Rate Sheets for Survey Companies
Standardized rate sheets are critical for survey companies to maintain margin while bidding competitively.
A well-structured rate sheet is the foundation of a profitable survey firm. It ensures every PM bids work consistently.
How Survey Companies Use Rate Sheets
SurveyOps integrates time tracking and job costs, allowing survey companies to evaluate whether their rate sheet examples match their actual operational costs.
- Standardize hourly rates for different crew sizes.
- Establish flat fees for common survey deliverables.
- Analyze profitability against actual time spent.
Protecting Margin
Without a clear rate sheet, project managers may underbid complex jobs, leading to unrecoverable losses.
Building Your Rate Sheet
Consider the cost of equipment, travel, and specialized software when building your survey rate sheets.
Rate Sheet Creation Checklist
Calculate fully burdened labor costs
Include wages, benefits, and overhead for both field and office staff.
Account for specialized equipment
Add daily or hourly rates for robotic total stations, GPS, and LiDAR units.
Review historically profitable jobs
Analyze past projects in SurveyOps to see where your current rate sheet examples are performing well.
Rate Sheet Pitfalls
Avoid these common pricing mistakes:
- Failing to update rates annually to match inflation.
- Not charging for travel time or mileage.
- Offering "favored nation" pricing to too many clients.
From Bid to Invoice
By tying your rate sheet directly to your job tracking software, you ensure the hours logged in the field match the invoice sent to the client.
Pricing Quick Wins
Enhance your profitability immediately:
- Publish an internal rate sheet reference guide for all PMs.
- Track "estimated vs actual" hours on every job for 30 days.
Summary
Survey rate sheets are dynamic tools. By tracking job time and comparing it against your established rates, survey companies can confidently price their services. Learn more about SurveyOps.