First let me say I have the upmost respect for all our brethren that survey south of the Red River. 99.99% of them are good men and women that pay attention to their work. I even maintain a high level of professional respect for any Lone Star surveyor that constantly taunts other surveyors in different states about how inferior their work, locale, what vehicle they drive, or what they eat or wear might be. Or what software...equipment...
If you get a booth full of surveyors at a beer joint talking about bologna sandwiches there will always probably be one that want's to start talking about some fancy-French-ground-up-goose-gizzard-crap that he thinks makes bologna seem like pet food. Most of us here realize we are on the third planet from the sun. Some think they are out amongst the stars...and we still laugh and tell our stories because that's how surveyors are.
But if one were to read some of these certain posts about Texas I'm afraid they might get the wrong impression. I'm here to tell you that there are NO art seminars held on county courthouse lawns to aid in the determination of proper photographic technique in shadows. I'm going to bet living and surveying in Texas is just as plain and simple as it is anywhere else. And from these certain posts one might also get the impression that surveying firms down there are held together by the finest weave of professional fiber that has ever been produced.
So to keep readers grounded and make sure no one actually gets the wrong impression about how common things are down there I offer up a screen capture of something I saw recently. You can make your own judgment about how difficult, specialized or different surveyors in Texas are compared to the rest of us.
Looks to me like you could change the name of the state and the ad could be from anywhere. So much for the "the Lone Star theory of advanced surveying technique and professionalism" expressed by some. I'm betting, like the rest of us, surveyors in Texas put their britches on one leg at a time.
Mortgage surveys were made illegit many years ago. There were some urban/suburban firms that relied on mortgage surveys as a part of their nut i.e. profit. They adjusted and survived. Some with more grumbling than others.
As far as the prices posted in your thread, they seem to be inline or even a little bit higher than prices that have been posted here in previous posts about mortgage or loan inspection surveys.
They are dangerous because the property owner is misled to think it is a boundary survey. Another reason is that it becomes record and some future ignorance or foolishness interprets it as a boundary survey.
paden cash, post: 426482, member: 20 wrote: I'm going to bet living and surveying in Texas is just as plain and simple as it is anywhere else.
I love the fact that some surveyors feel that it is a competition to see whose state sucks the the worst to survey. I mean; if you puff up your chest; claim it's the worst place on the planet to work; and start thumping it. Well, that right there is pure entertainment!
It offers opportunity for others to reflect; to see the disorder the past indiscretion has caused and maybe seek to find a resolve to make it better.
A wise man learns from his mistakes; a wiser man learns from the mistakes of others.
We can all make this a better place to survey; if we just work together...
paden cash, post: 426482, member: 20 wrote: First let me say I have the upmost respect for all our brethren that survey south of the Red River. 99.99% of them are good men and women that pay attention to their work. I even maintain a high level of professional respect for any Lone Star surveyor that constantly taunts other surveyors in different states about how inferior their work, locale, what vehicle they drive, or what they eat or wear might be. Or what software...equipment...
If you get a booth full of surveyors at a beer joint talking about bologna sandwiches there will always probably be one that want's to start talking about some fancy-French-ground-up-goose-gizzard-crap that he thinks makes bologna seem like pet food. Most of us here realize we are on the third planet from the sun. Some think they are out amongst the stars...and we still laugh and tell our stories because that's how surveyors are.
But if one were to read some of these certain posts about Texas I'm afraid they might get the wrong impression. I'm here to tell you that there are NO art seminars held on county courthouse lawns to aid in the determination of proper photographic technique in shadows. I'm going to bet living and surveying in Texas is just as plain and simple as it is anywhere else. And from these certain posts one might also get the impression that surveying firms down there are held together by the finest weave of professional fiber that has ever been produced.
So to keep readers grounded and make sure no one actually gets the wrong impression about how common things are down there I offer up a screen capture of something I saw recently. You can make your own judgment about how difficult, specialized or different surveyors in Texas are compared to the rest of us.
Looks to me like you could change the name of the state and the ad could be from anywhere. So much for the "the Lone Star theory of advanced surveying technique and professionalism" expressed by some. I'm betting, like the rest of us, surveyors in Texas put their britches on one leg at a time.
$250 in OK
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/closing-costs/oklahoma.asp x
$425 in TX
http://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/closing-costs/texas.aspx
paden cash, post: 426482, member: 20 wrote: First let me say I have the upmost respect for all our brethren that survey south of the Red River. 99.99% of them are good men and women that pay attention to their work. I even maintain a high level of professional respect for any Lone Star surveyor that constantly taunts other surveyors in different states about how inferior their work, locale, what vehicle they drive, or what they eat or wear might be. Or what software...equipment...
If you get a booth full of surveyors at a beer joint talking about bologna sandwiches there will always probably be one that want's to start talking about some fancy-French-ground-up-goose-gizzard-crap that he thinks makes bologna seem like pet food. Most of us here realize we are on the third planet from the sun. Some think they are out amongst the stars...and we still laugh and tell our stories because that's how surveyors are.
But if one were to read some of these certain posts about Texas I'm afraid they might get the wrong impression. I'm here to tell you that there are NO art seminars held on county courthouse lawns to aid in the determination of proper photographic technique in shadows. I'm going to bet living and surveying in Texas is just as plain and simple as it is anywhere else. And from these certain posts one might also get the impression that surveying firms down there are held together by the finest weave of professional fiber that has ever been produced.
So to keep readers grounded and make sure no one actually gets the wrong impression about how common things are down there I offer up a screen capture of something I saw recently. You can make your own judgment about how difficult, specialized or different surveyors in Texas are compared to the rest of us.
Looks to me like you could change the name of the state and the ad could be from anywhere. So much for the "the Lone Star theory of advanced surveying technique and professionalism" expressed by some. I'm betting, like the rest of us, surveyors in Texas put their britches on one leg at a time.
Hmmm...wonder what his hourly fee is? I may think differently about this surveyor based on that.
Robert Hill, post: 426487, member: 378 wrote: Mortgage surveys were made illegit many years ago. There were some urban/suburban firms that relied on mortgage surveys as a part of their nut i.e. profit. They adjusted and survived. Some with more grumbling than others.
There is no category for "mortgage inspection survey" in Texas. What I believe the advertiser means in this context is a boundary survey for closing a mortgage. It must meet TBPLS requirements.
In 1980, I was doing loan surveys in about 20 minutes; I know the drafter was about half that...
If you're getting a loan survey out the door in an hour; your doing them to slow...
$425 an hour, for a surveyor, in Texas, sounds pretty good to me.
Ric Moore, post: 426499, member: 731 wrote: Hmmm...wonder what his hourly fee is? I may think differently about this surveyor based on that.
it isn't a race to the bottom; but a casual visit, maybe enjoy a cup of coffee or glass of wine; have a little chat...
I know it's hard to convince some people; they only want to hear what they want to hear...
paden cash, post: 426482, member: 20 wrote:
Looks to me like you could change the name of the state and the ad could be from anywhere. So much for the "the Lone Star theory of advanced surveying technique and professionalism" expressed by some. I'm betting, like the rest of us, surveyors in Texas put their britches on one leg at a time.
One of us never said that there aren't some misguided surveyors in Texas working for Walmart-type fixed fees. That firm whose ad you've posted (since updated, evidently) is located in the Fort Worth area and provides these fee estimates on their website:
Typical Pricing:
Typical Elevation Certificate
Typical Residential tract within 50 miles of office $500
Typical Commercial tract within 50 miles of office $1100
Typical Industrial tract within 50 miles of office $1200
Typical Platted Lots for Mortgage Surveys:
Typical Residential Lots - as low as $300 to $375
Typical Residential 3 acres and up - Call for a Quote
Tracts that have Metes and Bounds legal descriptions for Mortgage Surveys:
Typical Tracts up to 2 acres - $475 to $550
Typical Tracts 3 and up - Call for a Quote
*Discounts for multiple orders!!!
*Call for an ALTA Survey or please feel free to call a quote!
*For Topographical surveys please feel free to call for a quote
What the Minimum Standards prescribe in Texas are some fundamental things that every survey must include. Those definitely have time implications that cannot be ethically avoided. Now as for what "Typical Residential Lots" are, that may well refer to something that exists only in the vicinity of Fort Worth.
In 1980 I was low man on the totem at an engineering company in Texarkana that was charging $90 for city lots and they expected us to do 8 or 10 per day.
They did not even send a crew back to set monuments unless the clients called and complained.
Those guys are not a part of the company now and yes, it was illegal then too.
The only reason I stayed as long as I did was because it put food on my table and paid my mortgage.
There are some established companies that charge $400 per survey still and they have great resources of past surveys to fall back on in the areas they cover.
And, on the whole, the above is a pretty good demonstration of where fixed-price surveying ends up. It wouldn't surprise me if there is some surveyor somewhere with a readerboard advertising daily specials when the blue light is flashing.
Call and get your quote for platiing your piece of propertry [pretty sure a comma goes here] as required by your city [maybe another comma] or county.
R.J. Schneider, post: 426566, member: 409 wrote: Call and get your quote for platiing your piece of propertry [pretty sure a comma goes here] as required by your city [maybe another comma] or county.
I'd love to pile on, but I'll have to disagree on introducing commas. http://www.write.com/writing-guides/general-writing/punctuation/mastering-the-art-of-comma-usage/commas-misuse-of-commas/
FrozenNorth, post: 426567, member: 10219 wrote: I'd love to pile on, but I'll have to disagree on introducing commas. http://www.write.com/writing-guides...e-art-of-comma-usage/commas-misuse-of-commas/
I think you're mistaken on this occasion, registered. The use of the comma in this instance separates the notion that one has to call for a quote, from the unfounded belief that it is required by a city, or county. And as it is with most of my comments, if you purchase one comma, we discount the second one. 🙂
RADAR, post: 426488, member: 413 wrote: I love the fact that some surveyors feel that it is a competition to see whose state sucks the the worst to survey. I mean; if you puff up your chest; claim it's the worst place on the planet to work; and start thumping it. Well, that right there is pure entertainment!
It offers opportunity for others to reflect; to see the disorder the past indiscretion has caused and maybe seek to find a resolve to make it better.
A wise man learns from his mistakes; a wiser man learns from the mistakes of others.
We can all make this a better place to survey; if we just work together...
We have the most antiquated zoning. [emoji41]
And we all have the same emojis.
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
R.J. Schneider, post: 426566, member: 409 wrote: Call and get your quote for platting your piece of propertry [pretty sure a comma goes here] as required by your city [maybe another comma] or county.
edit: that still doesn't read right
Call and get your quote [think a comma goes here] for platting your piece of propertry [pretty sure a comma goes here] as required by your city [maybe another comma] or county. 🙂
How can you make money, no matter how bad you survey, if you drive 100 mIles for a $500 job?
aliquot, post: 426599, member: 2486 wrote: How can you make money, no matter how bad you survey, if you drive 100 mIles for a $500 job?
Beer Money
aliquot, post: 426599, member: 2486 wrote: How can you make money, no matter how bad you survey, if you drive 100 mIles for a $500 job?
Easy. Do ten of them while you're there. 😉
[USER=20]@paden cash[/USER]
Black. The word you were searching for in the title of this thread is "black". This is America. Black matters. :p:p
