Bad Survey

[mambodave]

What if anything can be done with a bad surveyor?

I paid handsomly to have a survey done on a boat before I purchased, and overall , the boat is tip top, However, the surveyor missed some pretty obviosly things that I found out about after I made the purchase, which, makes me suspicious about the rest of the survey. I wonder if he even looked at the boat ( i was not present)

For example, the windlass is not operational, and he reported that its working fine. Now, there is no way that it was operational. The freaking motor is not attached and is burried under the anchor line in the bin...

Reports the genset is fine.. Yeah, not so much. Not a major repair, but none the less needs repair.

Then a few other issues...

What would you do?

Ask for the survey cost back?
Ask for him to cover the repairs that he obviously missed?
Kick the dealers butt?
Both, all three?


Lesson learned I guess, NEVER get a survey done without being present...

 

[fwebster]

A surveyor is your hired consultant or agent. Re-read your survey contract or the report he gave you and you will probably see working to the effect that he is limited to providing his "best efforts" in doing a survey. That pretty well gives a surveyor a pass on responsibility when you are not present to observe and question him.

He certainly didn't warrant the boat or the components mounted on it, so I don't think you have a prayer of getting him to pay to fix anything.

It is a little late in the game to try to suprvise him, but posing the questions you cite here to him is going to be about all you can do. Asking him to explain how he checked the windlass then asking him to explain how he found it working with the motor was disconnected. How did he test the generator, when it obviously needed repairs? A competent guy who just made a mistake will do something to make you feel right about his work, since word of mouth is how most surveyor's get work.

For all of you who commission surveys then are not present when the survey is done.......here's why it is better to go ahead and burn a vacation day and be there when the surveyor does his thing.

 

[TUna Mas]

At least 1 and 2! Not sure what the dealer's role is here without reviewing the contract(s)... but I'd be looking to kick someone's!

I know many surveys are done without buyer's presence, but as we stepped up from a 210SD to a nearly new but a few years old 300SD, I insisted on being present just to learn how everything was supposed to work. It was time well spent!

 

[sprink56]

A surveyor is your hired consultant or agent. Re-read your survey contract or the report he gave you and you will probably see working to the effect that he is limited to providing his "best efforts" in doing a survey. That pretty well gives a surveyor a pass on responsibility when you are not present to observe and question him.

He certainly didn't warrant the boat or the components mounted on it, so I don't think you have a prayer of getting him to pay to fix anything.

It is a little late in the game to try to suprvise him, but posing the questions you cite here to him is going to be about all you can do. Asking him to explain how he checked the windlass then asking him to explain how he found it working with the motor was disconnected. How did he test the generator, when it obviously needed repairs? A competent guy who just made a mistake will do something to make you feel right about his work, since word of mouth is how most surveyor's get work.

For all of you who commission surveys then are not present when the survey is done.......here's why it is better to go ahead and burn a vacation day and be there when the surveyor does his thing.

Amen:thumbsup:

 

[AKBASSKING]

A surveyor is your hired consultant or agent. Re-read your survey contract or the report he gave you and you will probably see working to the effect that he is limited to providing his "best efforts" in doing a survey. That pretty well gives a surveyor a pass on responsibility when you are not present to observe and question him.

He certainly didn't warrant the boat or the components mounted on it, so I don't think you have a prayer of getting him to pay to fix anything.

It is a little late in the game to try to suprvise him, but posing the questions you cite here to him is going to be about all you can do. Asking him to explain how he checked the windlass then asking him to explain how he found it working with the motor was disconnected. How did he test the generator, when it obviously needed repairs? A competent guy who just made a mistake will do something to make you feel right about his work, since word of mouth is how most surveyor's get work.

For all of you who commission surveys then are not present when the survey is done.......here's why it is better to go ahead and burn a vacation day and be there when the surveyor does his thing.

+2:thumbsup:

 

[mwph]

I was present during mine and Man, was I impressed! Turns out there was nothing at all to be impressed about. I was just overloaded with information that now seems trivial. The certifications he carried were of no value to my survey.

I did call him back and discussed the report which had some minor inaccurate statements. "Sorry" was about all I got and really about all I expected. There are dozens of guys here on CSR that could have done a better job. Lucky for me I had some issues put into the contract that were corrected and the boat has held up well so far.

My personal list for my next purchase will be extensive. Thanks in large part to CSR.

 

[jhild]

Kick the dealers butt?

Did the seller/dealer pick the surveyor, or did you? If this guy was the dealer’s surveyor, you’ve discovered the root of the problem.

 

[djboots]

A surveyor is your hired consultant or agent. Re-read your survey contract or the report he gave you and you will probably see working to the effect that he is limited to providing his "best efforts" in doing a survey. That pretty well gives a surveyor a pass on responsibility when you are not present to observe and question him.

He certainly didn't warrant the boat or the components mounted on it, so I don't think you have a prayer of getting him to pay to fix anything.

It is a little late in the game to try to suprvise him, but posing the questions you cite here to him is going to be about all you can do. Asking him to explain how he checked the windlass then asking him to explain how he found it working with the motor was disconnected. How did he test the generator, when it obviously needed repairs? A competent guy who just made a mistake will do something to make you feel right about his work, since word of mouth is how most surveyor's get work.

For all of you who commission surveys then are not present when the survey is done.......here's why it is better to go ahead and burn a vacation day and be there when the surveyor does his thing.

^^^^^WHAT HE SAID^^^^^:thumbsup: