As I sit here trying to use every last cent of value from my $8 Southwest Airlines internet service, I find myself wondering how all of you are doing. How's business? Are you slammed with work or just the opposite? Or perhaps somewhere in the middle?
I'm no longer surveying, but my web design and maintenance business is going full steam lately. In fact, business picked up while on the vacation I'm currently returning from. Go figure.
But every surveyor I've talked to in recent months has said they are swamped. What about you?
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every surveyor I've talked to in recent months has said they are swamped
Did you talk to me? I can't remember, I'm so busy!
Given that the demand for my work is driven by expanding demand for broadband, between the pandemic and federal infrastructure money, I don't see things letting up any time soon. Knock on wood.
Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.
I am turning down more work than I am allowing to be taken in.?ÿ It can't last forever but it feels like it's got some pretty good legs so far.
Licensed Land Surveyor
Finger Lakes Region, Upstate New York
swamped
So surprisingly I have had to turn down some work & I??m trying to build a business on the side doing surveying & engineering. Turning down work at this point in the business building process worries me but everyone I have turned down has been too flaky for me to take a chance on in my opinion when there??s solid clients who are willing to pay what I bill for.?ÿ
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I am debating taking the plunge to doing?ÿthis full time as most of the surveyors nearby are aging out (and the engineers too). But land development has been driving most of the survey & engineering needs around here which is the majority of what I do (I don??t like to work for residential property owners as they complain no matter what and busting into other survey markets has been tough). I also know I??m definitely not the cheapest in town so if demand slows down I don??t want my family to starve due to lack of business and me being the sole provider?ÿ
I get a lot of work from clients frustrated by surveyors who won't work more than 40 hours a week, if that. I'm more a make hay while the sun shines guy.
Turn down more work than I take on, swamped.
October fees were 22% higher than Oct. 2020 and 25% higher than Oct. 2019. This trend equates evenly with the respective annual fees.?ÿ Since "selling the farm" and only working solo for just a few clients my gross fees have almost doubled since 2016.?ÿ
I'd love to try my hand at something else.?ÿ But I can't think of thing that is this much fun where I get paid so much for doing so little. ;)?ÿ
I get a lot of work from clients frustrated by surveyors who won't work more than 40 hours a week, if that. I'm more a make hay while the sun shines guy.
I??m right there with you. I get a lot of?ÿcalls from clients who say the surveyor they had lined up has been non responsive.?ÿ
Busy and turning down work on occasion. Working 6-7 days a week.?ÿ
I don't run a survey department or anything but I'm as busy as I've always been.
Swamped is the nom de jour.
I could be taking on twice the number of jobs I am doing.?ÿ But, I don't want or need to do so.
Everyone else seems to be equally overwhelmed and putting out the news to potential clients to not to expect to see them until January.?ÿ Overall charge per survey has been rising for many months now.
Based on conversations with attorneys, title office people, real estate agents and lenders, they are all swamped, as well.?ÿ Too many are borrowing themselves rich.........................until you know what happens.?ÿ Some of those also get caught up in the current flurry of estate preparation to distribute property to the heirs now, rather than later.
There is more work now than I've ever seen. We learned nothing in the last recession because peoole are doing the same stupid crap...
I'm currently working for a local city engineering department. The department has about 30 technical employees and, I think, 5 open, unfilled positions.?ÿ Pay good, benefits great. No applicants.?ÿ ?ÿ?ÿ
I've seen no increase on Surveying jobs, but the amount of hoops the government agencies are putting up has increased my office time filling out applications for permits and approvals.
They're driving me to quit.
The residential people I'm doing work have been really appreciative.
This side of the pond things are still moving slowly, mainly because of the continued insistence of large arganisations "working" from home. It is taking forever to get instructions to start any job as those giving the go-ahead are never in their offices and can't check out all sorts of simple matters on site or with their colleagues. Working from home might be very efficeint and comfortable for those who are doing it, but not for those who have to work for/with them.
The plus side is that those really urgent jobs which have to go regardless are paying much more, which partly makes up for the time lost standing around on everything else.
A year ago, kitchen table style with 2 part time guys I was billing roughly X every month for two years. And I was slammed.?ÿ
in March I acquired another small company, 10 full time employees. We??ve been billing 3.5X consistently since.?ÿ
It??s November 12 and we??re at 3.5X already.
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Everybody is working as much as they can stand. I could use another 4-5 people, but can??t find 1. I have work signed up to keep us busy through at least the end of January- that??s just the ??in the bank? stuff.
never seen anything even close to what it??s like right now.
Turning down projects and referring to the one/two man survey shops.
I'm going to take this opportunity to remind some of you there is a difference between making money and keeping money.
Twenty five years or more ago I thought I had made it to the top of the heap.?ÿ I had a wonderful office with 5 crews that hit the ground every morning.?ÿ Our work list was full of developments and municipal projects.?ÿ It seemed like the only thing holding me back was being able to find help.
At the end of fat and busy year my accountant showed me I had done over 780K in fees.?ÿ I thought I was a rich man.?ÿ I made big deposits and payed big taxes and had lofty payroll responsibilities.?ÿ But sadly that year my profits were only about 2.5%.?ÿ I had personally worked 80 hour weeks and sweated everything for what seemed like just pennies.?ÿ It finally dawned on me I was a lousy business man.?ÿ The only thing that was keeping me afloat was the workload.?ÿ I quickly made some necessary changes and within a year I had my profit margin up into double digits.
Surveying for me is personally rewarding.?ÿ I enjoy it.?ÿ But if I'm going to accept the responsibility and headaches of managing a business it should be monetarily rewarding also.?ÿ?ÿ
Watch your bottom line amigos.?ÿ There's nothing wrong with keeping some of the money that blows in and out the doors of a business.?ÿ ;)?ÿ?ÿ