$200 CA LOT SURVEY

Yep, I saw that episode and was deeply disturbed by the price.

That guy in the episode was unlicensed at the time. I know the LA Chapter of CLSA's Professional Practices Committee was going after him. Not sure what the outcome was.

I find it interesting that there is such disregard for the licensing laws that a so-called "surveyor" would allow himself to be shown on a national TV program, performing services for which he is not licensed.

I hope that the Board has taken proper action in the interim.

> I find it interesting that there is such disregard for the licensing laws that a so-called "surveyor" would allow himself to be shown on a national TV program, performing services for which he is not licensed.
>
>
> I hope that the Board has taken proper action in the interim.

The biggest problem in that regard, IMO, is that the Board is given more teeth when it comes to a licensee stepping out of line than they have for dealing with unlicensed practice. They can assess a fine and issue a cease and desist order. They can even have the violator's phone disconnected, but that's as far as it goes. The unlicensed discount "surveyor" still has his network of associates who will continue to hire or recommend him because he's cheap-n-quick. If his phone is disconnected, no big deal, he gets another cell phone and gives out the new number.

The fines are often in the magnitude of what these violators could absorb as the cost of doing business, a risk assessment. If they get caught once every 24 months and are fined $1000, that cost can be made up in a fairly short amount of time. Only on rare occasion have I seen a fine for unlicensed practice in excess of $3000.

For any real consequences to the unlicensed person, the Board must rely on either the local prosecutor's office or the AG's office to file criminal charges. Quite often, each of those offices has other criminal issues perceived as being more important to pursue, so either put very limited resources toward the case, or none at all.

However, IMO, when someone is caught violating the licensing law prior to being licensed, especially if it is a repeat or flagrant offense, it should be a bar from ever having the opportunity to become licensed. The CA Board has been neutered and doesn't or can't do that.

Ontario Canada Case ~ Van Loon

http://www.canlii.org/eliisa/highlight.do?text=van+loon+association+of+ontario+land+surveyors&language=en&searchTitle=Ontario+-+Court+of+Appeal+for+Ontario&path=/en/on/onca/doc/2004/2004canlii8847/2004canlii8847.html

$200 for the lot survey... $1300 for the map review? 😛

I have been out of the CA world for about 15 years - other posters on this board can tell you that, depending on the type of survey and what county you are in, map checking is quite expensive

>....The owner called a surveyor out to survey the lot to verify the property lines.
> Cost to survey, according to the SHOW? $200. Did I see that right? They showed the surveyors on the ground with their instrument and doing their thing. The show even named the party chief. Frank Alv.......

Now, I don't want you think I'm defending this guy at all... because that is not what I'm doing. The guy was obviously oblivious as to how people watch TV and investigate things...

And I also have not seen the episode, but couldn't the crew have been doing a "field survey" and checking the corners and not producing a plat? Those are all fine and dandy here in Virginia, but I'm guessing that they are not in Cali? I mean I don't get all the RS and ROS and whatever meanings, so don't jump me like a shoplifter...

The unlicensed $2oo survey guy does not worry about map checking or filing fees because he does not file anything.

> The unlicensed $2oo survey guy does not worry about map checking or filing fees because he does not file anything.

Yeah, I get that. Duh. But does every lot survey in CA have to be drawn and recorded? That was the point of my statements. I'm not familiar with CA law.

Carl: Correct; in many cases it is not required to prepare or file any kind of report or plat.
BUT... this work does require the work be done by or under the responsible charge of someone who is authorized to practice land surveying in California.

Recorded or not, $200? In Los Angeles?

But I don't move off the freakin' lily pad for less than $500.

> Carl: Correct; in many cases it is not required to prepare or file any kind of report or plat.
> BUT... this work does require the work be done by or under the responsible charge of someone who is authorized to practice land surveying in California.

Roger that. Thank you. I get the lowballer price, I was just talking the other defining parameters.

I will go out on a limb here - what I saw, only briefly, on the show, appeared to be a freshly painted "set" hub on what I would call the back right corner. up 0.2' 🙂

Something should be filed, either a corner record or record of survey.

For Carl

CA law specifies certain conditions which will require a Record of Survey drawing be filed with the County. There are plenty of times when it wouldn't be. If you go out to a subdivision lot or other previously surveyed parcel, find all the record monuments where they're supposed to be, nothing else unusual, and you set nothing, then no map is required.

Some area are going to be more prone to encountering the RS triggers than others. Southern CA seems to have better records and a longer history of surveyors recording their work than in most parts of Northern CA. In the areas I typically work, one or more of the situations requiring an RS seem to be present on the vast majority of projects.

There is an in between situation, where you replace one or more record monuments, rehabilitate a dilapitated monument, or find a monument of a different character than what is shown in the existing record, but all else is as shown on other record maps. In this case, you draw up anf file a Corner Record.

The difference between a record of survey and a corner record can be slight or great, depending upon why your filing each. The RS is a full size map, as simple as showing a few lines, points, dimensions, and the statutory statements, or it can be as complicated, detailed, and as many pages as you feel is necessary to explain or show what you did. The CR is an 8 1/2 x 11 form with spaces on the front side to say who you are, what you found, and what you did. The back side is where you place your "sketch". Some CRs are as simple as stating that you found a rusted and bent iron pipe without a tag in a pile of rocks, that you set a shiny new one with a shiny new cap, and a very simple sketch showing a point representing the monument and maybe a couple lines representing property lines. Some CRs describe methods of resetting points and may have a drawing that is or looks like a complete boundary retracement, bordering on what you would expect to see on a RS.

Another significant difference between the two is the review fees (in most counties). By law, the fee for reviewing and filing the CR is set at no more than the cost of recording a deed. This is typically around $10, +/- a few dollars from county to county. The fee for reviewing an RS varies wildly around the state, with Orange County charging nothing, to some counties charging over $2000 to review the RS, with the typical fee (if there can be said to be one) being around $300 to $400.

I don't know if that clears it up or muddies it for you, but I hope it gives you some understanding of the comments by CA surveyors.

For Carl

evan - thats exactly, and I mean exactly, what I was going to say.:-) great job!

For Carl

> I don't know if that clears it up or muddies it for you, but I hope it gives you some understanding of the comments by CA surveyors.

That covers it quite nicely!

Thank you!!

Carl

For Carl

Evan nails it. My point was the $200 guy never intends to file anything whether it is required or not.