How many times have you heard, "I don't need a full survey, I just need you to find and flag the corners."?
I've heard that so many times this week.?ÿ Word is now getting out that my surveying shop is open for business and that's my #1 request.?ÿ I realize that no one wants to pay for a survey so they come up with the ole "just flag the corners" shtick.?ÿ ?ÿ I pretty much let them know that me flagging the corners and them paying for it ... is the VERY definition of practicing surveying professionally.?ÿ?ÿ
So what do yall tell these people?
Also, what do you tell people when they say that they don't want a map, just the corners marked??ÿ ?ÿI know it's weird, but I get a lot of that also.?ÿ?ÿ
what do you tell people
Sorry, state law says I will lose my license...
Yeah ... I try to educate them on the requirements of a boundary survey that culminates either in a map or a report of survey.
But all the hear is how much it's gonna CO$T them.
Tell 'em the survey will be, say, $2500, and without the map it will be $2495.
There is no choice to be recorded or not in California.
I was told by a wise surveyor that sometimes people need to spend 25-30000 dollars to realize that the 2000 dollar survey really, in fact, was a better deal.?ÿ True Story.
When you receive payment for saying whatever you found is a boundary corner you are certifying that and assuming the liability of that decision.
If you are going to do that it is your decision to prove it to the world or at least yourself and you can charge whatever you want.
It is ethically responsible to charge a fee that is expecting of the nature of your work and in the range of similar work and fees that others charge.
Put on your big boy pants and decide what you want to be known for.
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It can't be just me, but I find that a pandemic that has people sheltering in place gets them thinking about a lot of things. Like where the limits of that place they are to shelter in is.?ÿ I always respond by asking what the goal is??ÿ Why do they want me to "flag the corners".?ÿ The answer to that questions drives what I propose that I do and how I educate the caller.?ÿ Generally though, it allows me to weed out those whom I want for a client and those who Brand X can have.?ÿ
Yesterday I talked with a homeowner who wanted to add on to his house. Its not far from my office in an area that I usually would be delighted to work. He mentioned a sewer easement that might impact his dream and that if I located the corners that he could develop his site plan from those. I called up his map and noted that there is also a drainage easement and a utility easement that impacts his dream. Not to mention that he has an impervious surface restriction that by looking at the GIS he is already way over. I sent him the map and a proposal to recover his lot corners, locate the impervious surfaces and provide a base map for his design.?ÿ I will never hear from him again but that is what he needs, why do what he wants.?ÿ?ÿ
You might be on to something...
most of the calls I've had, lately, are from people that just need 1 line or even just a small portion of that line. When I ask them why, the answer is something like; my neighbor is getting ready to put up a fence next week and I want to make sure he doesn't put it on my property.
When I tell them I'm at least a month out and what my fee is, they usually say something along the lines of; well, I guess I'll just have to live with it...
So the?ÿ question is will he be thankful for all the help you gave to keep him out of trouble, and use/recommend you when an actual survey is required, OR will he remember you as the guy who told him he couldn't build his dream addition?
tell them no.?ÿ?ÿ just no.?ÿ?ÿ
@bill93 Good question Bill. But I really don't care at this stage in my career. I think about doing the right thing that will protect myself, the public and my clients from disappointment. If I let the guy do it himself, and he spent weeks generating a plan only to have it rejected by the permitting authority he will be disappointed that he didn't know/understand this earlier. I truly prefer to work for people who treat me as the professional who is operating in their (and the public) best interest. If I did a half-ass job, even though that's what they asked for, than I am not functioning as a professional.
OK, I can find the corners, but do you care if they are right?
PAUSE.... Why, yes, I want you to find the right ones....
Well, that means a survey. .....
No, just find the corners. ...
OK, so you want me to Do a full survey, complete, but NOT give you a copy?
CLICK.... AAAAAAAAA (dial tone)
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🙂
I tell them that - being reasonably intelligent people - if the corners were actually there to just find and flag that chances are that they would already know where they were. So I'd be wasting their money to be doing what they ask. I offer to email them a copy of the latest record of survey or appropriate plat so they can look for themselves. I'll explain what they are looking for. And ask them to give me a call back when they are ready for a surveyor to come out to do a boundary survey.?ÿ?ÿ
I've tried every way of getting burned on this, including "no charge for my non certified work".
Lately, my best answer is: "just finding and flagging the corners is a very time consuming matter. I'll send a proposal"
NC allows you the option of writing a Report of Survey in lieu of drafting a plat (with a few exceptions).
I will give them a number to add to their budget and they can send me an order for a survey or go down the road and ask another surveyor.
When I do go out to mark only one boundary, they always ask why I was way over there or yonder or away from the boundary they want to be marked.
I simply tell them that it is part of the job and if they are not going to allow me to do my job properly then I'm loading up and going to the next job.
I send a full contract for a complete boundary survey based on an estimated cost to complete being charged on hourly rates.?ÿ They can terminate the contract in writing at any time and are liable for payment for the time spent to recon the area for survey monumentation. 9 out of 10 end up with a full survey because they have accompanied me on the initial recon of the complete survey and have gained knowledge on the importance of the certified document.?ÿ I tell them what I have found will be analyzed and may or may not be used in the certified document.?ÿ I don't know what it is until I complete my due diligence.?ÿ Each request is unique on how I approach the project.
A lot of property owners think the t-post is the corner and are surprised to learn that the rebar and cap a 1/2' away and down a 1/2' is the actual corner.?ÿ Educate the layman and most see the light.?ÿ Cancel my contract and you are on you are on your own.
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