Why Land Surveying?

[@713devereux]

I have been a survey party chief close to 30 years now in Raleigh N.C. Surveying has given me a good life both career wise and for my lust of travel. During my time I have seen many of back roads in over a dozen states and a untold number of beautiful places I have visited.

[@indy4175]

I worked with my dad in NC since I was 12. He’s still working at 79 years old.

[@michaelhammett3771]

I have been surveying in Alabama for 47 years 35 of those registered and I just wanted to say Thank you for promoting the professional Land Surveyors all of us need to promote this honorable profession a lot more than we do. Thanks again and God Bless.

[@MRWANg-pz9oo]

If you don't mind. Or if you have the time, could you tell me a little bit about the experience? I live in alabama too, I'm 20 and I've been thinking about getting into surveying, I don't have any experience but my grandfather surveyed and had his own company and my dad did some as well when he was younger

[@wadewedemeier9378]

Texas surveyor…versed in all aspects…land and boundaries…industrial construction and civil engineering…29 years in the field and I would never change a day…I absolutely love my job…and thank you for your video…we need more young men and women to become interested in this occupation…cheers from Texas…

[@chadhoward550]

Thanks Wade! Cheers to you and your fellow Texans. I've always been a fan of the Lone Star State.

[@Littlefield82]

Thanks for sharing Chad. I surveyed while in high school and college in Johnston County and cut my fair share of line in the dead of summer. I really liked being outside and getting to see places (backwoods) that most don't. You are dead on with the story telling as well. I do highway design now and work with surveyors all the time and really respect what you guys do.

[@chadhoward550]

Thanks for the feedback Mike! Oddly enough, I had a clip in the video about seeing things/places that few people ever see, but ultimately had to cut it out of the video because I was already 3 minutes over the time limit I was given. I found an iron wagon wheel embedded within a 3-foot wide oak tree in the middle of a forest. You couldn't see the hub (it was inside the tree). You could only see the iron spokes coming out of the bark and leading to the wheel, which looked like a hula hoop around the tree. Sadly, we didn't have smart phones at that time, so I only have a mental picture of that treasure!

[@jackbriscoe1504]

As a NC PLS myself it's a great job.

[@anggakrissahara3409]

thank you for sharing sir, i'm angga from indonesia as a junior surveyor. i want to be able to have a career as a professional surveyor there.

[@danm5780]

Hi Chad. Thank you for the video. I am in the Raleigh area and actually looking to get my career started in surveying. Your company looks like they do great work.

[@chadhoward550]

Please consider a career with Taylor Wiseman & Taylor. I've been here 22 years and have no desire to leave.

[@timothystone2297]

Excellent video, thank you for this information!

[@chadhoward550]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bobcollier1097]

Thanks for the video Chad. You brought back some memories of my time surveying in N.E. Ohio. Winters of snow and cold, and hot summers cutting a line with a a brush axe into a nest of yellow jackets. And there's nothing like trying to chain across some lowlands that were recently logged. Hard to hold a point. All good. My Father and brother were licensed in Ohio and we worked together for years. My father passed recently and my brothers and I found an old compass with tripod that he never mentioned he had. It's circa 1865 and made by Richard Patten out of New York. We would like to sell it and could use a little direction if you have the time. Thank you, Robert Collier

[@chadhoward550]

Excellent memories Robert. I would not have a clue what that compass and tripod are worth, but I would certainly like to have them on display in the lobby of our office. If you decide to put them up for sale on a site like Ebay, please let me know so that I can go look at it. Best regards, Chad

[@jacobtodd8256]

That's awesome! I'm based in winston salem and we survey all around up to Charlotte and as far down as the virginia border. I'm in love with this job. Would love to learn from you brother!

[@chadhoward550]

It's great hearing these positive vibes about surveying! If you're serious about a job with TWT, please give us a call.

[@diegomillan2806]

Hi Chad. How difficult is for a foreigner to work as surveyor in america? I live in chile and almost had a degree on land surveyor. Its really interesting to me to move on , but i want to know how is the situation for begginers and recently graduate people. Thanks in advance for any reference.

[@clintwoycehoski3319]

I've been surveying in florida since hurricane charley ..I have to think there is more dangers surveying here than anywhere between the cotton mouths rattlers gators and quick mud I've encountered lol

[@5elements984]

Well wonderful explanation.now pl guide me , i have agricultural land and i want to convert it into small farmhouses via plotting.what steps should i follow right from CLU ,to plotting pl guide me stepwise.thankyou

[@chadhoward550]

You should speak to someone in the planning department of your local municipality.

[@William14094]

Thanks but I still don’t understand the main purpose of land surveying. Is it to identify property boundaries?

[@chadhoward550]

Identifying property boundaries is certainly one of the most important tasks of a land surveyor. I recommend that you do a google search on "land surveying". I just did and there are tons of answers to frequently asked questions. Within the past week, I participated in a Teams Meeting with the head of land records (from the Secretary of State's office) and several environmental engineers from the NC Department of Environmental Quality. The land records person and I were trying to explain how easements work to the DEQ engineers. This is just one more example of how a land surveyor often finds himself acting like an attorney. I have been working with property law for over 21 years and I have several attorneys that call on me for advice with respect to property law. If you're still in school, consider working with a surveyor for a summer.

[@humbertogallegos5259]

Thank you for sharing

[@chadhoward550]

My pleasure

[@FrankRzzo]

I assume you run 2 man robot crews since you talk about teaching new people. Too many companies have 60+ year old 1 man crews which means not many are learning the trade sadly. Land surveying is an awesome job if you enjoy the outdoors.

[@chadhoward550]

We have several seasoned crew chiefs that perform field surveys with a robotic total station as a 1-Man Crew. When we hire folks with little to no surveying experience, they operate as a helper to a party chief until they learn how to operate a robotic total station and GPS equipment efficiently. When they begin performing surveys on their own, our field supervisor (a licensed surveyor) works alongside them or behind them to QC their work and help them learn from their mistakes. Within the last several years, we taught someone with a BS degree in biological engineering and an automotive mechanic how to be effective party chiefs. They both became excellent surveyors.

[@FrankRzzo]

@@chadhoward550 that is very rare in my home state Chad. Usually we come across the common beta male that is scared of going in the woods and dealing with the bugs let alone swinging a hammer. Really nice to hear of successful surveyor trainees.

[@ercussio]

Thanks for the video. I got my doctorate in the wrong profession, and at 33 I'm trying to restart. Land surveying sounds like a great fit for me, but I'm trying to get my foot in the door with entry-level work experience (I already spent 10 years in college and I need to earn a paycheck). Any advice for a beginner in my situation? I'm in Los Angeles, CA.

[@chadhoward550]

Surveying companies are desperate for help in North Carolina, which equates to better pay than normal for folks with no experience. Hopefully the same can be said for California right now. Advice? Just remember that it is not the surveying company's fault that you "got a doctorate in the wrong profession". You're going to have to be willing to suck it up and accept a low paying job for at least two years while a seasoned party chief teaches you how to survey. If you're smart enough to get a doctorate, you should learn surveying faster than most, which means you could become a party chief faster than most. As soon as a company can trust you to go out with GPS and/or a robotic total station by yourself to perform surveys, you will be able to command a decent salary. I hope you are willing to give surveying a try. The profession is in desperate need of 33-year olds (and younger). Good luck!

[@ercussio]

Awesome, thanks for the info. I've been told that the same is true for the area I'm in, southern California. I'm definitely willing to humble up and put in the 2 years of entry-level work, mostly because for once I'll be in a field of work where I know there is actually upwards mobility. For now I've been contacting & sharing my resume with all the local surveying companies I can find.

[@acevedo6953]

Awesome video

[@chadhoward550]

Thanks!

[@acevedo6953]

@@chadhoward550 I’ve done scaffolding and cathodic protection Survey and land surveying is by far my most favorite job I’ve ever had. I started as a rod man and I’m currently a IMAN love the task and learning something new every day.

[@jacksongrimes2708]

Nice bike

[@chadhoward550]

Thanks ✌️

[@ryanrobin12]

Because!! That’s why, Chadzilla!!!

[@chadhoward550]

Bravo! Great response! LOL

[@harrisonclark3799]

based

[@chadhoward550]

I'm honestly not sure what you mean by that. "based"

[@vincentdolente7053]

One of you just caught me out in my sneaky stealth camping spot... yall r everywhere huh lol

[@armorvestrus4119]

You sir, are very impressive, you're the kind of person anyone could learn from and follow easily. However, your great advancements have removed you from the field and into a office when in fact your true love is being in the field behind a Total Station. So get back out there that's where your happiest. Just think about it you even said it yourself.

[@chadhoward550]

I appreciate the compliments. I'm afraid that my field days are over, since I run a survey department and cannot afford the pay cut that I would have to take to become a party chief again. I do my part by teaching party chiefs how to perform survey adjustments and import their data into AutoCAD so that they can perform quality control functions on the data they collected. I have also led several seminars for the NC Society of Surveyors where I do my part to help educate young PLS's. I'm sure my teaching days for the Society are not at an end. Good luck to you in your endeavors.

[@pais4957]

Pretty much he thinks his shit don't stink and doesn't really appreciate his field crews he had treated Me and my Iman like Garbage multiple times