Okay so for lunch break topic....you have been given 25k to start from scratch. What would/wouldn't you buy? Where would you work? What areas of survey would you focus on right off the bat. What would you never do again?
Or would you take 25 and get the hell out of Dodge (a.k.a. Surveying)!
$25K won't buy survey gear these days, nor would it hold ya over for very long.
Might was well head to Vegas and hit the crap tables!
????
Well, you could get about what I have. Manual TS, Data Collector, 3 tripods, 2 Targets, Office Computer, Software, cheap plotter. Use whatever you got for wheels until you can afford a decent truck. I wouldn't recommend it.?ÿ
A fleet of drones and trained operators specializing in quick topos (stockpiles, mine tailings, bulk material, etc.) and software to process it.
Would start off by purchasing all sorts of small items that are consumables or absolutely essential to any operation.?ÿ Then start working up in dollar value of items needed, such as a quality metal detector and 200-foot steel tape.?ÿ Basically, chip away at all the things you really need on day one regardless of the ultimate "tool" in your toolbox.?ÿ Whatever is left would next go to computer-type hardware and software.?ÿ After all of that is on hand, I would take the rest to use as a down payment on the "tool".
Too frequently people do things in reverse order.?ÿ Sort of like a teenager taking every dollar they have managed to save and purchasing their first car for that exact price.?ÿ Then they can't buy insurance (as they are out of money) so they can apply for a license plate and they also don't have the money to pay for the license plate and any related property taxes that may apply in their locale.?ÿ Again, there is nothing left to fuel it up and have a oil change/lube/filter type of servicing before operating.?ÿ Pretty to look at but nowhere to go with it.
I agree with some of the responses that it does take a lot of money to start a surveying business. But you can do it relatively cheap if you have a good hand to start with you or can share the burden. Six months of second-hand equipment and a few software subscriptions and I bet you could make it work.
I've never done it as I've always worked for engineering companies or large firms. But I do know, it is hard to make money with small lot jobs.?ÿ
I like the idea of drones - but they are not too cheap either?ÿ
down payment on one network rover, one robot, and one collector that will run them both.?ÿ you can get 0% loans on gear that you can and will pay off within 24 months.?ÿ the rest keeps you rolling until the invoices start being paid.
i've done this twice (this last time i started with 5K).
and despite always prefacing this with "i know it's different everywhere"... if you can't make that work then surveying is probably not the field you need to be in for the long haul.
@stlsurveyor why are you confining yourself to "small lot jobs?"?ÿ after working at a big civil firm for a decade (not as big as the hanna earth measuring consortium, but still pretty big), all the marketing i've EVER done since 2012 was an initial email out to about 50 former coworkers and clients.
the 1 robot, 1 antenna, 1 collector model has allowed me to do, mainly, commercial title/alta work with a good bit of topo/design too.?ÿ largely getting the overflow work of other firms that can't hit deadlines.?ÿ that's evolved into just getting the work from the get-go, before the other firms are even given the chance.
gross billings: 2018 (may-dec): 182K - 2019: 318K - 2020 (to date): 236K.
$25K - I'd invest in an engineering degree.
Better salary, better job prospects and much, much more professional support...
Here's my invoice from APE when I set up in 1993:
Add $12k for a 3-year-old pickup and I was right about at $25k.
But then I had to buy a computer, a printer, software, and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff.?ÿ I think I ended up around $40k to get going.
Amazing that prices have mostly stayed the same or come down.?ÿ $10,000 for the manual Topcon then, about $18,000 in today's dollars!
