Can an engineering company advertise as being able to provide surveying services if they do not have an RPLS on staff??ÿ Could they offer the services if they sub it out to a surveying firm?
To offer surveying services a company must have a full time employed licensed surveyor in each office they have.
Does it allow non- boundary work by engineers as is common in other areas?
Does it allow non- boundary work by engineers as is common in other areas?
Most states only allow engineers to offer non boundary surveying if it is incedental to their own engineering projects, so it would be a violation to offer surveying as a standalone service.?ÿ
Can an engineering company advertise as being able to provide surveying services if they do not have an RPLS on staff??ÿ Could they offer the services if they sub it out to a surveying firm?
Yes, in some states, including LA and MS, as long as it does not pertain to boundaries. TX is a no, however. I am a licensed civil engineer in all three of these states. I can do limited surveying in LA and MS, but not TX.
FYI, the LA rules states:
Surveying and mapping functions which do not require the establishment of relationships to property ownership boundaries must be performed by or under the responsible charge of either a professional engineer or a professional land surveyor. These surveying and mapping functions include:
??i.??surveys of servitudes (easements) and rights of way;
??ii.??surveys of leases;
??iii.??topographical surveys;
??iv.??surveys for record drawing;
??v.??layout surveys for construction;
??vi.??hydrographic surveys;
??vii.??mine surveys;
??viii.??mapping;
??ix.??geodetic surveys;
??x.??cartographic surveys;
??xi.??horizontal and vertical control surveys;
??xii.??quantity and measurement surveys;
??xiii.??profiles and cross-sections;
??xiv.??site grading plans.
They can not do boundary surveys or show their work tied to any boundary or find any object and say it is a boundary marker or have anything to do with a boundary.
Their initial control must be set by a licensed boundary surveyor.
Only a licensed surveyor can determine where a boundary is and show its location as tied to a building or other objects.
I was looking for an opportunity to perform surveying services for an engineering company. But they cant advertise to offer surveying services without having a surveyor on staff. Therefore, they typically have to pass on any projects that involve boundary surveying.?ÿ
Could they offer our survey services as part of a partnership??ÿ
?ÿ
Does anybody know of a way this typically goes for engineering companies?
They could offer as a partnership but would have to establish a firm and firm #, and would need to have a RPLS on staff
An offer like teat would be worth becoming a partner in the firm.
good luck
An offer like teat would be worth becoming a partner in the firm.
good luck
Maybe... I??ve been down that road and I??d never do it again.
Imo, the survey department of any civil firm is gonna generate way better margins than the civil side will. The partners love that part- but when you go asking for some autonomy in making substantive decisions that they aren??t qualified to weigh in on...
Only way I??d do it again is to give the civil firm like 20% stake, tops. Enough to keep them obligated to you, but not enough to let them think they can make any kind of operational survey decisions.
But to the original question- at least around these parts the civil firms just hire you as an employee and give you a nice title and an office and a salary that amounts to about 85% of what you should be making.
is it correct however, that a civil engineering firm without an on staff licensed surveyor can subcontract surveying work? Just not advertise they provide the service?
Yes that is correct?ÿ
Yes that is correct?ÿ
I thought so.
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So, Arctan(x), your market is civil engineers without in house surveying. (or even if they have in house, they might need more capacity.) Establish relationships with people in those types of firms. Give them a reason to pick you over whoever else they use.
Too bad you are not in Louisiana. I have been looking to do just as you describe for almost a year. It??s not easy to find someone interested in doing that.?ÿ
That is my target client at the moment. I'm trying to diversify my client base so we're not so affected by downturns in certain industries.
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That is my target client at the moment. I'm trying to diversify my client base so we're not so affected by downturns in certain industries.
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Same
Too bad you are not in Louisiana. I have been looking to do just as you describe for almost a year. It??s not easy to find someone interested in doing that.?ÿ
I'm not licensed in LA yet. Hopefully the folks here are appreciative of my efforts?ÿ ?????ÿ