FAQs

How much will the survey cost?
Cost estimates can be generated based on the anticipated time to complete the project.  The amount of time to complete the project can, however, be widely variable depending on the amount of information available prior to any field work, the amount of difficulty in obtaining field measurements, and the specific documents requested out of the survey.

     At Thompson Surveying there are three types of Proposals. Lump Sum, Estimated Fee and On Call Services. No work is scheduled or performed without a signed contract proposal. Thompson Surveying Company does not provide any residential land surveying services.

     "Lump Sum", in which the client provides information regarding the survey needs, a site reconnaissance is performed and a proposal is transmitted to the client. A Lump Sum proposal is a contract for professional surveying services which details the Scope of Work, Deliverables, Schedule for completion and the precise fee being charged. The advantages for the client are a known expense, schedule and deliverables. The advantage for the Surveyor is full payment in exchange for deliverables.
     In "Estimated Fee" proposals a general scope of services is drafted, initial deliverables are listed, a site reconnaissance is performed and a proposal is transmitted to the client. An Estimated Fee proposal is a contract for professional surveying services which details the General Scope of Work, Initial Deliverables, Approximate Schedule for completion and an "Estimated Fee" based on the best information is sent to the client in a proposal. This type of proposal is generally used for development projects in which the client is performing a feasibility study or has not fully developed their strategy. The advantages for the client are payment is due in 15-30 days after invoicing and the job may be staged in small portions. The advantage for the Surveyor is full payment is expected at the end of each billing period.
     The third and last type of proposal is "On Call Services". On Call Services Contracts are primarily for Construction Staking projects which may continue for longer periods of time or jobs may enter this type of contract after the initial "Lump Sum" contract has terminated and the client needs additional services. On Call Services are billed per our schedule of fees.
     A Master Services Agrrement can be arranged for "long term or continuing clients" with a 5 -year history working with TSC. The Master Services Agreements have all the terms and conditions codified in the agreement and our Standard Schedule of Fees along with terms to assist the Client in timely services and flexibility on payment terms and excluding the "Pay when paid" notion and being in concert with Texas Statutory Mechanic's Lien Laws. The Proposal Process is shortened to a task order by the Client, once scope has been defined. A much easier way to conduct repeat business.
     Why does it cost so much for a survey? This question is often asked by clients who are surprised by the proposal costs furnished to them by a surveyor. The answer is really quite simple. As costs continue to rise, so do fees to recover the overhead.  The rising costs associated with Professional Land Surveying have continued to rise, along with all the other costs associated with operating any business. Professional Real Estate Brokers, Attorneys, Engineers and Architects understand this more than the layman, because they operate similar businesses with similar costs. Laymen understand the price of gasoline at the pump rising or their electric bill or even their insurance costs rising but tend to forget that a commercial business suffer the same situation with the exception that the commercial rate is usually a multiple higher than the residential or individual rate.
     Insurance Costs for Professional Land Surveyors, who maintain Errors and Omissions Insurance, along with Health/Medical and Life Insurance for employees, Standard Vehicle and Liability Insurance and Workers Compensation and Unemployment Insurance. Insurance alone accounts for up to 20% of the gross sales of a small business in the U.S. and is our highest cost center in running a business.
     Labor costs in Land Surveying have risen substantially and steadily since 1999, due primarily to a shortage of experienced and trained personnel. Senior survey crew personnel demand salaries commensurate with their experience, training and level of certification.
     Equipment costs have always been a major investment in the Land Surveying Profession. In no small part, the cost of high-tech equipment, including high precision Global Positioning Systems, Robotics, data collectors, computers, plotters and vehicles, have continued to rise. Imagine when a field crew arrives at your site, a six figure cash investment in equipment before you can start work. Not to mention fuel for the vehicles and most "Professional" Land Surveyors operate out of a business office. Add on to all the above, the cost of operating an office/store front, with commercial priced utilities, rent or mortgage and maintenance costs.
     Bargain Hunters or Price Shoppers are also a cost associated with our profession. On average, it costs a surveyor $300 - $500 to prepare a proposal for a client. This cost gets rolled into the overhead for operating the business. No business can afford to absorb costs or the principal's time being wasted, therefore those costs are incorporated into the proposal.
     The Law of "Supply and Demand". The Professional Surveying industry has become a "graying" community in Texas. The average age of a licensed surveyor in Texas is now 69 years. There are over 55,000 Professional Civil Engineers practicing in Texas. There are over 57,000 practicing attorneys at law with Real Estate Special skills in Texas and a similar number of Architects. Land Surveyors obtain most of their project assignments from these professionals. In stark contrast, there are currently less than 2,500 practicing Registered Professional Land Surveyors in Texas. The shortage of Licensed Professionals has continued to grow due to higher government regulations and requirements and fewer numbers of qualified applicants for licensure. When the four-year degree requirement for licensure became law, many potential surveyors became disenfranchised and have moved on to other professions with greater financial rewards. The positive side of this situation, is that the Professional Surveyor you retain today is practicing surveying for the love of the profession and the satisfaction of a job well done, more than the expectations of wealth.

When should you have a survey completed?
There are several instances in which a survey of commercial or private land is necessary and/or desirable.  A survey should be ordered whenever there is a conveyance of any parcel of land in order to ensure the location of the boundaries of the land.  Surveys can also be completed to show the location or ownership of land-based features, whether man-made or natural, and to obtain Title Insurance Coverage over matters of survey.  In the case of a property transfer survey, the survey should always be completed and available as part of your closing if the property is being mortgaged. Mortgage companies most generally require a survey to locate the improvements.  If the property is to be developed, a topographic survey will be required to locate existing improvements, utilities and drainage features in order to provide an adequate engineering base for design.

What things can you do to reduce the cost of your survey?
First and foremost, you should make the surveyor aware of any previous surveys that have been completed on or surrounding the property if you aware of any.  Also, present any documents you have regarding the ownership of the land to the surveyor.  Another action you could take would be to let the surveyor be aware of any property monuments near the survey and, if possible, mark the monument to make it easier to locate. Make a title commitment available to the surveyor or have your title agent fax or email the title commitment to the surveyor along with the supporting documents referred to in Schedule B Item 10.  Removing any obstacles on the property that may slow the surveyor should be considered.

What are the benefits of having a land survey completed?
If the property corners had not previously been marked, a land survey will mark and monument them.  A Plat of Survey can also then be prepared and signed by the surveyor which shows the nature of the monuments found or set, measurements of all property lines, and any encroachments, building lines, and easements.  If requested, the surveyor can also show the location of all buildings or specially noted markers on the parcel.

What qualities should you look for in a Texas surveying company?
Inquire as to the primary line of business the surveyor provides services (Residential, Commercial, Industrial, etc.). Inquire as to the years the firm has been in business. Successful firms have usually been in business a number of years. Is the principle of the firm a Registered Professional Land Surveyor ? Does the firm have "Errors and Omissions Insurance" ? Inquire as to what standards the survey will  be performed (TSPS Category 1AII, ALTA/NSPS).  Always ask for a written proposal that details exactly what the scope of service is, the fee to be charged (including payment terms), and the projected date of completion. The company that performs your survey should be familiar with the area in which the survey will be performed.  Additionally, the surveyor should have a good idea of what the client requires after a short conversation. If concerned ask the surveyor to meet you at the site. A face to face meeting will answer the question of professional appearance and give the client more confidence.

What types of surveys does Thompson Surveying Co. perform?
What types of surveys does Thompson Surveying Co. specialize in?
Thompson Surveying Co. performs surveys to satisfy almost any of your surveying needs. Our primary line of business is commercial land surveys. Our client list includes Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-mart, Albertson's, HEB, Kmart, Waste Management, USA Waste, Sanifill, Browning-Ferris Industries, Wells Fargo and several large law firms in and around the southeast Texas area. We specialize in  boundary and topographic surveys involving acreage tracts and in construction surveying. We also specialize in environmental surveys for industrial sites. Representative assignments can be found in our Projects section of our web site.

General Surveying Topics

What are the different types of surveys?
There are three general groupings of surveys which includes several specific survey types.  The three types are: boundary surveys, engineering surveys, and environmental surveys.  Boundary surveys include: monumented land survey, land survey plat, improvement survey plat, American Land Title Association (ALTA) survey or land title survey, and others.  Boundary surveys in Texas are regulated by the Texas Board of Professional Land Surveyors and must meet the "Minimum Standards of Practice".  The Texas Society of Professional Surveyors publishes the "Manual of Practice"  which established requirements for nine (9) categories of surveys. For additional information on the requirements you may visit their web page at http://www.tsps.org . Engineering surveys include: topographic surveys, right-of-way acquisition surveys and construction surveys.  Engineering surveys can be used to generate plan and profile sheets, digital terrain models, aerial maps, and subdivision plats.  Environmental surveys include surveys for monitoring well locations and remedial operations.

Where can I find more land survey information on the WWW?
The following list includes some of our favorite land surveying web sites.

The Texas Society of Professional Surveyors - This site presents information regarding the largest state organization of surveyors in the U.S.
The Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors - This site is the home of the regulatory board for surveying in Texas and includes rules and statutory information regarding Professional Surveying in Texas
C.L.Davis & Company. - This site presents plenty of information relating to surveying in general.  C.L. Davis & Company also can provide land surveying services and has experience in southeast Texas on Commercial Properties rarely seen.
Doyle & Wachtstetter, Inc. - Has a proven track record of Professional Land Surveying and is lead by multiple Registered Professional Land Surveyors including 2nd generation Professional Land surveyors.

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Last modified: February 29, 2020.