I just overheard a call from my wife/secretary. She had returned call from a potential client wanting a quote for an elevation certificate, and was referred by an insurance agent we know.
She gives the price, pauses, then says "No, we have to go out the property, establish an benchmark on site, take several measurements of elevations on the house, and put together a 3 page report to turn into FEMA."
After they ended the call, I asked her how that went, and his response to the price was "That seems kinda high, all I need is a sheet of paper".
I don't think we're going to be getting this one...
I think they called me next. The lady told me she had already checked the maps and filled out the form she just needed me to sign it.
Hah, I got the job, I just signed it, it seemed really easy, she had the form filled out and all.
> ..... his response to the price was "That seems kinda high, all I need is a sheet of paper".
>
> I don't think we're going to be getting this one...
"Oh gee, I misunderstood, I'll send you a sheet of paper for free".
It's a good example of what the general public thinks of what we do.
How much do they think a 'sheet of paper' would cost from an attorney. How much does that signed deed to your property cost? :-/
This is the second time I've heard the "all I need is a piece of paper" line. The first time was from a realtor. Would saying "they sell boxes of those at Staples ... real cheap" be unprofessional?
I had a similar call myself today as our fee was double that of the fool... fellow surveyor. I explained to the caller that with us, Elevations Certificate fees are driven by our liability exposure over simply time and material. They actually understood which makes them more qualified then the fool... fellow surveyor whose fees don't!
Well hopefully you saved yourself from a bad situation. FEMA Flood elevation certificates can be an ugly business and LOMA/LOMRF's can be worse. I work with a fella who does most if not all of them around here. His fees are out of this world and he seems to get all the work because he is one of the few people who do Flood studies in Zone A undetermined which most flood zoneare in rural areas. Therefore he has few to compete with and has been in our area forever, not to mention that he might even be filing out the Section for Zone A that anyone can do and he is still charging them big money. I am just starting out "Part-time" due to a full time job. It is bad everywhere with the low baller's and the ones everyone knows and he is also an Engineer / Flood study guy there for he get all the business.............
I am new on here but have liked the posting very much.
to quote a good friend and fellow surveyor I know here in GA....
"Good luck with it!!"
V/r
Chad W. Carpenter, RLS