Sometimes, you have to make up for lost time and money on the next survey in the same area that uses the same points.
There is no way that a one acre survey in the corner of a section should cost 8 grand, even if it does take three days.
Sometimes later, some day down the road, the neighbor gets to pay a little on the data gathering done previously.
On another matter, years ago a highway patrolman gave me a ticket for barely speeding when I was coming in late one evening from work; tired, hungry, and wanting to see my family. It took me twenty years, but when he needed something from me, his invoice for a survey contained an extra amount that gave me my money back. Boy, that felt good. I considered it an "aggravation surcharge." Sorta like I did for that little old lady that would call at 5:30 a.m. wanting an update on her survey......several mornings in a row.....one hour before my alarm was to go off. Grrrrrrrrr! Some days, you just have to suck it up. Just don't forget, and you can catch up later.
I will do the work required to get what I need to do the survey right. I may not be able to bill 100% to the current client, but I will catch up later.
"yeah, but its only an acre..."
Unfortunately, the public (including real estate professionals) just don't understand how survey pricing works. Around these parts, $800 for a 1 acre survey is pretty good (until you get into a quagmire like you did). I tell people that my prices are based half on experience and half on guessing at what evidence that I may actually find. Not easy to explain.
First, and most important: "You don't live there." So it really isn't YOUR problem until you take it on.
To the client"
"How much are you willing to pay for your survey?"
"How much if it's a piece of crap? How much if it's correct instead?"
That should give you a "leg up".
I just read 'Legal Principals of Property Boundary Location on the Ground in the Public Land Survey States' by Ira Tillotson, 1973. What you write about has been going on for along time I gather after reading Tillotson. Seems to me the whole system is broken and needs major reform. It will never happen with insurance company's, lawyers, and bottom feeding Land Surveyors being in the majority. My 2 cents, Jp
Well said Harold. Sometimes you have to build your dataset to build on for the future.
I just found a copy and ordered one. I look forward to adding it to my library.
Soometimes it takes awhile, but I do make it up later.
N
> Well, I have no idea how or why anyone would do that much work for $800. edit... unless I misread that and you meant you "made 800" not billed $800... I know everyone's markets are different, but when you seriously break down the hourly rate for the time end energy spent, (not to mention liability) how can you sustain yourself on that?? I don't get it. I guess if $800 is what the market will bear for that amount of work, it sort of answers your question as to why others are cutting corners and doing such terrible work.
$800 for a few days research!! How much field time? Sounds like at least two trips. Four days work for $800! That is flat out ridiculous. That won't even cover wages let alone overhead. $800 wouldn't even cover my research and this is coming from a recording state. Never budget based on future work as the future may never come.
You know, low standards, lower standards, and down some more. That's a problem around here.
N
they do not understsnd because some surveyors
are willing to give there services away
