Equipment cost for Solo Startup

5 years ago I started up with an older truck, a used robot, a new net rover, and new laptop and Carslon for total startup investment of $30k. I couldn't have bought a new robot without financing and really I am glad I didn't, I attribute remaining out of debt to keeping my head above water the first few years. I have been able to add new equipment over the past few years. The old robots now a back up but I don't think I will ever let her go.

dmyhill, post: 366054, member: 1137 wrote: I think that, if one was frugal, they could get going for less than $50k. No fancy stuff, but useable.

In 2009 I did it for under 30K.

Already had a home office set up, decent computer & a suitable vehicle for the type of work I was doing (Jeep Grand Cherokee). Bought a demo Sokkia robot, Carlson data collector & Carlson field & office software for just over 20K. 36" HP Plotter & assorted tripods/prisms/range poles/etc. was another $7,500 or so. If I needed GPS for a job I rented it and rolled the cost (+10%) into the proposal.

The best thing I did was start hanging out on the old RPLS.com message board; I got a lot of good help from the posters then. Bruce Small sent me some templates and cad routines to help with drafting; Ian Wilson gave me some office templates and contract ideas; plus lots of on-line help from everyone else. It would've been a lot harder, without the help from the good people who post here. Thank you Wendell and Angel, for keeping this place together...

When I started; Jim Luke was working down in California. I paid the shipping and he said I could use his old set 4, tripod, a prism pole and peanut; as long as I needed and if I wanted to buy it, I could send him a check later. I thanked him and sent it back a month later buying the legs, prism and pole. I picked up a reflectorless Nikon from a friend in Issaquah for 5K and was off and running. I took out a 5 year lease on a Leica rover. 500 bucks a month for 5 years adds up to 30K, but well worth it. I bought a Carlson data collector and office software. I had a 94 GMC 3600 and most of the other miscellaneous stuff. The only other big expense was a decent computer to handle the software.

In 2006; I was able to get started on a shoestring and build from there. It might work in today's economy; but if you tried to do that in 2009 or 10, you might've ended up living in your van, down by the river.

My advice to anyone thinking about starting their own business; do a good job; when you say you will do it and for what said you will do it for; and your world will turn.

Dougie

I've been working on a plan to start up my practice. I am currently looking at about $25k - $30k to get it started. I could bring those costs down quite a bit if I got a used robot, but the cost of a new setup is very competitive and I'd feel a bit better with something new and carries a little bit of a warranty if something were to break.

I think for between $10-30k one could get going pretty well with used equipment. Carlson Survey with intellicad will run pretty well on any computer for basic jobs. Send PDFs to the blueprint shop to avoid buying a plotter. Not all vehicles look very professional but most will work fine. Get a used reflectorless total station plus data collector for around $5k or a used robotic setup for $7-17k. Buy an old Leica system 500 to do OPUS for $1,200. Metal detector, level, and other odds and ends +/- $2k. A frugal and industrious person could do it for even less. Renting per job is really not a bad way to go.

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I think that I got all geared up for about $4-5000 back in 2004.

The used total station from a former employer was about $1500. Carlson back then was $1500 with embedded ACAD. I already had my HP with TDS. Legs, prisms, metal detector, etc were about the same, $1500. Eventually I bought a $1000 plotter.

I was going pretty good, and I'm glad I didn't buy all new and carried a loan. The economy tanked, and that was it.

JPH, post: 366072, member: 6636 wrote: I'm glad I didn't buy all new and carried a loan. The economy tanked, and that was it.

I've been in the game long enough to see at least three separate boom-bust cycles.

I would strongly advise against carrying ANY unnecessary debt.

I'm not saying don't borrow for tools that will earn you a living - but that debt needs to kept as small as possible

Very good advice in these posts right here...

Whatever you invest moneywise is just a drop in the bucket of your real investment, so make it as little as possible to have some tools to get your work done.

Your real investment is YOU and your knowledge and experience and the time you take to craft your professional attitude and it will take every ounce of your fabric to pull it off.

When you make money, buy better equipment.

Expect 2 1/2 years to smooth out the rough edges and remember:

There is no EASY BUTTON to begin or end your day.....

:beer:

Back in 2004 after 11 years in the field and 5 in the office I'd thought I'd seen enough and for $15,000 bought 2 computers, 1 seat of Carlson, 1 Quick Books, 1 Sokkia 500, 1 SDR 33, 1 HP 500 plotter, 1 HP 5 printer, set of radio, 1995 Ford F-150, tri-pod, prism & pole and supplies for a year along with supplies for a year.

dmyhill - What does your business plan allow? It will be a function of the total amount of capital you have available. You should probably start with the business plan and go forward from there... Under capitalization is the primary reason that almost all businesses fail in their first few years.

If you get a focus robot it's 0% financing for 24 months.

You can work with your wife's minivan and off your kids desk. Snag Carleson and a cheap laptop from Costco and a mouse off amazon.

The new robot will run you 900/mo but with no office rent that's not a bad deal.

Of course that's not getting you any liability insurance or whatnot just the basics.

IF I were starting tomorrow, with a license...

And, I wanted to go on a shoestring.
I'd buy a new Javad. (hands down, no question) Around 22k.
Carlson, and a PC. And a plotter.
And a good shovel, and metal detector, and a case of flagging.
And a box of beanie wienies. Or, Smoked canned herring.
We'd be on like donkey kong!

N

Nate, the Javad would satisfy you without the need for a total station? Have you really quit surveying and started data collection instead? 🙂

Foggy, I'd not have believed it either. But, if you are just a little patient, and LET IT COOK, it will give you solid data, (+ - 3cm) on everything. Since I am skeptical, and very non trusting, I usually spend 20 mins, (Max to date is 45 mins) and shoot it several times, with rod moving up and down. So far, the WORST difference has been around 0.12' AND it told me which one was weak. It was an outlier. When the cluster avg thing does it's thing, it takes into account which shot is weak...
If you can live with + - 3 cm. You can go with it. On these weak ones, I accumulate a number of observations. And, the LS has a cute little average cluster program. It probably then gets it down to 1/2 of that. In Arkansas, that's going to work.
Not many land owners need it better.

N

Btw, 3 cm is probably the worst one. On a given survey. I am retracing myself, to check things. It's the bomb.

Nate The Surveyor, post: 366102, member: 291 wrote: Foggy, I'd not have believed it either. But, if you are just a little patient, and LET IT COOK, it will give you solid data, (+ - 3cm) on everything. Since I am skeptical, and very non trusting, I usually spend 20 mins, (Max to date is 45 mins) and shoot it several times, with rod moving up and down. So far, the WORST difference has been around 0.12' AND it told me which one was weak. It was an outlier. When the cluster avg thing does it's thing, it takes into account which shot is weak...
If you can live with + - 3 cm. You can go with it. On these weak ones, I accumulate a number of observations. And, the LS has a cute little average cluster program. It probably then gets it down to 1/2 of that. In Arkansas, that's going to work.
Not many land owners need it better.

N

That must mean you have an ancient data collector you used to use with your total station and now it's just gathering dust and taking up space...what's a guy to do? Can't have that ole' data collector taking up all that space....hmm....:-D

There's a story there.
I crashed my TDS with 128 megs of memory. Find earlier thread. I'm on a phone typing, so you can look. I bought a new screen for it. I need screen tape to install it. I bought a TDS from a friend, 32 megs, for 300. Still ain't paid him.
I will want that total sta, and dc combo, for laying out indoor huge buildings. And some things. I have not looked through a survey inst in 6 mos.
I'm babysitting today. Wife took day off. She is experiencing nausea.
Baby is sleeping now. Want a pic?

Nate The Surveyor, post: 366133, member: 291 wrote: There's a story there.
I crashed my TDS with 128 megs of memory. Find earlier thread. I'm on a phone typing, so you can look. I bought a new screen for it. I need screen tape to install it. I bought a TDS from a friend, 32 megs, for 300. Still ain't paid him.
I will want that total sta, and dc combo, for laying out indoor huge buildings. And some things. I have not looked through a survey inst in 6 mos.
I'm babysitting today. Wife took day off. She is experiencing nausea.
Baby is sleeping now. Want a pic?

I remember that story! You still haven't found the proper tape? I'll look up the thread. You should get it fixed and have it available to use, but I know what having kids can do to projects like that.
And a pic would be fabulous.