"Boundary Survey for nuthin.. and Elevation Cert for free"
Sung to the “Money for Nothing” song…
I received a call for a quote on boundary survey for a residence in a rather upscale subdivision (two lots and two water lots).
The property’s representative informed me that a survey was required by the municipality as an addition of sorts was being made to the house. She said the contractor had given her the contact information of another survey firm and told her that “they” would have the survey turned around within 48 hours and that “they” would also throw in an Elevation Certificate for free. So… I told her while I cannot speak for another surveyor, I believed “they” were a survey brokerage and more than likely the field crew, drafter and surveyor in responsible charge (as if) had probably never even met and subcontracted to perform the work. And that as far as including an Elevation Certificate for free, we don’t do that. We charge a fair price for our professional service. With us, the field crew, drafter and surveyor in responsible charge are all of the same company, in the same place (in this case, ME). Later in the discussion she said that “they” hadn’t even gotten back to her with a quote within 48 hours. I told her to give me one hour and you will have ours. I did, she agreed and also told me that she was leery of “them” from the start as the area code wasn’t local (877) which is toll free.
These survey brokerages are the bottom feeders of surveying, but it’s nice to know that at least some of the general public are willing to listen and can comprehend…
Just sayin’…
- 5 Replies
I’ve seen some pretty cheap prices from survey brokers in Florida on the internet, but I’ve never seen “free”. Something tells me the contractor may have overstepped his bounds with the “free” elevation certificate, and the surveyor wasn’t playing along. Even the cheap-ass-contract-crew-using-rubber-stamping-bottom-feeders don’t work for free. But, I’m glad you were able to turn someone from the dark side.
Is it just me?
I thought everybody threw in a set of steak knives with every survey?But Wait! There’s more!
Don’t leave us hanging…..:-P
How funny, they promise a survey w/in 48 hours but can’t even give a price in that amount of time.
I just hope that “she” isn’t going to think she is getting ripped off by you when she finally gets her quote for 149.95…..
How about the broker in one state who subcontracted to a surveyor in another state who subcontracted to a surveyor in yet another state, and, the bench mark listed is wrong by 150 feet, plus the boundary is wrong (shifted) by seven feet because they seem to have just scaled it off a GIS map. Now that is real surveying and supervision for you.
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