If you have just completed the necessary schooling, exams and licensing procedures to become a land surveyor, you might be excited about buying the right equipment so that you can get to work right away. Even if you have been running your own land surveying business for years now, you might be excited about the prospect of buying new land surveying equipment so that you can make use of new and improved equipment and can potentially provide better services for customers while making things easier for yourself. There might actually be a few types of equipment that you still need to purchase, but if you are currently shopping for a locator, this advice can help.

Understand Why You Need a Locator

You will probably find that you will use your locator all the time when you are working as a land surveyor. Locators are commonly used when you're performing boundary surveys, and there is a good chance that boundary surveys are one of the most common types of land surveys that your customers will be calling you about. With the help of locators, you can quickly and easily find property corners and lines. You can also use your locator to look for utility lines, which is a good thing since your customers will probably want — and need — to know where the underground utility lines are on their property.

Look for a Waterproof Model

Ideally, you shouldn't have to worry about working outdoors on too many rainy days. However, as a land surveyor, there is a good chance that you will have to work in less-than-ideal weather if you want to keep up with deadlines and appointments. Buying a locator that is waterproof will give you one less thing to worry about if you do find yourself working in the rain since you won't have to worry about the locator being damaged or destroyed by the rain.

Consider a One-Handed Model

When you're out in the field doing a land survey, you might sometimes have to use both of your hands. You may need to have paperwork in one hand and your locator in another, for example. Because of this, if you can find a locator that fits comfortably in one hand and that you can actually operate with just one hand, you'll probably find that it will save you a lot of trouble and will make things much easier for you in the future. Some models are designed specifically for one-handed use, although the size of your hands and fingers can have an impact on which model might truly be best for you in regards to one-handed operation.