Message from my client:
Hey Snoop,
I wanted you to be aware of what other surveyors are quoting to get our business.
Landscape Architect
Original message from my competition:
Thank you for allowing me to introduce you to Blake Engineering & Land Surveying, Inc. We provide customized surveying services at economical rates with a prompt turnaround time. Our Topographic surveys disclose contour information on MSL datum, ALL TREES 6"above, flood statement, Zoning, lot coverage calculations, as-built and any special requirements that is need it all this for just $825.00 for a parcel less than an acre. Our normal surveys disclose boundary, as-built, lot coverage, zoning, flood statement and any special requirements that is need it. We are eager to earn your trust and look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Miguel Mendoza
Vice President
Blake Engineering & Land Surveying Inc.
Phone: (678) 293-5505
Fax: (678) 293-5655
My response to my client:
Thanks for the heads up.
That is a very attractive price. I know our fees on an acre lot in the areas you guys normally build (Sandy Springs/North ATL) are about $1200, depending on the job. My goal is to operate at a 15% profit. I wonder how they are doing those jobs and staying profitable. You might want to ask what kind of liability coverage they carry, if any. Ours is $1 mil per job and it is not cheap maintain but we do it as a necessity because of the projects we work. I also wonder about the "Se Habla Espanol" note on their flier. But if they get you what you need and it works for you it may be a way to save some money. I know we are all trying to do that now a days.
Just a question - and you don't have to answer if you don't want to... Have you guys lowered your rates?
We are trying to avoid it as a wholesale approach. Lowering rates leads to cutting corners and as we have recently seen cutting corners can end up with costly errors/omissions that degrade our reputation and head us in a direction we do not want to go. It is hard to get Ford at a Hyundai price!
They've got day laborers running their total stations don't they?
Dang Snoop, looks like you're too expensive....
There is a certain surveyor from out east who advertises $70/hour for a crew on his website. Sheez. I haven't seen those rates since the 1980's. The same surveyor was also bragging about a 15 pin survey he did for $1000. I guess he knows what he's truly worth...
It appears their draftsmen calculate the boundary.
My bid would be at LEAST 2k for that amount of work and depending on site conditions, and I probably wouldn't love doing it for that.
This is a good example of why I only do bid work. Many surveyors, if not all for that matter, in this area have a set price for services. When I've even tried that in the past I've lost money on some jobs, something I'm just not fond of doing.
Looking at their website under the Services tab, they have a picture of an I-man. At least they are using the latest, up to date equipment. I believe that is a Wild T-2000. Nice gun, 20 years ago......
"Miguel is the survey supervisor responsible for managing all field personnel"
But not Registered. I guess they use enough gray language there to throw it back on the liscenced guy. Whose info mentions zero Surveyor credentials. There was a time I was "Miguel" but I wouldn't put out anything without an experienced PLS OK. Certainly woulnd't have been second on their list of pro's
I don't know these guys personally and I have never followed their work. May be top notch. I am very interested in what you get for your money and how long they will maintain those prices. Sounds like a "get some new clients in the door with low prices" trick.
Let them run a couple of these boundaries in the nicest areas of ATL and see how they fair. The areas we work have some of the most complicated titles and poorly monumented lots around and records range from great to no surveying since the 1920s subdivision plat. Plus an acre of raw land goes for about $400,000.
It takes all kinds.
What do you think of my response to my client? I didn't come off as too much of an A hole did I?
> What do you think of my response to my client? I didn't come off as too much of an A hole did I?
Everything was great except for the gratuitous remark about Spanish. What does a bilingual ability have to do with professional competence and ethics?
My son -- about as Anglo as they get -- is a graduate of a Spanish immersion grammar school, and we're very proud of his ability to speak (and think!) in a second language.
>
> What do you think of my response to my client? I didn't come off as too much of an A hole did I?
It sounded professional, maybe it will make him think about his approach.
I am sure South Korea didn't appreciate the Hyundai jab either.
It never ceases to amaze me how the size of parcel enters into a surveyor's price to do a job. I have surveyed 1/4 acre lots that took many times the effort as 40 acres. Why does size matter at all? I agree with Jim that the comment about their ability to speak Spanish seems wrong, but I'm in politically-correct-world. Maybe that kind of talk plays in your area. I still wouldn't do it.
If they're just trying to get their foot in the door and that price gets them some business, I guess I can see that, but what about when they actually want to run a business at a profit? The clients they gain with this tactic are going to think they're being gouged when the rates go up. You gotta do what you gotta do, though.
Wow a boundary survey for $325!
> I don't know these guys personally and I have never followed their work. May be top notch. I am very interested in what you get for your money and how long they will maintain those prices. Sounds like a "get some new clients in the door with low prices" trick.
>
> Let them run a couple of these boundaries in the nicest areas of ATL and see how they fair. The areas we work have some of the most complicated titles and poorly monumented lots around and records range from great to no surveying since the 1920s subdivision plat. Plus an acre of raw land goes for about $400,000.
>
> It takes all kinds.
>
> What do you think of my response to my client? I didn't come off as too much of an A hole did I?
It's called a "Bait and Switch" scheme lure them in with sensational BS then bang them with extras or it's lure them in cheap and get them on the back end.
Same stuff happening in NC too.
The planning department sent a Surveyor over to our office yesterday to get some copies made of a survey he did in the county I live in. The guy has driven 150 miles away from home to do a 100 acre boundary with a 10 lot subdivision.
While the blueprint machine was running we talked about how he came upon the job. I told him I was never even asked to price the job. He told me that one of the other local surveyors had priced the job and the owner didn't want to pay that much so he asked around for some other names. We have three surveying companies here, but since the owner lives in the Winston-Salem area he called around until he found the price he was looking for.
Come on, this is free market nothing wrong with a $825 survey* or a $350 Survey*
Other than, you may become a topic of conversation on a land surveyors' message board.
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* Providing that the survey adheres to states laws, rules and regulations.
And if the survey does not meet those standards, file a complaint.
The reality is, that if the profession (meaning you) would have filed complaints against jacklegged surveyors in the past and if current Land Surveyors' had the fear that the BOR would take away their license or impose other sanctions, these Jackleggs would not exist today.
> My son -- about as Anglo as they get -- is a graduate of a Spanish immersion grammar school, and we're very proud of his ability to speak (and think!) in a second language.
:good:
those prices aren't that far off each other. If this person has a business relationship with you they should realize the added benefit of working with a proven surveyor and not going blindly with someone new to save a few bucks. Peace of mind has to be worth 400 bucks even today right?