Surveyor Employment

[Jim Luke]

Hello,
I have been working on relocating back to California from Denver.
The real estate has gone up about $200,000 on most houses in the past three years.
Most of the employers are offering about the same pay rate as I was making when
we moved away in 1992 (maybe I was overpaid then?).
What’s up with that?
Don’t the employers want to hire people from other areas?
If the pay rates do not keep up with the cost of living, people can’t move into the
area because they can’t afford the housing (that’s me).
This means the employers are limiting themselves to only the people presently in
the area who already had a home and have been able to ride the price increase so
that their payments are the same as three years ago and so are their taxes.
Backing the numbers in, I am willing to make a down payment of $400,000 so
working out the payments, taxes, insurance, and other necessities, I need to get
paid about $50.00 per hour or at least $100,000 per year to make it work.
With a 3 multiplier that is only billing me out at $150 per hour.
If you have to have a 3.3 multiplier it is only $165 per hour.
Why aren’t the surveyors charging out that much for their valuable time?
Now I know that you surveyors who have been living here are not worth
that much, but I think I am (and of course you are too!).
Have you called a plumber lately?
How about an appliance repair person?
Let’s not even talk about car repairs.
And I need a new truck that just keeps going up in price.
The 14 year-old car will just have to do a while longer.
And then I am expected to supervise three crews with the party chiefs making
just a little less than I after overtime.
Well all this just surprised me is all.
Rant over.
Jim Luke

[Bob Hart]

Jim,
Looks like you are in the market to start your own firm. Interest rates are low so maybe you can get vendors to prepare a one dollar buy out lease and finance your equipment. The wages you quote are owner's wages. Not many of the principal surveyors I know are making the wages you are seeking. Good luck on your search.

Bob Hart
Central Valley CA

[Jim Luke]

Bob.
I know what you are saying.
But who needs more competition?
Wouldn't a firm be better off with a good businessman for a survey manager rather than as a competitor?
That is what I am saying.
Why shouldn't someone pay a reasonable wage for a good manager?
A salary that they can make work.
Just looking for good business sense.
Thanks for your post.
Jim Luke

[rustybean]

You say you are willing to put down $400,000.00?!

For the observations you put forth this seems a bit out of sorts.
Maybe you meant $40,000.00?

What area are you looking into?
It really varies throughout our state!

[Jim Luke]

Rustybean,

When you have to buy a place for $600,000 to $800,000 you have to put a lot of money down to be able to qualify for a mortgage and to be able to make the payments.

I was hoping to put down only $150,000 to $200,000 to make it work, but that won't work with these prices. I mean really, I could buy a company with that kind of cash! But we need a house.

We have looked at the Bay Area and Los Angeles.

Thanks for your input,

Jim Luke

[rustybean]

What part of the Bay area and/or LA area are you looking?!

If you really have $150,000.00 to put down you should be able to get into a $400,000.00 - $450,000.00 house.

Or even less depending on where you really are looking.

The Bay area extends further north than most people think of (Santa Rosa for example)

and

the LA area extends further east than most people think of (Highland/Redlands for example)

I can vouch for Santa Rosa housing at $400,000.00 +
and Highland $250,000.00 +

and those are nice neighborhoods in good school districts.

If you really want the actual cities then yes - you're stuck paying considerably higher housing prices and that's true of any city in the world.

What about Sacramento - not too far from the Bay area with surveying jobs and affordable housing.

just a thought
*:)