Have you ever worked with a boat inspector Palm Beach? If you haven’t, you definitely have a lot of questions mostly on how the survey process works. In this post, our focus will be on the crucial facts you must remember before you hire a surveyor. Keeping these facts in mind will help avoid frustrations once work starts.
You pay the surveyor
The first point you need to remember is the boat inspector Palm Beach is paid by the person who requests the services. This means if you are the one hiring a boat surveyor, you will be the one paying for their services. In some situations, the seller may hire a surveyor in order to understand the condition of their vessel, the fair market value and to instill confidence in potential buyers. In this case, the seller will pay for the services.
How much does it cost?
A surveyor may charge a flat fee or per foot. The per-foot rate is the most common and usually ranges from $20 to $30 per foot. It is also common for surveyors to charge you for their transport costs if your boat is located in an inaccessible location.
The surveyor only works for you
The surveyor only works for the person that hires them. If you are the one hiring the surveyor, you can be certain the surveyor will only share his findings with you. They will not disclose any information to the broker or vendor. This is unless you give them the green light to do so. Immediately after the survey is done, it is common for the surveyor to give you an overview of their findings and a walkthrough of the vessel. It will take about three days for the surveyor to compile a detailed survey report.
You pay for dry-docking
Hull surveys as well as full pre-purchase surveys usually require dry-docking. This is done to help the surveyor get a better view of the boat while it is out of water. You will be the one paying for the slipping. In most cases, surveyors prefer that the boat be already dry-docked by the time they arrive. You don’t have to pressure wash the hull. However, if the surveyor realizes there is excessive corrosion or pitted steelwork, he may suggest the hull be grit blasted or an abrasive process be used to remove the coating, corrosion and marine growth.
A surveyor is not a mechanic
Last but not least, always keep in mind that while the boat inspector may have experience as a mechanic, their job during the survey will be observing and listening alone. Yes, they may use imaging tools like infrared to look inside components but they will never take components apart. If they suspect there is a problem, they will advise you to call in a mechanic or electrician. They will continue with their work once the issue has been assessed by a specialist.