Setting fees

> ..... she mentioned that the title company said that the survey ought to cost around $400.

Tell her "yeah, $400 per hour is a bit steep, I'm sure we can do it for a lot less. So...how much is that Title Company charging anyway? Maybe I can help you come up with a more reasonable cost for them as well."

If you want fresh, clean oats you have to pay a fair price. If you can settle for oats that have already been through the horse, you can get those cheaper.

I like that! 😀

I've heard that about beer too.

One of the principles in the company as well as the office manager were discussing survey prices. They are upset with what the survey department charges. They both think a survey should cost $400.
So we deal with the title companies, attorneys, and realtors setting our fees. Now we have to fight the battle internally as well!! :-@

I only give quotes after extensive research, then a firm one.
That I base on my hourly rate only.
If a potential client balks I mention the cost of education,
equipment, insurance, etc. I also mention that surveying
is like some other professions, that in some cases you
get what you pay for and then go into time spent on research,
potential consequences of inadequate research, etc.

Just my $0.02 worth.

Have an excellent day and be excellent to one another,
Scott

Tell her to go ahead and have the title company do it, it's a super low price!

> Tell her to go ahead and have the title company do it, it's a super low price!

I do that too, and also ask for the name of the person that they spoke to at the title company.. I like to remind them how inappropriate that is. Usually, it's a casual remark made without malice.

AJ

I get that type of call all the time, more commonly with real estate agents and bank employees quoting the survey fees. I just try to stay calm and sound professional and say "I don't know where they (the bank or real estate agent) got that number -- I doubt you'll find anyone around here to do it for that.

LOL! Ill have to remember that one.

I get that call at least one a week. I say it is about the same price as it is to fix a car that won't start.

I've gotten several calls recently regarding the cost to prepare an Elevation Certificate. Most callers already have a $400-$500 fee in mind that was suggested by the insurance company involved.

I tell them to go ahead and have the insurance company do the survey.

I have never tried it, but I really like the comment about asking what the insurance company is charging for flood insurance and suggesting that it is too much.

JA, PLS SoCal

I ask them for the contact info at the Title Co. and tell potential Client I will call them back after I speak with the Title co. Never had a single potential client able to provide that info - maybe potential client is lying...?

> I ask them for the contact info at the Title Co. and tell potential Client I will call them back after I speak with the Title co. Never had a single potential client able to provide that info - maybe potential client is lying...?

Maybe, but they got that number in their head somehow. Personally, I don't doubt for a second that it came from a Title Company, or a Realtor (or an attorney)

edit or p.s. (rant on): Everyone gets up in arms about surveyors setting their fees and discuss the case from many years ago when an (Arkansas?) Professional society chapter discussed common fees as some meeting. But dang; it seems like other professionals can collaborate over professional fees and not only that, tell clients how much a land survey should cost. I just don't understand it.

Lately I've been so far behind I can usually weed out the price shoppers.
When they start out with "how much?", I ask "when do you need it?", which is usually tomorrow or this week, so "I can't get to it then", and don't quote an estimate. Some die hards don't give up so easily, and I tell them I have to see the deed & site to quote an estimate, but there's no point if I don't have time to do the job.
I've been considering turning down all bread-and-butter surveys until my work load changes. I'm still doing work that I booked last year.

:good:

Most who start out with "What's it cost?" are never heard from again once they get a dose of reality passed their way. They are hoping it will be a trivial amount so they can deal with their trivial problem. The first problem is that they think their issue is trivial. Many just want to prove their point to an adjoiner without realizing their point may be incorrect and, even worse, downright expensive (in their opinion) to prove. The advent of "magic" whatchamacallits over the decades has convinced them that we operate like all the cop shows on TV that can resolve the most complex situation in 60 minutes (less commercials, of course) or less and get it right on the very first try by merely guessing.

It's irritating but it happens all the time here so I don't get mad and snap off something nasty to the caller any more. How many times do you see people asking about "open source" software on this site? Everyone wants to pay as little as possible and still get a Cadillac. Banks are the big problem because they pay $150 for mortgage surveys so they think a full blown survey should just be about double. We've got most of the real estate agents we work with now calling us before quoting anything to their clients, lawyers too. If the caller will stick on the phone long enough we just try to spend a few minutes educating them on what they are likely to receive for the bare bones minimum. If they're still around after that I start in on the education, equipment & insurance. If they don't want to give me the time to look into the project, I just saved a bunch of time and head to the next project.