Hi all, first post...yaaa!
I have been collecting the books listed on the PLS study list, but am finding everything is well over $100 per with Writing Legal Descriptions on Amazon for over $200..geez. Is there a cheaper resource? My local library is rather scant and I'm not finding much on line.
Make friends with older surveyors that are near retirement.?ÿ This might sound crass but I've gleaned a good number of books over the years from older colleagues.?ÿ And when my time comes, I'd much rather someone have my reference material that would use it rather than having it wind up on Ebay for a few lousy bucks.
Why in the world is Writing Legal Descriptions by Wattles so expensive?
Why in the world is Writing Legal Descriptions by Wattles so expensive?
Ugh, I asked myself that question the first time I bought it, and then the second time I bought it after I moved a couple thousand miles and left it with a "friend" who "borrowed" it...
Yes, the study material can be an significant investment. If you don't think it's worth it.......... ...
Writing Legal Descriptions is sort of an anomaly. It hasn't been updated in forever. There is no other book like it. The copyright holders, whomever they may be, don't seem to think it worth keeping in print. So the used book market is the only place to find it. No new supply plus steady demand = premium prices. I had a copy, loaned it out, never saw it again. I eventually acquired another copy. I will loan it out but the borrower will be required to leave me something of equal value to hold as security. So far no one has agreed to those terms. Hmmm.
A possible option for you is to borrow a copy and get busy with a scanner. It will probably take an hour or 2 to make yourself a pdf copy of it.
FYI - Alibris.com has a copy right now for $128. That is probably just what it would be if it was in print.
@joki Wattles can be reliably purchased in new condition here, https://www.buildersbook.com/writing-legal-descriptions-in-conjunction-with-survey-boundary-control.html
If you have decent used book stores, you can sometimes find the surveying books you want at reasonable prices.?ÿ Surveying books are typically worth $5, $100, or $200.?ÿ If you're lucky, you'll get a few at $5 and none at $200.?ÿ
The different books have different purposes and you potentially have multiple things to work towards.?ÿ If your first focus is on the NCEES FS exam, the NCEES practice exam (~$15), PPI2PASS's Surveying Solved Problems, Fifth Edition (~$100), and the HP35S calculator (~$50) is certainly enough to keep you busy for a good while and give you time to find some of the other books at a deal.?ÿ If you don't want to go RPN with your calculator, then don't get the HP 35S.?ÿ If you go RPN, there are some cool surveying programs you can use (mostly for the exams and practice for the exams).?ÿ If you are not pursuing licensure, then you may not need to focus on all that. ?ÿ
Depending on your goal, there may be a long path ahead of you and you might want to map that out.?ÿ Depending on which state you're pursuing, there are (sometimes substantially) different license requirements from education to the number of years of experience *after* passing the FS exam (and sometimes getting board recognition of that).?ÿ Looking for a guide from the licensing board or your state professional society or talking with a local who is familiar with the requirements could be helpful.?ÿ Here is a flow chart from the CA board, https://www.bpelsg.ca.gov/applicants/flowchart_for_pls.pdf
Talking with someone local to your area of the state could help you get ideas of how to best approach it.?ÿ Some parts of CA have a very effective union training program.?ÿ
Ideally try it out sometime soon so you can see if you really want to pursue surveying.?ÿ You don't want to spend a bunch of money and time if you don't like it.?ÿ
Thanks for the suggestions. The only surveyors in my area are with CalTrans. I'm not really interested in working for the State. I've done Gov work before and am not looking back. I've found a couple of surveying text books and have some HP35s programs on PDF that I found online. The more obscure books are the problem. Covid has put me on furlough and I'm using the time to start something I'd actually like. So, time for studying is not a problem, though money is. The buildersbook.com price is the best I've seen. Will definitely go that route. I'm in Humboldt County and the book supplies are rather meager. There is one book shop I can think of that might have some good ones, but it's about 2 hours south. Will have to make a day of it. I cobbled together a transit, tripod, level rod and tape for $155 and am learning to use them. Starting this week I'll be going out to locations with known boundaries and practice hitting the same marks. It's pretty low end equipment. The transit is an older Sears Craftsman with two levels that are good. The tripod is a bit bent on the mount plate and it's a bit tricky leveling the transit. The rod is an old wood one, but the marks are accurate. The tape is 300' fiberglass, I know, but only one I could afford at the time. Starting out with these I'm sure will test my resolve and force me to work on precision. If I can get good numbers with this setup maybe there is some hope for me.
I'm not sure how much help that book would be for you on the exam.?ÿ I can't recall any questions regarding legal descriptions, except maybe interpreting them - anyone please feel free to correct me.?ÿ My point is, I'd hate to see you waste a bunch of money.?ÿ After you're licensed you'll want it anyway so, sooner or later you have to buy it I guess.
$70 from the NYSAPLS Book Store
Wattles ~$65
One of the questions on the Oregon test I took so many years ago was to write a legal description of a given diagrammed lot.
Welcome Joki,
What Paden said.?ÿ Join a local surveyors group where you might find a source of books and other materials.?ÿ I scanned my book shelf and it appears that my copy of Wattles is missing. What other books are on the list??ÿ If it fits, it ships.?ÿ
You csn always pick up Advanced Land Descriptions by Cuomo. Prices fluctuate from 600 to 3k...
When I took the California test in 2002 there was a write a legal description question.
Maybe the new test doesn't require it.
It was pretty basic, didn't need a book to write a 4 sided metes and bounds description.
