Excessive Overcharges

Oh Wow! That's almost funny! That's like the time years and years ago a land owner asked me to find a corner for him. Done work for him before. I set the corner years before. I though, this is worth $100! Yea! Got there, found the pin. He showed up. Showed the corner to him. He said, how much. I broke down and said, give me $50. He pulled a $100 bill out and asked, do you have change?

I did a job this last week and sent the invoice. The guy helped me and such so I thought I cut some off the bill. He saved me time and even drove me around in his utv. My gut feeling is it will come back and bite my butt trying to be nice. Should I have showed him the true costs and the discount?

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

I always show the real price then subtract any discounts. It prevents sticker shock when they have a job that doesn't warrant a discount.

Holy Cow, post: 334456, member: 50 wrote: The other was for the remaining 60 percent of the bill and in the note section said: Excessive Overcharges.

After cashing the checks you might consider a follow-up letter along the lines of this:

Dear Sir:

Please accept my condolences regarding the removal of your testicles. I'm led to believe that this condition often hinders direct and honest communication with intact males, causing the sufferer to resort to passive-aggressive tactics instead. Please rest assured that I bear you no ill will under the circumstances, and I thank you for your prompt payment of my invoice.

Sincerely, etc.

Scotland, post: 334468, member: 559 wrote: I did a job this last week and sent the invoice. The guy helped me and such so I thought I cut some off the bill. He saved me time and even drove me around in his utv. My gut feeling is it will come back and bite my butt trying to be nice. Should I have showed him the true costs and the discount?

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

I do that sometimes, but the more I think about it, I've decided that giving the client a break on the fee doesn't help client relations if they don't know I'm doing it. So yes, I think it's best to show both.

C Billingsley, post: 334471, member: 1965 wrote: I do that sometimes, but the more I think about it, I've decided that giving the client a break on the fee doesn't help client relations if they don't know I'm doing it. So yes, I think it's best to show both.

Not only that, they will tell their neighbor that it was only $xxx, and that is what the next guys expects. Sometimes you feel like there should be a discount for a certain job. Fine, but charge full price, and show the discount then.

Just an observation.....

"What is your time worth?" can easily evolve into "What are you worth?"

I marked property lines for an elderly lady who was recently widowed, i priced the job based on the current tax records which showed the property at about 2 acres. When performing the research I found out that the property had a boundary line adjustment with an adjoing lot and was only about a half acre. I immediately called the elderly lady and explained my findings in the research and cut my price in half. Upon completion of the survey I had a gentleman call me and accuse me of cheating this recently widowed elderly woman out of her money. Which was about $350. I had 1hr research. And 1hr of crew time. And this guy who is of no relation to the woman who is "helping her out" had the nerve to call me a cheat. It honestly pissed me off. I have never or would never cheat anybody, expecially an elderly woman. If anybody is a cheat it is this man that has swooped in to "help her out".

Sounds like one of those helpful neighbors who plans to steal it all from her eventually, so you were cutting into his inheritance.

Scotland, post: 334468, member: 559 wrote: I did a job this last week and sent the invoice. The guy helped me and such so I thought I cut some off the bill. He saved me time and even drove me around in his utv. My gut feeling is it will come back and bite my butt trying to be nice. Should I have showed him the true costs and the discount?

I always show the cost and the discounts. I do give discounts here and there.

I get half upfront and the other half when the plats are done. Either we meet somewhere or they send me a check then I mail the plats once the check clears. No money no plats. I got tired of not getting paid. I get paid 100% of the time now.

Small jobs it's payment in full the day I do the field work.

You can't leave Walmart without paying for what's in your buggy. You can't leave Giles Land Surveying without paying for the survey.

They know the deal before they hire me and if they aren't willing to pay upfront then they weren't planning on paying in the first place.

I do get a payment guarantee on some jobs when the payment will be withheld at closing. I send the bill and paperwork to the attorney and they make sure I get paid.

I won't leave the office for less than $800. I could be somewhere else surveying than to do a job for a couple hundred which will usually blow the entire day.

I'm hiring a mover to help the kids move into their apartment.

142/hour...3 hour minimum. Two movers plus 26' truck.

I hope surveyors get more than that.

Dave Karoly, post: 334670, member: 94 wrote: I'm hiring a mover to help the kids move into their apartment.

Wait, you mean Jameson is moving out?

Jules J., post: 334465, member: 444 wrote: Oh Wow! That's almost funny! That's like the time years and years ago a land owner asked me to find a corner for him. Done work for him before. I set the corner years before. I though, this is worth $100! Yea! Got there, found the pin. He showed up. Showed the corner to him. He said, how much. I broke down and said, give me $50. He pulled a $100 bill out and asked, do you have change?

That reminds me of the time I went to dinner. The bill was for around $25. I gave the waiter a $100-dollar bill and he asked me if I needed any change. Duh!..... Do I ask you if you need a tip?

Tom Adams, post: 334705, member: 7285 wrote: That reminds me of the time I went to dinner. The bill was for around $25. I gave the waiter a $100-dollar bill and he asked me if I needed any change. Duh!..... Do I ask you if you need a tip?

If the waiter asks, I tell him I need one dollar bills and quarters.....;-)

Jim Frame, post: 334671, member: 10 wrote: Wait, you mean Jameson is moving out?

Yes, Jameson is moving out with his parents although we will still be doing daycare.

Jim Frame, post: 334470, member: 10 wrote: After cashing the checks you might consider a follow-up letter along the lines of this:

Dear Sir:

Please accept my condolences regarding the removal of your testicles. I'm led to believe that this condition often hinders direct and honest communication with intact males, causing the sufferer to resort to passive-aggressive tactics instead. Please rest assured that I bear you no ill will under the circumstances, and I thank you for your prompt payment of my invoice.

Sincerely, etc.

Jim Frame, post: 334470, member: 10 wrote: passive-aggressive tactics

That's how I roll.

"Excessive Overcharges"

Aren't all overcharges excessive? As the Cow is usually quite fussy about writing matters, I wonder.

I agree 1000 percent. Aye just writ watt he rote sew ewe would understand my awkward situation. "aukword?"

Holy Cow, post: 335064, member: 50 wrote: I agree 1000 percent. Aye just writ watt he rote sew ewe would understand my awkward situation. "aukword?"

Well I agree 100,000 percent. So there.