Modern survey equipment is highly accurate, but also costly. Because of the amount of labor required, both in the field as well as office calculations and public records research, a survey that seems expensive to the property owner may provide very little profit to the surveyor. The cost of surveying a piece of property is based on the difficulty and time required to complete the project. Though the exact cost of some routine survey projects (such as newer subdivision lots) can be provided, estimates are usually given because it is difficult for the land surveyor to predict the amount of work required to research city & county records, recover necessary monuments, collect field data, complete mathematical calculations, restore lost or obliterated corners, and prepare descriptions and survey drawings of the property.