Capitol Survey Co

We called them and they couldn't come on the day agreed upon.  They set another day and arrived promptly to do the work.  The job took about three hours.  They walked me through the survey and explained what they did.  They sent me a report that was just lines and numbers with no explaination.  I called and requested that they amend the report to include an explaination for the company that was installing the fence.  It took three tries but they finally sent a report that contained an explaination.

After getting Mr. Gugar's name from Angie's List, I called him about surveying my property. I described the lot size and location, and I asked for a ballpark cost to survey it. He said $500 to $600. He explained that he charges $100 an hour, and then there's also the cost of the research. I then asked whether I could get a better price if my neighbor, who owns the adjacent property, also had her property surveyed at the same time. Mr. Gugar said the two properties together would be less -- $700 to $850. After discussions with my neighbor, we told him to go ahead. Mr. Gugar set an appointment for 9:00 a.m. on July 27. I drove over there to meet him, but he wasn't there. I called him about 9:25 a.m. and left a message. A few minutes past 9:30, a car marked "Capital Survey" pulled up, but it wasn't Mr. Gugar. It was someone named "Ron," who was there to do the survey. I was somewhat taken aback, as I was expecting Mr. Gugar, and I didn't know who this man was, or whether he was licensed. Nevertheless, I let him go ahead with the survey. After watching him begin his work, I left, as I was ill that day. About 2:45 p.m. or so, I received a call from Ron, telling me that he was almost done with the survey. I drove back to the property, arriving about 3:15 p.m. Ron and his helper were finished and all packed up, ready to leave. Ron showed me where the line markers were. I noted that there was no mid-point marker on the rear line. Ron asked me for a check for $425.00, adding that Mr. Gugar had told him when he left this morning that he should collect $425 from each neighbor. I was again taken aback, because it seemed that Mr. Gugar was automatically charging the top figure from the range he had quoted me, without any consideration of the actual time it took. I told Ron that I would pay Mr. Gugar for the work after I received the survey papers. On July 30, Mr. Gugar called me, said he had the survey papers ready, and could he come and collect his money? I agreed. When Mr. Gugar arrived at my home, I pointed out that a rear center pin had not been set, and I pointed out the actual hours worked: barely 5 hours. He said that he also charges drive time one way. Ron had told me it was 30 minutes, and I related that to Mr. Gugar. Mr. Gugar said he spent 5 hours on research, and he charges $50 an hour for that. By my reckoning, 5 1/2 hours at $100 an hour is $550, plus $250 for research, which equals $800 -- not the $850.00 that Mr. Gugar claimed he was owed. I gave him an opportunity to adjust his price, but he did not; and I paid him $425, my half of the total. Twenty-five dollars may not seem like much to most people, but I am a senior citizen, a widow, and I have to watch my money carefully. Moreover, just by simple math, the bill should have been $800, not $850. I feel that I have been taken advantage of.

I went very well. I was provided with a detailed map, and the surveyor also answered additional questions I had by email. I am extremely satisfied with this vendor.

It went very well. When I called Mr. Gugar and explained that I needed to know the boundary line between my property and the neighbors on one side, he explained what the job would entail and gave me a price range, dependent on the time and work involved. He is very nice, helpful and accommodating.