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Message
Cost of a survey? (Updated with new quote)
Posted on 6/27/22 at 5:42 pm
Posted on 6/27/22 at 5:42 pm
Bought 80 acres at the beginning of the year. Going to divide it up into 3 equal parcels for future family homesites. Got a quote today for $18,500. I’ve never dealt, or know anyone who’s dealt, with property this large being surveyed so I don’t know what the pricing is but I thought it was going to be way less. Guy said $1 a foot for the existing boundary and $1.60 for the new lines to be surveyed. This includes all paperwork and fees required by the county and they handle all that paperwork. They’ll stake the boundary’s every 250’ as well.
Is this a fair price?
I’ve called around to three other surveyors and this is the only one who has returned my call.
Is this a fair price?
I’ve called around to three other surveyors and this is the only one who has returned my call.
This post was edited on 6/29/22 at 8:05 pm
6
Posted on 6/27/22 at 6:03 pm to GAFF
i guess it depends on the type of survey. when i bought my house i got a property line survey that cost $400
then when i built my garage i had to get an elevation survey and that cost me $200
$18.5k sounds very ridiculous to be honest but i have only dealt with a small home lot
then when i built my garage i had to get an elevation survey and that cost me $200
$18.5k sounds very ridiculous to be honest but i have only dealt with a small home lot
Posted on 6/27/22 at 6:07 pm to GAFF
How accessible is the property, how wooded /overgrown? A lot of factors go into pricing a survey
quote:this is pretty telling as well, surveyors are a dying breed, had a buddy go to a conference and they said in LA that there are more licensees retiring than new licenses being issued, by a pretty good margin
I’ve called around to three other surveyors and this is the only one who has returned my call
Posted on 6/27/22 at 6:18 pm to Tigerpaw123
The property is wooded and hilly but this quote was sight unseen so there’s no way that could be factored into the price.
I was thinking in the $6-8k range. Never expected to hear $18.5k regardless of how few or behind they are. I’m going to try to call all the others again tomorrow and hopefully get a call back.
I was thinking in the $6-8k range. Never expected to hear $18.5k regardless of how few or behind they are. I’m going to try to call all the others again tomorrow and hopefully get a call back.
Posted on 6/27/22 at 6:21 pm to GAFF
For 80ac and then subdivided and dealing with all the work for 3 new plats, it doesn't sound crazy. When I have to hire a surveyor it's on smaller tracts of about and acre or 2 and it's runs 2-3k.
This post was edited on 6/27/22 at 6:27 pm
Posted on 6/27/22 at 7:10 pm to Zappas Stache
I owned the lot next to my house and moved the property line over 5 feet on the deeds.
The developers of the neighborhood helped me do it and didn’t change me for that. The attorneys charged me $4000 to file it at the courthouse.
When I had the lot surveyed (wasn’t done prior for some reason), just getting the 4 corners marked cost $2000. The lot is slightly more than 1/3 acre.
This was 10 years ago.
The developers of the neighborhood helped me do it and didn’t change me for that. The attorneys charged me $4000 to file it at the courthouse.
When I had the lot surveyed (wasn’t done prior for some reason), just getting the 4 corners marked cost $2000. The lot is slightly more than 1/3 acre.
This was 10 years ago.
Posted on 6/27/22 at 8:05 pm to GAFF
Sounds a bit high to me. Where are you located?
Posted on 6/27/22 at 8:10 pm to jfw3535
Northwest Georgia
Posted on 6/27/22 at 8:15 pm to GAFF
Anything next to it been surveyed recently? A surveyor that’s already familiar with control points in the area might give a better price.
Posted on 6/27/22 at 8:57 pm to GAFF
A few questions need to be answered here for an accurate assessment of the estimate. They probably estimated it off of Google earth.
1. What is the shape? Aliquot parts of a section will be simple. Metes and bounds with a lot of courses will be much more time consuming.
2. Any natural borders such as roads, waterways, etc.?
3. Staking the lines is a big part of your estimate. Do you really need that at this time to divide it?
4. Are the boundary lines clear or dense brush?
5. What is being surveyed? Only the boundary lines? Or all improvements, if any?
6. How is the access throughout the property? Will they be able to drive relatively close the corners or will they need to traverse the underbrush a half mile?
7. Is this rural land or urban development? This will affect the accuracy standards they are held to.
8. Has this been previously surveyed?
9. Are you requiring any topography surveyed (contour lines/elevation data) for homesites in this survey?
10. Are there any known encroachments or fence lines around the property? Are they yours or the adjoiners?
At first glance $18,500 sounds high but there may be a reason he is the only one who responded to you.
They may know this is a tough area from previous projects in the area.
1. What is the shape? Aliquot parts of a section will be simple. Metes and bounds with a lot of courses will be much more time consuming.
2. Any natural borders such as roads, waterways, etc.?
3. Staking the lines is a big part of your estimate. Do you really need that at this time to divide it?
4. Are the boundary lines clear or dense brush?
5. What is being surveyed? Only the boundary lines? Or all improvements, if any?
6. How is the access throughout the property? Will they be able to drive relatively close the corners or will they need to traverse the underbrush a half mile?
7. Is this rural land or urban development? This will affect the accuracy standards they are held to.
8. Has this been previously surveyed?
9. Are you requiring any topography surveyed (contour lines/elevation data) for homesites in this survey?
10. Are there any known encroachments or fence lines around the property? Are they yours or the adjoiners?
At first glance $18,500 sounds high but there may be a reason he is the only one who responded to you.
They may know this is a tough area from previous projects in the area.
This post was edited on 6/27/22 at 8:58 pm
Posted on 6/27/22 at 10:00 pm to Antib551
quote:
1. What is the shape?
It’s a pentagon, the shape of a home plate basically. The road frontage would be at the base of the pentagon and the property comes to a point at the rear. There is about 3 acres annexed out of the pentagon that is owned by someone else. It would be in the front corner of the property.
quote:
2. Any natural borders such as roads, waterways, etc.?
About 1200’ of road frontage
quote:
3. Staking the lines is a big part of your estimate. Do you really need that at this time to divide it?
Not really. I didn’t know it would affect the estimate that much.
quote:
4. Are the boundary lines clear or dense brush?
The front is clear, the rest is dense/been thinned.
quote:
5. What is being surveyed? Only the boundary lines? Or all improvements, if any?
Boundary lines and then two new boundary lines to divide the land into three.
quote:
6. How is the access throughout the property? Will they be able to drive relatively close the corners or will they need to traverse the underbrush a half mile?
I’m going to say they’ll need to walk it.
quote:
7. Is this rural land or urban development? This will affect the accuracy standards they are held to.
Rural land
quote:
8. Has this been previously surveyed?
The property on the southern side was recently sold. I think they got a survey so that side should be marked.
quote:
9. Are you requiring any topography surveyed (contour lines/elevation data) for homesites in this survey?
No
quote:
10. Are there any known encroachments or fence lines around the property? Are they yours or the adjoiners?
Not that I’m aware of.
Posted on 6/27/22 at 10:48 pm to GAFF
Sounds relatively simple without seeing it. with the exception of having to walk it. Marking the lines is still very labor intensive, especially walking.
Quote is definitely high for 80 acres though.
Quote is definitely high for 80 acres though.
Posted on 6/28/22 at 7:02 am to Antib551
quote:
Sounds relatively simple without seeing it. with the exception of having to walk it. Marking the lines is still very labor intensive, especially walking. Quote is definitely high for 80 acres though.
A reasonable way to determine if a quote is fair is 1/3 to salary, 1/3 to expenses, 1/3 to profit. Would it take $6,000 of payroll to mark 80 acres? 2 guys making $80k each make about $1600/ week each, so that’s about 1.5 weeks worth of work for them.
I don’t have a clue on the normal costs, but to me this quote is the “I really don’t want to do this job but pay me this much and I’ll take the other 3 weeks of the month off to go fishin” quote.
Posted on 6/28/22 at 7:28 am to Tigerpaw123
quote:
this is pretty telling as well, surveyors are a dying breed, had a buddy go to a conference and they said in LA that there are more licensees retiring than new licenses being issued, by a pretty good margin
lol, it sounds like the guy may be better suited to go get a license. May end up being cheaper
Posted on 6/29/22 at 1:53 pm to The Eric
As a retired licensed surveyor I can't help with field work estimates but I can offer the following estimates of what I charged for a portion of a similar project 5 years ago.
Record room research $750 to 1,5000
Plat for subdivision 2,500 to 4,000
planning and zoning approvals 1,000 to 3,000
As you can see up to $8,500 can go to other than field work. Some jobs require 1, 2 or a 3 person field crew. My guess yours would be 3 plus GPS equipment would be pushing or maybe over $2,000 day. In heavy brush this could easily take up the remainder of the money.
Hire a surveyor based on reputation not money. You are paying for nothing more than an opinion. If not enough research is done a surveyor can come to the wrong opinion.
I made a great living going to court convincing the judge that my client neighbors survey was wrong.
You need a doctor you go to the best, you need an attorney you go to the best, you need a surveyor you go to the best.
Record room research $750 to 1,5000
Plat for subdivision 2,500 to 4,000
planning and zoning approvals 1,000 to 3,000
As you can see up to $8,500 can go to other than field work. Some jobs require 1, 2 or a 3 person field crew. My guess yours would be 3 plus GPS equipment would be pushing or maybe over $2,000 day. In heavy brush this could easily take up the remainder of the money.
Hire a surveyor based on reputation not money. You are paying for nothing more than an opinion. If not enough research is done a surveyor can come to the wrong opinion.
I made a great living going to court convincing the judge that my client neighbors survey was wrong.
You need a doctor you go to the best, you need an attorney you go to the best, you need a surveyor you go to the best.
This post was edited on 6/29/22 at 3:54 pm
Posted on 6/29/22 at 8:04 pm to rodnreel
Just wanted to post an update. I received another quote from a guy today. He actually surveys for the county and does his own stuff on the side. He quoted me $5200 for the boundary and $1000 for each interior line I wanted marked. So over $10,000 cheaper. Really not sure what to make of that gap.
Posted on 6/29/22 at 8:27 pm to GAFF
quote:He’s really busy. If you bit he’d squeeze it in for that price.
Really not sure what to make of that gap.
Posted on 6/30/22 at 3:41 am to tigeroarz1
The difference is insurance like medical, error & omissions, car, building and others like workman's comp. He already has most of that through his day job.
We have a saying "often the most expensive survey is the cheapest at first, if you have to go to court."
If you go with the cheapest person, get a copy of the surveying standards for your state. Its usually a quick read and make sure he/she follows it to the letter of the law. Many surveyors who do side jobs cut corners and don't follow the standards. It makes it hard and expensive for future surveyors to follow them.
Another plan is to ask "do you follow the survey standards" and of course the answer will be "yes", then you say "good because prior to paying you in full I will have someone review the plat to make sure you did".
We have a saying "often the most expensive survey is the cheapest at first, if you have to go to court."
If you go with the cheapest person, get a copy of the surveying standards for your state. Its usually a quick read and make sure he/she follows it to the letter of the law. Many surveyors who do side jobs cut corners and don't follow the standards. It makes it hard and expensive for future surveyors to follow them.
Another plan is to ask "do you follow the survey standards" and of course the answer will be "yes", then you say "good because prior to paying you in full I will have someone review the plat to make sure you did".
This post was edited on 6/30/22 at 6:29 am
Posted on 6/30/22 at 7:12 am to GAFF
quote:
He actually surveys for the county and does his own stuff on the side
quote:
So over $10,000 cheaper. Really not sure what to make of that gap.
Means he's sneaking the county's total station out the back door on Friday afternoon instead of buying his own
Posted on 6/30/22 at 8:42 am to Tigerpaw123
quote:That's because it's so damned hard to get a PLS, you know, barriers to entry to keep fees high.
this is pretty telling as well, surveyors are a dying breed, had a buddy go to a conference and they said in LA that there are more licensees retiring than new licenses being issued, by a pretty good margin
Hire a forester to find corners and mark your lines if instead if OP is unable. Or a buy a compass and DIY.
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