Implementing your purchase - Locating a Surveyor

[Dave2]

Its interesting how much goes on this board that is not publically posted but handled via private message.  Much of the good stuff is between the more public members of the board as like a club if you participate you get to know people even if we never meet them.
Lurkers don't know what they are missing.

One of the more interesting beliefs I have is that members of this board are more successful then people realize.  I would be interested to see collectively how much we as a group win of the total especially what I call the reasonably priced total.   Some of the prices we are not interested in winning. 

I am going to take one recent private post semi public because it is a problem we can all face if we are successful.   Locating and properly utilizing a surveyor.

I was asked to recommend my surveyor but I would not do it in this case because I am concerned that the ratio of travel time to work time is out of balance.   The property in question is a larger rural property in southern Ontario not close to any major cities or towns.  I asked the person what is the purpose of the survey and of the property itself.

The reason for this is the quality of survey should consider its purpose.  If I am going to build on a non flat land I often will ask for the cadillac of surveys; a full topographical (IE. 3 dimensional) survey.  Obviously this costs but it really helps in the next phases of approvals and construction.  Township  planning and building officials almost never get one and it really helps with approvals unless you are trying to hide something.

In this case the person wants only a simple boundary survey to locate the 4 corners but it is in a forested area that is likely not well settled.  (I won't give the exact location to protect confidentiality.) Its intended use is recreation. 

In a rural area I would next go to the county website and find out where the local land registry office is.  Once located I would go to the Association of Ontario Land surveyors website where they have a service to identify their members.

http://www.aols.org/directories/susearch.asp

Finally recognizing that surveying cost may not be cheap.   I would get more then one estimate and I would suggest that if it is not rush see if you can negotiate a better rate by asking the surveyor to do it at his convenience.  IE a long lead time but a definite delivery date.   

[netpred]

This board has pms? You learn something new every day.

Dave, I have used surveyors in the past, but only for standard type lots with perhaps a house and some outbuildings. A good deal would be $700 maybe a bit more. My guess is that a rural survey in the woods would cost more but I have no idea how much more. Your advice to get a few quotes is good.

So, when are you going to send me a juicy pm?

[Rob]

Click the comment bubble under a person's name and you can pm that person.

[speedfreeksteve]

The problem that I have found in Ontario and worse in Muskoka/Parry Sound districts is that land surveys are very expensive relative to the cost of most other places. Some have claimed that the price difference is due to the terrain but the cost of a survey in the similar terrains of the Adirondacks in NY or northern Michigan is around $500 in cases where no markers currently exist, less if it's just a lot in town.

I'm not sure if it's more expensive here just because that's what the market will bear, but it also looks to be an oligopoly (a market served by a limited number of firms).

Even worse you can get a survey just about anywhere in Florida for $200.

I would love to see a firm come in with competitive prices that relied on volume more than charging a high price. Maybe we can all go in on a deal to get 10-20 properties surveyed for one price. I know I would like to have two of my properties up north surveyed, but not for $1000 a pop.

[MargaretAnderson]

I think we all get a little bit distracted from the main topicstarter's theme