a polite request from a p*ss*d off surveyor

L

luddites

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 Sep 2004
Messages
181
Location
Me river Blackwater boat river Deben
www.paulstevenssurveys.com
It's that time of year for Insurance surveys again. Now I don't want to open the old debate about whether you need one, if you can find a way to avoid it and are happy with your insurance small print then go for it. This is still a relatively free country and long may it remain so.
BUT if you do have one, please do not leave your boat loaded to the gunnels with gear. Dragging deflated dinghys or cannister liferafts out of deep lockers is sometimes impossible without help, I for one am not a labourer and I'm not going to risk getting a hernia and spoiling my sailing. To find every locker jammed full, plus dinghies, liferafts and mainsails in stak packs still on the boom stored below often makes our job impossible. At best it takes twice as long for the same fee.
I expect I will get a torrent of abuse about what we charge, "I don't really need this survey" etc etc but I've been in the business along enough to have a client base of nice people many of whom have become friends, so I don't actually care.
 
"I've been in the business along enough to have a client base of nice people many of whom have become friends, so I don't actually care"

I run my own business and the moment that I found myself saying "I don't actually care" I would sell up as quickly as possible because I would know that within twelve months I wouldn't have a business at all. I am not sure what you are seeking in promoting this outburst but I see that it serves no purpose.

I have to do tasks for my clients that I would prefer not to do, and indeed that may involve comparative "labouring" as you put it. However I operate in a highly compettitive environment and whilst I believe our clients respect us greatly they would not accept such an arrogant approach as yours from us. If my clients will pay me £1,000 per day to labour then I am extremely pleased to labour.

I suggest that you calm down and reassess whether you should continue in your chosen profession. There are others that might irritate you less.
 
I agree with you completely ..... now tell me more about this £1000 per day and are there really 365 days in a year.

Must just go and dig out my calculator

Won't be a minute!
 
I was once guilty of this

The surveyor was the late Peter Brown, who was also a designer. Fortunately the boat was a few yards from his office, so he told me to unload everything and he would come back when I had done so.

I learned my lesson and since then have had the boat reasonably stripped out.

Surveyors do not have x ray specs.
 
Re: If my clients will pay me £1,000 per day to labour then I am extre

Whether it is £1,000 or £100 per day is irrelevant. The rate is set by supply and demand in the marketplace for the services that you supply to your clients. Typically, in London, the big 4 accountants charge £700 per hour (yes hour) for their services. My industry won't support anything like that charge rate so I'm remunerated at a much lower rate. That's my choice - I could have chosen to work as a tax manager for a big 4 accountant. I chose not to, but to do what I am doing now. My choice, and I don't gripe about it. Likewise you have clearly chosen to develop your skills in the marine surveying business - fine, that has it's own established market rate as well. If the market rate is un satisfactory in your eyes then retrain in another industry where you think the rate more appropriate for your labour or other endeavours. There are plently of industries/professions/businesses where you could earn £1,000 per day should you have the motivation so to do.

If you are in business for yourself (as presumably you are) then you know very well that you only have yourself to blame/congratulate for your failures or successes. Get on with it; don't snipe at your clients.
 
Dunno what you are all getting so snooty about, the bloke is making a pretty reasonable request. True I think he was being a bit silly with his final remarks........So snooty ones, do you really expect someone to lug all your gear around just so they can do a survey for you?
 
no, I'd sort it before he turned up. My point is that his attitude will kill his business dead - and that is stupid. I wouldn't want him on my boat if he get's very cross at the sight of something in his way. I can imagine shackle bags and other detritus which I keep in my sail locker being unceremoniously dumped on teak/sails/canvas and me having to pick up the consequences. The engineer that I use to do my engine servicing prides himself on leaving my boat in such a manner that I can't tell that he's been on board and done the work. For me that's good service and I am happy to pay for that. It's only a matter of attitude - this poster - for whatever reason has had a bad day and seems to be biting the hand that feeds him as a consequence. That is not a strategy that has longevity on its side.
 
Luddites

I can see your point. You are a proffesional suveyor, paid to survey, which to do well requires a great deal of knowledge and concentration. It also carries significant risk if a mistake is made. You are not being paid to prepare a boat for survey, so understandably do not wish to do that. Robih quite rightly points out that in a competitive service based market it can help your business if you go the extra mile and give a bit more. I agree.

Quite why this thread has now turned into a slanging match between two total strangers who work in totally different industries is beyond me /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Is this a wind up and you both know each other really?
 
Greetings Jonic,

I have no idea what is going on here, but my final comment in the original post about not actually caring is totally justified by the response by this guy Robih.

Actually I have been in the business a very long time, love my job, and have had a succesful career. And come to think of it, £1000 a day?
I'm bu**ered if I'm going to take a pay cut...........................
 
Can I put a different slant on this. I prepared a boat perfectly for a surveyor who then requested that I make myself scarce while he carried out the survey. Fair enough - he didn't want me breathing down his neck. However when the survey was published, the buyer was concerned about various points that the surveyor had noted such as:

Areas on the gelcoat that had not been repaired properly - these turned out to be the marks left by the faded lifting point stickers:

A boat heater that would not start. It did not start because he did not turn on the fuel!! I was in the yard, no more than 5 mins from the boat and at no time did he ask about any of these things.

Fortunately, the buyer and I met a few days later and we quickly realised that not one of the points raised by the surveyor was in fact relevant and the sale went ahead at the full asking price.

I won't be using that surveyor again!!
 
"Actually I have been in the business a very long time, love my job, and have had a succesful career. And come to think of it, £1000 a day?
I'm bu**ered if I'm going to take a pay cut........................... "

Now that's more like it - excellent!
 
[ QUOTE ]
"Actually I have been in the business a very long time, love my job, and have had a succesful career. And come to think of it, £1000 a day?
I'm bu**ered if I'm going to take a pay cut........................... "

Now that's more like it - excellent!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hooray

We're all friends again. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Now lets go down the pub, this is a bloody awful, grey and wet Tuesday.

(Dreams wistfully of Engish Harbour -Antigua. Hmm we could all go there instead.......I could sell the boats, Ludds can survey em, and Rob can fill em with computer goodies.)

029.JPG
 
/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

John,

How long have you worked for 'Relate' then?

Your good!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Al
 
[ QUOTE ]

/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

John,

How long have you worked for 'Relate' then?

Your good!!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Al

[/ QUOTE ]

Yacht brokings practically the same thing /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

You can come and run the sea school ( non -tidal there as well /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif)
 
As a Surveyor and having experienced it ....

I can understand Luddites point .... he also does title it "Polite request" ....

Yes a pity about the last line comment ....

But his point is a valid one and I know for my own self - the problem of crammed lockers and gear filling a boat ....

It is so much better and easier for all to survey a boat that has been thoughtfully prepared for the job ... terrible to say it - but a "prepared" boat would receive a more favourable "mind-set" from the surveyor than a "PITA" one ...
 
If a Surveyor requested me to be scarce .....

Then he would be invited to make HIMSELF scarce .... not me who's paying the bill.
As a Surveyor .... I always liked to have the owner client there - the post here highlights good reasons for ... we are not fountains of knowledge about individual boat set-ups .... many things can be explained away easily when owner is there etc.
It also makes the whole exercise much more pleasant ....
 
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