I recently did a rural survey for some pilgrims moving in from Cali.
It was fairly simple, 20 minutes from the office, 3ac subdivision lot.
The subdivision is a bit over 40 years old.
Found one monument, then searched for and recovered surrounding monuments, calculated up the two missing (there are only three for this lot) and set them, located fences and set some POL points.
Sent off a bill and got a response that they develop rural farm land in Cali and expected the bill to be not more than $500.
Really? That's the California cost for a survey.
LOL!
Liars and cheapskates are evreywhere.
The recording fees alone in the Portland area counties for Records of Survey are pushing $500. For plats (creating new lots) the recording fees are in the thousands. Tough to do the simplest lot job in this area for $3000-$4000. I'm not certain about California, but I know that they have similar challenges. Your client is full of ..it.
They slipped a decimal point. $5k is more like it if a Record of Survey is required. Where I am county fees along are about $1200, and in a neighboring county about twice that.
Really I wouldn't even get out of my chair for that.
Pretty sure it costs $500 just to answer the phone in California.
I'm shocked, shocked that they might fib to me.
I might be tempted to say,"Show me the survey and the evidence showing you paid $500 for the survey and my survey will be free."
An acquaintance of mine just had his undeveloped subdivision lot surveyed for $675 in Bladen County, NC. They moved from Tacoma, WA and expected to pay about $3K. They were hoping the PLS would help them through some of the land planning steps as they're unfamiliar with lot clearing, and other basic tasks, but apparently he wasn't much of a communicator. Too bad, getting paid for what you know is much better than getting paid to swing an axe.
lot surveyed for $675
😒
I've been getting some survey quotes from CA, mostly southern CA but not all in the metropolitan areas. Typical standard rates I've seen are around:
Principle Surveyor $325/hr
Field Crew $285/hr (3 person $395/hr)
PM $185/hr
Staff Surveyor $145/hr
Project Asst/clerical $90/hr
A recent inquiry I received (in Northern CA) wanted a survey that weekend defining an easement not shown on any other survey (Record of Survey Required) due to an ongoing lawsuit with the neighbor. This property is over 2 hours from the office. I gave them an estimate to do the work in their time frame that was around $10,000 (OT Rates). They said the last survey they got was $500. The problem is the general public doesn't understand the difference between the work product and the high likelihood of illegality of a $500 flagging survey.
Spoiler alert I didn't get that job. This is why I think RS fees should be capped at $500 even if the county takes a loss. We all lose when the county charges $2500 to review the survey and another less law abiding surveyor flags a line for $2000. When county fees are closer to $500 I can at least be only several thousand dollars over the illegal competitor...
Pretty obvious to me when someone tells me something like that, there one of two things going on. They don't have a clue what it really costs to do a proper survey by way of time spent travelling, research, field work, putting together the puzzle, checking to see if something has been overlooked, setting monuments, following up with a drawing or other requirements, or they're just lieing through their teeth and more often it's both. Not a great start to a working relationship.
Just because I'm paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get me.
To be as charitable as possible, it may be that they had a surveyor come out and dig up and flag a corner or three for $500, and since a surveyor did it, they considered it a survey. IMO, that sort of thing should done pro-bono - to deflect the idea that any actual surveying happened - or not done at all.
https://casetext.com/case/satchell-v-dunsmoor
or google "Satchell v. Dunsmoor"
Thank you for that link, Norman. That was a good read. Lessons to be learned, all around, in that one.
What I take from that case is this:
Surveyor gave an estimate of $6000 (today’s money) to do a proper job and eventually accepted $300 to do a cut rate version. He ended up in state Supreme Court (most probably also lower court and State Board) explaining himself. Who needs that?
In reply to the OP. Do you conduct survey work without a fully signed scope of work and fee? Without one you don't have much efficient recourse.
That case is pretty funny. Is that the first guy to think a disclaimer would keep him out of court?
I doubt it, but it is an excellent example of what some people hear when a disclaimer is offered.