The State of our uhum... profession

Welcome to the land of hope and change. I can tell from the tone the poster of the ad is not registered, probably laid off PC doing what they can do to pay the bills.

> Mortgage Survey crew looking for extra work, $85 a survey $120 w/flood cert, over 16 years experience, fast, and dependable. You email me the job packet, I'll do the survey as needed, fax my field notes and email my points and raw files. Thank you and have a great day

Maybe they are offering their services to surveyors as a sub crew?
Who else would need the raw data?

Not sure what a surveyors cost is, maybe thats a bargain for an LS?

"I'll do the survey as needed"

to who's needs, that part really bothers me.

That has been one of my main concerns when I send someone out to work, without my input, how do I know if it was really done and not doctored or concocted to be that way.

If you have a field crew that you personally don't supervise, how do you know they aren't sitting in the strip club and pencilwhipping field notes?

It is simply just another case of "us" cutting our own damn throats.

>how do you know they aren't sitting in the strip club and pencilwhipping field notes?<

Dancers get upset when you throw penny rolls on stage. 😉

OK, got me with that one, one moment while I clean the coffee off the monitor.....

> Maybe they are offering their services to surveyors as a sub crew?
> Who else would need the raw data?
>
> Not sure what a surveyors cost is, maybe thats a bargain for an LS?

In Texas, unless the PC is a RPLS it is illegal to do this type of "contract crew" work.:-P

> In Texas, unless the PC is a RPLS it is illegal to do this type of "contract crew" work.:-P

Actually, that is not a true statement. There is no statute in the State of Texas stipulating that a contract field crew must be PC's by an RPLS. In fact, there are hundreds of contract field crews around the state working for many Joe Surveyors.

AS3

Duval county, so I'm guessing Florida ... where unlicensed crew chiefs freelancing to low balling rubber stamping PLSs 150 miles away from the job site is becoming the norm.

Thanks Florida BOR for your awesome oversight ...

Can an unlicensed person in FL set a missing corner and thereby make a boundary decision that an LS certifies after the fact?
Sorry for the run-on.

Happens every day all over the country. It is of course subject to review and direction by the PLS or PSM signing the finished plat, but yes, pretty much SOP.

I see quite a difference between crews that are hired and trained by a PLS, have daily face to face communication, use equipment that the PLS knows gets calibrated, and can discuss the results of the survey ...

vs.

A Craig's List ad that basically says "Email a job file and I'll fax you notes when I'm done" ...

Adam,

We both left out something.

If it is a single survey party not working for a proper surveying company and they are just contracting out as a field party, then the PC had better be a RPLS.

It is perfectly proper for one surveyor to contract field parties from another company that legally supplies surveying services.

However it is not allowable for an unregistered PC who has some equipment to contract out his services to a surveyor. Why is not quite understandable to me. If I were to contract a field party, you can bet they will follow my instructions or leave.

😐

the answer is NO, and not only that, it's illegal to be any kind of "contract" survey crew in Florida (unless you are licensed). If the crew is doing your field work, they are supposed to be employees.

I have even been told that contract drafting is technically illegal in Florida. I'm not sure I agree with that one, but I do all my own stunts anyway.

Andy

> the answer is NO, and not only that, it's illegal to be any kind of "contract" survey crew in Florida (unless you are licensed). If the crew is doing your field work, they are supposed to be employees.
>
> I have even been told that contract drafting is technically illegal in Florida. I'm not sure I agree with that one, but I do all my own stunts anyway.

Andy - Yes & True to the illegal part

However we both know it's happening - EVERYWHERE

Andy (different andy)

Unlicensed activity is most recognizable by surveyors and is probably why the MTS in Florida says you have an obligation to turn 'em in. But, nooooo, I dont want to be the only guy following the rules. (sorry for the sarcastic tone)

Andy (different andy)

Sorry, meant 472

Andy (different andy)

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I recall Ted Madson in the late 80's asking a group of surveyors' in a seminar if they believed our profession was suffering with a low public image and lack of respect.

The overwhelming majority of surveyors said yes & concurred.

He then asked the group what the probable cause of this was.

They overwhelming majority of attendees stated shoddy and poor work by some LS's

- At which time the attendees of the seminar started complaining about, lowballers, surveyor's that don't set pins, surveyor's that only do mtg surveyors, surveyor's that seem to always miss the mark, poor oversight of their crews, etc. etc.

Madson at this point asked if anyone in the seminar has ever filed a complaint with the state board?

The seminar came to complete silence.

He then went on to explain that our profession, being a self policing profession, will never come out of the low public image, unless a surveyor is afraid of loosing his license. A surveyor doing bad work will continue doing bad word until he is forced to stop. He then went on to explain in a very eloquent way, that surveyor's don't report other surveyor's because they are afraid of the skeletons in their own closet.

Many of the surveyors in attendance either sheepishly looked at the surveyor sitting next to him or looked at the floor.

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