Great comments, dhunter. Your situation was surely helped immensely by having a steady income for many years that provided the financial resources to start your surveying practice with proper gear. Many years of related experiences from your civil engineering work must have been very helpful in establishing your business model. Others wanting to startup will be envious of what you were able to do. Congrats.
I want to thank everyone on the input and advice that you have provided. I am trying to gauge what I need to do to get started. My initial plan is to try to start out slow by trying to get 1 or 2 jobs a month and see how things go from there.
I just turned 30 years old last month. I just got licensed in two states two weeks ago. I just started my own company last week. I have enough equipment that I have accumulated over the past few years to have a crew. I am trying to go completely solo but don't have the funds for a robotic at this moment.
I had several years experience before I got my bachelor's in surveying and mapping from East Tennessee State University and almost 4 years of experience after.
I got tired of running the show for $10/hr. I started advertising on google, created a website (www.titansurveying.com) and have already got five jobs lined up. I have already collected two retainers that are almost what I made in a month working for someone else.
Good luck whichever path you decide.
sur04, post: 357988, member: 10101 wrote: I want to thank everyone on the input and advice that you have provided. I am trying to gauge what I need to do to get started. My initial plan is to try to start out slow by trying to get 1 or 2 jobs a month and see how things go from there.
Buying a used robot worked really well for me when I started out. It is impossible at times to find help for the day.
Neil Grande, post: 358166, member: 8175 wrote: I just turned 30 years old last month. I just got licensed in two states two weeks ago. I just started my own company last week. I have enough equipment that I have accumulated over the past few years to have a crew. I am trying to go completely solo but don't have the funds for a robotic at this moment."
Labor can be an expensive cost component in your position. And there is a time lag in paying for the labor and getting paid for the job, usually.
A couple of rods with bipods and some good high mileage shoes is an alternative. Or you can also lease to own a robot from Hayes Instruments.
Licensed Land Surveyor
Finger Lakes Region, Upstate New York
I got a few quotes today on a focus 35 (low 20s) and a Leica TS12 (mid 20s) both with packages. I can find a used package on ebay for around 15 but I would really like something new if I'm forking out that kind of cash.
Neil Grande, post: 358363, member: 8175 wrote: I got a few quotes today on a focus 35 (low 20s) and a Leica TS12 (mid 20s) both with packages. I can find a used package on ebay for around 15 but I would really like something new if I'm forking out that kind of cash.
Hello dear
I am certain about offering you to buy LEICA product.
They are excellent,comfortable,versatile,...
I offer you to buy TS12.
since 1992 i am working with leica products (TCPR1102,TC805,TPS1205,GPS1200,DNA03,...) and i have never had any problem.
Good luck
Neil Grande, post: 358166, member: 8175 wrote: I had several years experience before I got my bachelor's in surveying and mapping from East Tennessee State University and almost 4 years of experience after.
I got tired of running the show for $10/hr.
Good to see another ETSU graduate. I've heard the program is in serious trouble due to only graduating 8 per year in the survey program.
As far as the $10 per hour goes, I feel your pain (not now, but I did many years ago). It takes a special company to be able to keep licensed surveyors on the payroll.
Neil Grande, post: 358166, member: 8175 wrote: I just turned 30 years old last month. I just got licensed in two states two weeks ago. I just started my own company last week. I have enough equipment that I have accumulated over the past few years to have a crew. I am trying to go completely solo but don't have the funds for a robotic at this moment.
I had several years experience before I got my bachelor's in surveying and mapping from East Tennessee State University and almost 4 years of experience after.
I got tired of running the show for $10/hr. I started advertising on google, created a website (www.titansurveying.com) and have already got five jobs lined up. I have already collected two retainers that are almost what I made in a month working for someone else.
Good luck whichever path you decide.
I'm 32 and newly licensed.
I'm taking over my father's company and right now he's still around but I'm basically running the show.
For the last 40 years he's ran things just him, my mom and his helper. Until I came along. I was a one man wrecking crew with my focus 30. He would do some small work with his helper until he got sick and needed a heart transplant. (That's another story well skip) he's better now and he's been back to grinding things out with a worker we have while I mow through the bigger jobs.
BUT he's retiring soon. Help is not easy to find. I'm trying to train someone to step up and be able to use a robot and lead a crew and from there maybe get a 2nd crew going.
While working solo is fantastic, fast, easy and great not having someone slow you down, there are pitfalls.
So I must warn you. I'm desperately trying not to fall into the solo crew show. And here's the reason, although I'm young, 32, how long can my body do it? Till I'm 50? 55? I sure hope so. I was always athletic. But that's not exactly 'job security.'
And not having a pension to retire on, working till 55 won't exactly cut it either.
What if my knees start giving out from the solo grind? Or my back (which already is ehh from 4 years of solo)
And even worse.... what would happen if I broke my leg and was MIA for 6 months? I'd lose all my steady builder clients.... it's too hard to just snag people to work and do it for you if needed in a pinch. God knows, I see it now trying to find a single person....
And as much as I love both field work and office work, I don't want to have to do everything myself. I want flexibility. I want to be able to work on the business itself when I want to.
Just a 2nd thought.
You deal with taxes, and the form of your company, by talking to a good CPA. They are pros at answering those questions.
There are some drawbacks to working solo, but let's not forget the huge advantages. No employees who are not quite as motivated as you, nor as experienced, and no payroll costs beyond yourself. That alone is a strong selling point.
As to the physical aspect of doing all of the work by yourself, think of the money you will save in gym memberships. Seriously, I'm 75 and still going strong, mentally and physically. Not quite the stamina of ten years ago, but I credit my excellent health to all that outdoor exercise.
I have never regretted going solo with high tech equipment. It has been a gold mine, and a huge blessing to my family.
Bruce Small, post: 374580, member: 1201 wrote: You deal with taxes, and the form of your company, by talking to a good CPA. They are pros at answering those questions.
There are some drawbacks to working solo, but let's not forget the huge advantages. No employees who are not quite as motivated as you, nor as experienced, and no payroll costs beyond yourself. That alone is a strong selling point.
As to the physical aspect of doing all of the work by yourself, think of the money you will save in gym memberships. Seriously, I'm 75 and still going strong, mentally and physically. Not quite the stamina of ten years ago, but I credit my excellent health to all that outdoor exercise.
I have never regretted going solo with high tech equipment. It has been a gold mine, and a huge blessing to my family.
Bruce,
I could not agree with you more, I am not far behind you and have been making more take home money than when I had 18 employees and feel great while doing it.
Ed
I just got a quote from Maine Technical Source for a brand new Leica Ts12 Robotic total station, a Carlson Surveyor 2,SurvCE 2016, Carlson 2016 desktop (intellicad), 360 prism, tripod, pole, and all brackets for$26k. Financingis is available and can be estimated at just under $500/month for five years with two payments or around $1000 down. I can think of very few professions, trades, or ways in which to earn a living that requires such a low startup cost.
Spend time every day envisioning your success and distract yourself when you begin to fret over things. Get the equipment that you are most comfortable with, period. It's only another vehicle payment not the thousands most business owners need just to pay overhead.
Neil
Neil Grande, post: 358166, member: 8175 wrote: I just turned 30 years old last month. I just got licensed in two states two weeks ago. I just started my own company last week. I have enough equipment that I have accumulated over the past few years to have a crew. I am trying to go completely solo but don't have the funds for a robotic at this moment.
I had several years experience before I got my bachelor's in surveying and mapping from East Tennessee State University and almost 4 years of experience after.
I got tired of running the show for $10/hr. I started advertising on google, created a website (www.titansurveying.com) and have already got five jobs lined up. I have already collected two retainers that are almost what I made in a month working for someone else.
Good luck whichever path you decide.
If you have an equipment company nearby, rent the robot on a job by job basis when you need it till you are ready to buy one.
Dennis
That's a great idea!
