When invoicing a client for services do you simply bill "Surveying services" and then a dollar ammount, or do you list man hours, materials, map printing, recording fees, etc??ÿ ?ÿ
I used to itemize.?ÿ
2 man crew, 3 days @ 560.00 per day... (Back in the 1990's)
I think it's un-professional now a days.
Survey with modern equipment, same job, can take 1/2 day field.?ÿ
Clients don't understand cogo. They don't understand positional tolerances. They don't understand 1-1/2 hrs of digging in the County Rd.
Modern bill, only reflects the job, and an amount. Rural work, 50 cents a foot, with a multiplier. But, those are my private numbers.
"Survey lots 1, 2, & 3 Joe Buzzard subdivision, Total fee $ 1114.60."
Or, Survey NE1/4-NE1/4 s-t-r, and tie section xx, professional fee, $2650.00
There is basicly no relationship, (except generally,) between how long it takes, and the fee charged.
The realtor figured this out long ago. 5% of total. If it takes 2 yrs to sell, or 1 day.?ÿ
We ain't plumbers.
N
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@Nate
Thank you for the insight. I really didnt think people would want (or needed) to get in the weeds of a survey cost breakdown.
That depends on what terms are in my contract. You do have a contract, right? It can go either way. These things should be determined before any work is done.?ÿ
Generally I prefer to go fixed fee for short term jobs with well defined and limited scope. Such as a boundary job for a private client. For longer term jobs where the service is on an on-call basis - such as staking for a contractor - I'll go T&M.?ÿ
My invoice is of general letter form that states that "the survey of the client's property (quoted by postal address, acres, original tract, Headright, County, Texas) was completed as per requested".
Survey cost: $$$$$
?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ $$$$$?ÿ ?ÿsales tax
?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ$$$$$?ÿ total
Note as to payment methods and name to make payment to.
I keep it simple. Date of bill, location of survey, date of service, what type of survey or service leaving out how the sausage is made, fee and note as to late penalty as per agreement on file. I suppose that if I had to list taxes I would separate them but I include recording fees in my fee because I got tired of telling people that is not negotiable.?ÿ
You do have a contract, right?
Not this time. But it's my intention to have one fom here on out.
Like the "dealer document fee". I don't care if their document fee is $9 or $19,000, they're not getting more than $20,000 for the vehicle.
Most States set statutory limits for dealer doc fees and mandate they be separately listed. Hopefully that's the only comparison required involving car dealers, used or otherwise;<)
I'm told that, in Washington State, if the client writes a check to you for filing fees that fee becomes taxable income to you. I find it hard to believe, but my source is generally reliable.
I'm a believer in getting a sizable retainer before beginning work. I think it proper to get the client to write a check to the appropriate county agency for filing fees up front as well.
The filing fee in the Portland area counties in $400 and up. Not Trivial.
Silly wabbit!
Tough to get certain categories of work without a definite fee structure to provide to the client. ?ÿ"Whatever I feel like charging you." is not an option that will keep you on their preferred vendor list. ?ÿWham bam, one and done, easily standardized-type work may get by with lump sum pricing only. ?ÿEverything else needs a properly determined fee structure.
Digging in backyard found a surprise...direct bury Romex...thought I knew where it goes which is dead. Almost went to get my pliers but too lazy, whacked it with shovel ARC FLASH, NOT DEAD. For once being lazy paid off.
Called electrician, he came out, figured out the breaker, then disconnected in nearby junction box.
Left Invoice with description of problem and fix and $XX.XX and that's it. Worth it because I don't like getting shocked.
Professional fee is not subject to income tax. We pay B&O tax though. It would seem the filing fee is a pass through anyway.
Survey Recording fee in King County is $187 which I budget for in my fee estimate along with the time it takes to venture downtown to record. I wait until I have several. I agree, it makes no sense to itemize our tools. It would be like counting rebar or sticks of HB lead and including that in the bill. Back in the 70's a predecessor collected the recording fee ($25 then) and rarely filed the map and got in trouble with the Department of Revenue because someone complained their map didn't get filed. The PLSO will get everything here real soon anyway.
Please contact the Texas Legislature and tell them that Professional Surveyors are not supposed to charge sales tax for boundary surveying.
They won't listen to us..........
