Surveying Fiberglass Power Boats

Survey Parameters

Getting Started

When a client makes his first call to a surveyor, the most commonly asked question is “what do you do on a survey?”

That’s not an easy question to answer unless you’re prepared to spend the next thirty minutes giving a run-down on all the things you do.

This question points out how important it is that, when you consent to perform a survey, you are able to convey to the client a general idea of the service you offer.

Even more important than being able to describe what you can do is the ability to describe your limitations, despite the many pressures not to do this.

Every surveyor has to deal with the fact that he is not omniscient and that he cannot dismantle a vessel in order to evaluate the thing completely.

A survey is a process of discovery and is necessarily limited. It is based on what it is possible to discover without dismantling the vessel or otherwise causing damage.

Further, we have to consider whether we’re prepared to examine eight bags of sails, climb to the top of the mast, evaluate sophisticated electronics systems, testing washing machines and ice makers, perform engine and machinery surveys and so on.

When we stop to consider that a typical 45 foot yacht can be an extraordinarily complex vessel, we come to the realization of just how “general” the typical survey really is.

Fortunately, in North America the methods of performing a pre-purchase survey are fairly well standardized and accepted.

By and large, clients don’t expect surveyors to be omniscient, and they don’t expect that a survey is a comprehensive engineering analysis of the vessel.

However, from time to time we do run into clients who expect just exactly that and we need to be prepared for them.

Only by being aware that some of our clients may be ignorant or have unreasonable expectations can we then be prepared to deal with them effectively.

Qualifying the Client

The best method for preparing yourself, and therefore the client, is to use a process I call “qualifying the client.”

The best way to find out what your client needs or wants is to ask him. There’s a big difference between someone buying his first boat and someone purchasing his sixth.

Either way, once you’ve discovered something about his experience and what he expects from you, you’re in a much better position to satisfy his needs and his expectations.

If a client has unrealistic expectations, the time to find out is before the survey is completed, not after.

In my own experience, I end up turning down about one out of every five inquiries simply because I perceive that the client has unrealistic expectations that are likely to lead both of us into trouble.

If the client expects more than I can deliver, I do myself a favor and send him on his way.

The qualification period is the time to reach an agreement with the client on what the extent of your services will be.

Not only do I want to know about the customer, but I want to get from him a fairly detailed description of the vessel; age, general condition, refits, overhauls, how extensively it is equipped, whether it is modified or customized, has unusual characteristics or problems; these are all things that help to paint a general picture of what the surveyor will be faced with.

The more I can learn in advance, the better opportunity I have to avoid those problems. This is discussed in greater detail in the next chapter.

Lawyers often recommend, and many surveyors have tried, to obtain a signed survey agreements. On paper, that sounds like a good idea but in reality it is difficult.

In a perfect world we would all operate this way but a busy surveyor, more often than not, is arranging his next survey while on the job of the present survey.

For such a relatively low cost service, there is rarely time to enter into formal contracts. Nor is it really necessary if we know how to qualify the client properly.

I’m also of the opinion that if I introduce legalities into the process right at the outset, I’m creating a state of mind in the client that is more likely to hold me to my legal responsibilities.

Over a long career, surveyors make a lot of mistakes. My experience has been that if they’re honest mistakes and I own up to them, 99% are forgiven.

But how will the client react if you shove a legal document under his nose at the start of the survey?

My personal belief is that establishing good communications with the client is far more important than legal documents. However, if you feel more comfortable with getting signed orders, by all means do so.

Once I’ve got the job sized up, then I’m ready to discuss the extent of the survey the client desires and my price.

If we’re talking about a 53’ Hatteras, then we know that we’re faced with a fairly routine job.

On the other hand, if it’s a 53’ custom boat built of exotic materials by some obscure builder, chances are we’ll be looking more closely and spending a lot more time on the job.

Not only am I then better able to price the job properly, but also have the opportunity to fully brief the client.

The importance of qualifying the client is that it allows you to size up the job, reveals potential problems, and permits you the opportunity to educate the client on the limitations of the survey.

Finally, there is probably no greater incentive for a surveyor to perform less than a thorough survey (intentionally or accidentally) than to grossly underquote a survey fee.

This is a problem that constantly plagues surveyors when dealing with older or custom vessels.

The problem, of course, is that if the job takes twice as long as expected, the tendency is to spend less than the full amount of time required.

The hazards involved in this should be obvious. The best way to avoid the problem is to take the time to size up each and every job at the outset during the qualifying process.