The California Surveyor - CLSA

(CONTINUED FROM PACE 25)
For example, I can cite many past
listed 30 easements. If I estimated
my fee for a map that needed to
show easements, I would either need
a copy of the title report to know
what I am dealing with, or lacking
the report, assume that there were
no more than two easements. One
or two days of work can be underestimated
very easily, just in easements.
Most fees are given out
without ever knowing how many
easements there are.
We had a project last year that
included our assumptions in the
Exhibit portion of the contract. The
site was located in a familiar area
where I had worked ten years earlier.
The client had paid the required
50% deposit, the job was prepared
and the field crew had been sent to
the site. I received a call from the
party chief advising me there were
no centerline points or ties anywhere
within two blocks of the site. I
advised the crew to return to the
office. I called the client and explained
the "failed assumption" of
no control and an extra day of field
and half day of office time would be
required under an "extra work order"
to continue the project. The
client chose not to continue the
project, but we were paid for our
work to date and able to refund him
any funds left over from the deposit.
In explaining the assumption that,
"75% of the controlling monuments
will be in" or "the number of easements
in the title report will be limited"
has failed, we eliminate the
problem of explaining why the job
cannot be completed for the fee
stated in the contract. Some of you
may feel using assumptions is unfair.
The majority of our clients
response to this method has been
good. It allows good communication
with our clients before budgets
are blown and tempers have flared.
Be creative using assumptions in
your next contract. With good
projects in which the title report communication,
everyone wins!
Lloyd ]. Cook is the Director of the Survey
Department of C.W. Cook Co., Inc., a Land
Surveying, Civil Engineering and Land
Entitlements firm serving the City of
Los Angeles since 1911. •
Figure 2
The Following Assumptions Have Failed
JOB#
DATE
SITE
BY
REASON
TIME Used Estimated
#
REASON
TIME
[1 Used MEstimated
#
REASON
TIME
[ ] Used []Estimated
Field Notes Attached: [ ] Yes [ ] No
DISPOSITION
PROJECT HELD
Obtain authorization for $
deposit of $
PROJECT CONTINUING
Obtain authorization for $
deposit of $
NOTIFY CLIENT: Extra charges of $
will be added to invoice
PROJECT COMPLETE
Include explanation for extra charges of $
.with invoice
[ ] Hold Plans [ ] Release Plans
26 The California Surveyor Fall 1992