We have a client that gets us to resurvey several lots at a time in different subdivisions so they get their new houses in the envelope. Builders are always trying to save a dollar. He needs three lots done. See attached image. He's not as dumb as he looks. 
I've had builders try this over the years. I usually tell them, "OK, I'll play your silly game...but the price is the same as if you'd called and wanted all five lots."
paden cash, post: 450537, member: 20 wrote: the price is the same as if you'd called and wanted all five lots.
Yep.
I would give him a good price for all 5 lots, or a different price for just three if he first provides "Hold Harmless Letters" on lots 6 and 8 if he uses your survey for adjacent lots and has an issue. In all likelihood the 5 lot price will seem like a bargain.
Paul in PA
Hey I'll throw in the two lots in-between; 5 lots for the price of three! That sends him the message that you are aware of what he is doing, and your great deal acknowledges it.
It has been a long, long time since anyone has tried to pull that on me.
These days they try to convince me that I have surveyed the property before and only need some updates and perhaps a new boundary to divide the property.
Stacy Carroll, post: 450535, member: 150 wrote: We have a client that gets us to resurvey several lots at a time in different subdivisions so they get their new houses in the envelope. Builders are always trying to save a dollar. He needs three lots done. See attached image. He's not as dumb as he looks.
That's funny
Isn't that an old Railroad company trick?? We've all seen that before.
:joy: LOL!
At least your getting mapped lots which appear easily retracable. Everything I'm getting lately is "we need about 10 corners on our lot flagged up, how quick can you do this?"....Then look up the property and it's a chopped up/ deeded lot, no recent surveys, and would take a Record Of Survey to do the work. When I tell them, "there are no corners to flag" and give them an outlandish price (which is the real price to do it), I never hear back.
hand deliver the proposal. wear this hat.
Tell him that you can flag lots 5 and 9 up but not 7. You can get to 7 in about 4 weeks. When he fusses, straight tell him that you don't appreciate him trying to cheat you.
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Yeah.....I think it might be time to have a polite chat with your client and let him know that you aren't going to play his silly games.
Keep him waiting for a few days longer than usual before you give him a scope and contract and price it for 5 lots.
Stacy Carroll, post: 450535, member: 150 wrote: He's not as dumb as he looks.
It's been my experience that cheapskate builders are the hardest to obtain payment for services from. I refuse to work for builders that make you wait for payment until they "get their draw". If they have to rely on "draws" for financial reasons they are poor businesspersons.
That's a good one.
Well, the builder is aware that it is a lot easier to survey 5 contiguous lots at once than to go out to the subdivision and survey 5 various lots in various locations of the subdivision, (and I think he's right). It is even easier to do all "3" (re 5) one at a time at different times. If the builder was being real sneaky, he would request each of the 3 at different times.
I would think you could bid the job as a whole, and go into it that he is getting 5 lots staked but also know that it is a wiser thing to do them all at once. (of course take my suggestion with a grain of salt. I don't own a business)
Tom Adams, post: 450808, member: 7285 wrote: Well, the builder is aware that it is a lot easier to survey 5 contiguous lots at once than to go out to the subdivision and survey 5 various lots in various locations of the subdivision, (and I think he's right). It is even easier to do all "3" (re 5) one at a time at different times. If the builder was being real sneaky, he would request each of the 3 at different times.
I would think you could bid the job as a whole, and go into it that he is getting 5 lots staked but also know that it is a wiser thing to do them all at once. (of course take my suggestion with a grain of salt. I don't own a business)
bingo. if somebody came to me and asked for the whole shooting match to be done i'd be easily inclined to be friendly on the fee. but anyone who assumes that i'm either such a halfwit as to not see the ruse, or else such a pushover as to say "fair play"... well, he's paying for 5 lots.
3 individual lots $1,800. (Just throwing out numbers)
5 contiguous lots $1,700.
I usually have a price for one lot which depends on the location. If a client skips lots then its x 3, which is actually better for me, because I'll survey at least 3 lots for each lot survey and some times the whole block.
It's like someone wants to survey one line, he's paying for the lot survey.
billvhill, post: 450836, member: 8398 wrote: I usually have a price for one lot which depends on the location. If a client skips lots then its x 3, which is actually better for me, because I'll survey at least 3 lots for each lot survey and some times the whole block.
It's like someone wants to survey one line, he's paying for the lot survey.
It's always struck me that if a good neighborhood could get together and have their whole block and lots surveyed at once, it should cost less per person, and they could get agreeable monuments throughout the block. The trouble is to sell it to the homeowners, who would be naturally suspicious of someone who is going to make money from their suggestions. Also if at least one homeowner doesn't agree, it would probably all fall apart.
