No shortage of jerks out here

Similar issue just the other day for me too. Lady wants to expand a shed but thinks her neighbor is encroaching. Since the shed needs a permit the inspector want tags on the corners. So I quoted 1 K to set front and back corners. Waaayyy ttoo mucchhh! Sheech. After filing corner records and paying for a helper plus drive time, it just isn't worth putting up with.
People just don't get what it takes for us to lay out the lines. Or the liability.

lol...thats below my starting price.

i quoted a price for a flood certificate today...they lady actually laughed at my cost to do the work.

oh well.

I would reply with this joke:

DO you know the difference between a Harley rider and a vacuum cleaner? On a vacuum cleaner, the dirt bag is on the inside.

Sight unseen, I would expect to estimate a fee higher than $900 for the same project.

Because my proposals are a minimum of 4 pages long and printed on heavy paper, I usually don't get the rude responses. I often receive compliments on the paper we use, except from the Conservation Commission.

A man called last year wanting his lot surveyed. When I finished I delivered the survey plat and description and the man's wife wrote me a check for my $650 fee. A few days later I received a letter from the woman complaining about my fee and she said I ought to be ashamed of robbing people.

I wrote a letter back. Since I had already deposited her check I enclosed a check for $650. I told her since she felt I was robbing people she could have her $650 back. She sent my check back to me and said they didn't need charity.

I don't think I've ever got a job (or even a phone call) from someone that stopped by while I was working on a site. People often ask for my card, say they need a survey, but they never call (probably a good thing!).

Several years ago I got a call to stake a short lot line for a fence. A few months earlier, I had done a survey & septic design for a tear down on the lot next door, so I already had control in place, and I though I'd give her a break and only charge her $400 for what someone else would have had to charge $2000 (difficult area).

She called and left a message that she was so outraged that I would have the nerve to charge a whole $400 that she went to the town to get a copy of my septic system plan and would measure off the trees I showed to install the fence "and there was nothing I could do to stop her!"

next time a Harley-rider...

..gives you some friction about survey price, ask him how much a main-shaft seal on his transmission costs...about $8...then ask him how much the Harley Shop charges to install that main seal.;-)

No shortage of jerks out here>spleeneus!

Mine are two pages, spledeus, but we print both sides 🙂

No shortage of jerks out here>For the record

I am not dis'in harley riders. The guy could have, just as easily, been driving a prius, hummer, bicycle, or just out for a walk.

My point is that jerks come in all flavors, races, political parties etc. There are enough to share! Haha

I probably wouldn't have replied to him, as I try (sometimes unsuccessfully) to avoid the temptation to argue with people like that. However, my first thought would be to reply "I'm sorry, I was under the impression you wanted a proper survey".

I would also say that this type of response doesn't just apply to surveying, as I can attest. 🙂

> As I was standing next to the instrument a couple on a Harley drive by, turn around and come back. "Are you working for the town or private?" He asks. "private" I answer back. "Great, I need a survey at my house."

My answer would have been, "Love to help you out, but I'm afraid I'm booked up right now." If you've ever gotten a decent client out of a drive-by situation like that, you've led a charmed life. Odds are that the reason your guy stopped is that in his mind you're just like the paving contractor who is working in the area and can maybe give a cheap price since, you know, you're already there.

Jeepers I thought $900 seemed a little on the low side for any type of boundary work.
Anything less than that you are probably better off not even getting a survey done, considering the probable quality of work.

No shortage of jerks out here>Oh Kent

I wasn't near his place. I was 30 miles distant, and in cape cod time equates to about an hour, cape cod traffic time. I understand that in texas time that is only 10-15 minutes. He was just out riding with the missus.

I have been asked to do exactly that. I was on a mortgage survey in town one morning. A guy pulls up beside me and says, "Survey mine after lunch since you are already here." He was three blocks away! They don't understand the idea of research or preparation needed before a survey begins.

So much of our work is staking subdivison lines in well established neighborhoods. This one is registered land and my proposal represented 5 hours of my time.

In my experience i have found that the majority of property line stakings don't involve disputes, unless we make it one.

I have never known a successful poker player who had to play every hand.

No shortage of jerks out here>Oh Kent

> I wasn't near his place. I was 30 miles distant, and in cape cod time equates to about an hour, cape cod traffic time.

Okay, so you were thinking that he stopped and wanted *you* to do this survey for him because he liked the way you were dressed? I mean, obviously there were some irrational assumptions at work in that situation weren't there? Always wisest in those cases to just say "No thanks, I'm a surveyor. What you want is a MAGICIAN".

Maybe he's not rolling in it but if he can afford a Harley it sounds like he's rolling on about $20k in disposable cash