Wife took a call from an apparent survey broker.
She (the apparent broker) just wanted prices. Wife said "he will need descriptions, and scope of work" Caller JUST wanted prices.
I just thought it was funny.
So, what are YOUR prices? (no other info needed, or provided!)
Have you gotten this kind of call?
I was thinking of calling them, and finding out more. (And lowballing the hcek out of it, to find out how they react!) (How do you lowball, when you don't know ANYTHING)
Help me out here!
N
Generally, I get a little sarcastic for the moment and quote the price for a 10,000-acre ranch and they say something smart and I say that is for 10,000 acres then they tend to come up with some more information.
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> Have you gotten this kind of call?
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My responces is very similar to yours.
If they keep pushing I say - What you are asking, It's like calling an auto dealer and asking them how much a car costs. I need details and scope of work to estimate a fee.
Here's what I know about survey brokers:
they shop, til they find an OLD school surveyor to step it off, for 50 cents, and draw a perdy plak in acad.
(at least that is the extreme)
Who wants to waste their time, with that?
N
If you deal with a shyster broker then that is what you will wind up. Broker..Much broker.
But there are some good brokers. They can be a bit demanding on sticking to their formats but generally pay well.
Finding out which one is which is the hard part.
pffft. That's easy. $250. Isn't that the standard fee?
My brother has a great way to deal with these pricing calls that is dead-on and doesn't insult the caller.
"It's like calling your mechanic and asking him how much it will cost to fix your car. The answer will depend on what's wrong with it - an engine overhaul will cost a lot more than a tune-up".
> pffft. That's easy. $250. Isn't that the standard fee?
Yup, according to the HUD Settlement Cost Booklet.
I have a hunch that there are Surveyors that have standard prices, like calling the washing machine repairman. How much for a service call sort of thing.
You know like what are your prices?
$100 for a residential subdivision lot
$200 for a commercial subdivision lot
50 cents an acre for farm land.
Like that.
I have no idea, just a hunch.
No one ever calls me but I'm not exactly trying very hard (OK I'm not trying at all).
I just got another $400 per month wacked out of my paycheck by the Governator which I don't have. I might have to become a low baller just so I can get through the month. I'm sure glad I got a 2/3 vote on that tax increase, NOT! But I'm not bitter. Fortunately I like my job a lot, it's really a great job for a Surveyor I just wish I didn't have to contemplate either a demotion to get a raise or a promotion to desk jockey manager who has to worry about personnel service dollars (I don't even want to know what that is) to get a raise.
OK I'll stop whining now and go get some cheese.
at least I don't have to look for termites for $45 😉
It doesn't matter that it's 10 billion acres on a steep, forested mountainside. It's just a survey, right?
An old Hindu Shopkeeper I knew as a boy while I was living in the Republic of Panama used to say, "Makee money, Losee friends; Makee friends, Losee money."
> An old Hindu Shopkeeper I knew as a boy while I was living in the Republic of Panama used to say, "Makee money, Losee friends; Makee friends, Losee money."
:good:
> Wife took a call from an apparent survey broker.
>
> She (the apparent broker) just wanted prices. Wife said "he will need descriptions, and scope of work" Caller JUST wanted prices.
>
> I just thought it was funny.
>
> So, what are YOUR prices? (no other info needed, or provided!)
>
>
> Have you gotten this kind of call?
>
>
> I was thinking of calling them, and finding out more. (And lowballing the hcek out of it, to find out how they react!) (How do you lowball, when you don't know ANYTHING)
>
> Help me out here!
>
> N
Tell them some prices. $1.00, $2,500, $35,400
If they then ask what those prices were for....well give them something there too. $1.00 for a photocopy? Maybe $2,500 for a new riding lawnmower.... I don't know.
Prices for what? ask them.
You'ze guys are GREAT!
You'ze guys are GREAT!! I'm going to use ALL of these!!
$10,000,000 is a price that will cover all contingencies and allow me to retire in style 😉
> $10,000,000 is a price that will cover all contingencies and allow me to retire in style 😉
well, not too many clients will take you up on that price.....but on the other hand you only need one.
I'm following the logic often stated that if you double your fees then you will get half the work so you work half as much for the same income. So I figure I just increase my fee to whatever the remainder of my expected lifetime income would be and then I would only have to do one more job. 😉
To get a re-fi I actually had to sign a certificate of no change to my property...I got a little pissed and asked what the HELL happened to you bank people needing a survey??? The title people and the appraisal folks are makin' out just fine....my title hasn't done anything different in 32 years, and my appraiser was my neighbor. Between all these folks and county taxes----and then they will sell my mortgage to China:-( Guess boundary's are not important, banks just make their money!!!
Pricing:
$100 to get Survey Chariot out of parking lot, $110 an hour until it returns.
$50 to turn on the computer, $65 an hour until map finished.
Two free calls from client under 5 minutes each. $1 a minute after that.
FOB my office. No credit cards.
Any questions client about my prices?
