Today's oddball phone call

At the city public counter in the office where I used to work we had a foreign developer who thought he could do his own subdivision map.

When told he would need a licensed surveyor to prepare, sign and stamp the map he asked, "Where do I buy a license?"

I had a similar encounter... A contractor I provided construction stakeout for thought "Licensed Land Surveyor" meant one went to the local courthouse and secured a business license. He was surprised at what it takes to become licensed...

Posted by: @holy-cow

I gently led him through the process he would need to follow in order to have a chance at becoming licensed.?ÿ He had no idea.?ÿ None.

Posted by: @dave-lindell

a foreign developer who thought he could do his own subdivision map.

Posted by: @surv8r

thought "Licensed Land Surveyor" meant one went to the local courthouse and secured a business license

I know I shouldn't be surprised by any of these cases but...how does one become even slightly interested in being a land surveyor, or doing land surveyor things, without taking the 0.27 seconds to perform a cursory internet search about "how to do land surveying" or "how to become a land surveyor"?

I mean, the information is quite literally at their fingertips...and even allowing for the exceedingly high noise to signal ratio online, search results will return lots of solid results on the subject, like state licensing boards, etc.

If a craftsperson views it as a craft, they are already gone.?ÿ If you are a carpenter all week, what could possibly be wrong with doing carpentry for your buddies or your neighbors?

Years ago a group of three developers, of which one was an attorney,?ÿ wanted me to sign off on a cartoon they had created by hand labeled as the such and such subdivision of the east half of section whatever.?ÿ I, of course, attempted to educate them on many things, including those that would not allow me to do what they wanted.?ÿ They didn't want educated.?ÿ Eventually, the attorney took their cartoon to the courthouse and had it recorded as a miscellaneous document.?ÿ That catchall phrase allows all sorts of things to be recorded.

BTW, their dream never got off the ground.?ÿ Two of the three are now dead and the other is knocking on the door to somewhere.?ÿ The son of the only landowner involved recently had me cut off a small tract to sell the existing house, leaving nothing but farm land.

Just a few lines from consumers over the years....

1.?ÿ "Why do you need a license? Surveyors are no different than ditch diggers, they both have shovels"

2. "Why should I pay "X" dollars for you to find corners, when they were set 40 years ago and are all there. All I need is a current survey date on the drawing".

3.?ÿ "The 'Property lines' you staked are wrong, the sprinkler company found the correct line when installing the system."

?ÿ ?ÿ ?ÿ (sprinklers 11.6' encroachment on neighbor)

????

I have had a couple people come in the office and show an interest in becoming a land surveyor. ?ÿWhen I explained the process, the college degree they lost interest in a hurry.

I don't want to leave the impression that I'm a cantankerous old coot, but I can be.?ÿ Especially when it comes to folks wasting my time.?ÿ The way I look at it I only have so much time left and I'd like to spend it on me.

When folks call me and begin the conversation with, "I really don't need a survey..."?ÿ?ÿmy reply is always, "Then why did you call a surveyor?".?ÿ One fellow continued and told me he just needed someone to 'dig up his pins'.?ÿ I told him to buy his lawn guy a shovel.?ÿ End of conversation.

@dave-lindell

Some countries issue licenses for engineering and surveying through 'syndicates'. Pay the fee, you are allowed to do the job. The idea of determining competence isn't a consideration.

I'm positive there are a few that are offering surveying services around here, there always have been and there are engineers with survey licenses that will sign for them.

A few simply do it on the side while they have a good company job on a regular basis or are from a surveying family and simply don't want to work with family.

One of the largest obstacles blocking the prosecution of them is that the guy that they did the work for mostly forgets everything once it depends upon his testimony or filing a complaint against the guy that did what he ask them to do.

I've had clients come in with a drawing and property description that the non-licensed dude made for them and wanted me to certify it for them.

0.02

?ÿ

@david-livingstone

That's the reaction of most people, even fellow workers who perform surveying tasks, drafting, etc.?ÿ They say things like, "it'll take 5-6 years, forget it."?ÿ In the meantime, that 5-6 years has passed, and they're not licensed, in anything.

@flga-2

always that dichotomy- that you're somebody of such questionable intelligence and repute that surveying shall not take place while children or house guests are present, yet when the survey and invoice arrive you're suddenly perceived as merlin the heavy handed sorcerer, who has both some magical power to move physical boundaries and also to extort poor, well meaning people (who just want to cut down their neighbor's tree) out of exorbitant sums of unjustified monies.