA Turnpike Commission surveys
- Bridge construction and as-built surveys
- Airport AGES and aerial easement surveys
- Airport facility construction support
- Railroad facility surveys
- Rails-to-Trails ROW acquisition
- Riparian surveys
General & Forensic Support
Boundary disputes, expert testimony, GIS facility mapping. Useful for property litigation, title complications, and municipal planning work throughout Reading and Berks County.
- Boundary dispute resolution
- Expert testimony
- Title report review
- GIS facility mapping
- Forensic surveys
Municipal & Institutional
DBE/WBE certification and government security clearances make Horizon Engineering a qualified option for public-sector and institutional projects in Reading and throughout Berks County.
- DBE/WBE certified for federal and state projects
- Permit plan preparation
- School and secure-site surveys
- Airport facility surveys
- Railroad facility construction support
Have a project in Reading or Berks County? Call us. We can tell you exactly what survey you need and what it will cost.
(267) 923-8673Quick Reference
Which Survey Does Your Project Need?
This covers the situations we see most frequently in Reading and Berks County. Call us if your project does not fit neatly into one of these categories.
| Survey type | When you typically need it | Residential | Commercial | Municipal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boundary survey | Property dispute, lot sale, fence install, subdivision application | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| ALTA/NSPS survey | Commercial mortgage closing, title insurance, acquisition due diligence | - | ✔ | ✔ |
| Topographic survey | Site design, grading plan, stormwater management, ADA compliance work | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Subdivision survey | Splitting a parcel, City of Reading land development submission | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| Construction stakeout | New building, addition, road work, utility installation | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| As-built survey | Certificate of occupancy, post-construction documentation, lender requirement | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Flood plain certification | FEMA flood zone mortgage, elevation certificate for insurance | ✔ | ✔ | - |
| Right-of-way survey | PennDOT highway project, City roadway improvement, utility corridor | - | ✔ | ✔ |
About Horizon Engineering
Why Reading and Berks County Clients Work with Us
Horizon Engineering was founded in 2001 with the goal of providing quality land development and site services in a timely and professional manner. That has not changed. What has grown is the depth of regional experience our team brings to every project in Berks County and the surrounding four-county area.
Reading's development environment has layers that smaller municipalities do not. The City's Community Planning and Development Division administers both the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and the Zoning Ordinance. The City Planning Commission reviews land development plans before the City acts. For projects in or near Reading's historic districts, the Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) adds a separate layer of review. And all of this runs in parallel with the Berks County Planning Commission's mandatory Act 247 referral process.
We know these processes. Our Pennsburg office has handled projects that touch Berks County review workflows for over two decades, and our civil engineering and surveying teams work together under one roof, so the handoff from survey to site design to permit submission is internal, not across firms.
Relevant Authorities for Reading Projects
City of Reading Community Planning and Development Division · City of Reading Planning Commission · Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) · Berks County Planning Commission · Berks County Conservation District · PA DEP · PennDOT District 5-0
Berks County Municipalities We Serve
Reading · Boyertown · Kutztown · Douglassville · Bally · Hereford Township · West Reading · Wyomissing
Professional Affiliations
ABC (Associated Builders and Contractors) · ASHE (American Society of Highway Engineers) · NSPS (National Society of Professional Surveyors) · PSLS (Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors) · APC (Associated Pennsylvania Constructors)
Our Office
428 Main Street, Pennsburg PA 18073
Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
(267) 923-8673
Certifications
Federally self-certified Woman-Owned Small Business · DBE/WBE certified in Pennsylvania · SEPTA Approved Vendor · Government clearances for airports, schools, railroads, and high-security facilities
Common Questions
Reading Land Surveying: FAQ
A land development plan in Reading goes through several review bodies. The City's Community Planning and Development Division administers the process. The City Planning Commission reviews the plan and makes a recommendation before the City Council acts. Under Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247), the plan is also referred to the Berks County Planning Commission for a mandatory county review before the City acts. If the project is in or near a historic district, the Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) may also be involved. Projects with land disturbance require an erosion and sedimentation plan reviewed by the Berks County Conservation District. Depending on scope, PA DEP and PennDOT District 5-0 may have roles as well.
Most commercial lenders and title companies require an ALTA/NSPS Land Title Survey before closing on commercial property in Reading. A standard boundary survey does not satisfy that requirement. The ALTA survey maps the property lines but also identifies encroachments, easements, and access conditions that could affect the title — all documented to a nationally standardized format that lenders and underwriters accept. If your lender has not specified yet, ask before ordering a standard boundary survey.
Residential boundary surveys in Reading typically take 2-4 weeks from engagement to certified plat, depending on deed research complexity and current project volume. ALTA and commercial surveys generally run 4-6 weeks. Urban properties with irregular deed histories or shared infrastructure can add time. We give you a specific estimate when you request a quote.
Yes. PennDOT Engineering District 5-0 covers Berks County, and we have experience working within District 5-0 on right-of-way surveys, construction stakeout, and as-built documentation. Statewide we have completed over 150 PennDOT projects including 30 bridge construction surveys and 50 bridge as-builts.
We serve Reading and the surrounding Berks County municipalities including West Reading, Wyomissing, Boyertown, Kutztown, and Douglassville. Beyond Berks County we also work throughout Montgomery, Bucks, and Lehigh Counties from our Pennsburg office, which sits at the junction of all four counties.
Service Area
Other Communities We Serve
We provide land surveying throughout Berks County and southeastern Pennsylvania. Select a community to learn more.
Also in Reading
Other Services from Horizon Engineering
Land surveying is one part of what we do in Berks County. Our civil engineers, land development planners, and landscape architect work alongside our survey staff so your project can move from initial survey through design and permit approval without changing firms.
Horizon Engineering: What It Takes
Have a project in Reading or Berks County? Call us or submit a quote request online. We will follow up during business hours with a straight answer on what your project needs and what it will cost.
Request a Free Quote (267) 923-8673
