Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Images by Ryan McGill
For Drew Long, the path to launching his own land surveying company started with a simple question: Where is there opportunity?
“I was looking for a career path that would let me run my own business, and surveying stood out because not a lot of people were doing it, and it looked like there was going to be a demand,” he says.
With a total of 12 years of surveying experience, he officially opened Long Land Surveying in 2022. He started small, just himself and one other crew member, but momentum picked up quickly.
Today, Long Land Surveying runs multiple active crews handling property line, topographical, subdivision, and construction layout work across northwest and central Alabama, with projects taking them even farther when needed.
The company is based in Jasper and operates out of the former office of longtime surveyor Joseph Hunt. After Mr. Hunt passed away in 2024, Drew connected with Hunt’s wife, Faye, to acquire Hunt’s business and continue serving the area’s surveying needs. Ms. Faye continues to be part of the business, overseeing day-to-day operations at Long Land Surveying.
That local continuity complements Drew’s professional background. After graduating from Mississippi State University in 2013, Drew spent nearly a decade in Tuscaloosa, completing the state of Alabama’s required apprenticeship under a licensed surveyor.
During this time, he worked on large-scale projects to include the multi-million-dollar expansion of the University of Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium, an experience that taught him the value of precision.
That attention to detail continues today, as he uses technologies like GPS, AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and Carlson software to precisely map and mark properties.
Still, for all the tech involved, Drew sees surveying as a mix of science and detective work. “I love finding old corners, concrete markers, axles, bumper jacks. It’s like solving a puzzle,” he says.
Most of Long Land Surveying’s work involves boundary surveys, a service in high demand with few local competitors. Realtors, attorneys, banks, and individual landowners rely on the firm for accurate legal descriptions, encroachment checks, and precise plats. “It’s kind of a niche that not many others are filling around here,” Drew says.
As demand grows, so do Drew’s goals. He hopes to expand the business and open a second location to help reduce wait times for surveying services and reach more clients. “There’s a real need for good surveyors, and there are not that many people coming into the profession,” he says. “I want us to grow without sacrificing quality or service.”
Outside the office, life is full. Drew is married to Mallory, who is an elementary school principal and a lieutenant colonel in the Army. The couple cherishes time with their two young sons, John Ellis and Lane, enjoying time outdoors, and training for half marathons together.
Through it all, Drew says the biggest key to success is balance. “If I need to work extra hours, I either get up early or stay late,” he says. “I won’t sacrifice time with my family. That’s most important to me.”
As Long Land Surveying continues to grow, Drew stays focused on what the work has come to mean to him: precision, reliability, and a commitment to doing right by his clients. It’s a business built on accuracy, but also on trust. And that, he says, makes the work all the more rewarding. WL
