Are surveying costs negotiable with the surveyor?

the small parcel to be subdivided is approximately 2,000 sqm in size and the unit value/sqm is 280 euros/sqm. The length of the dividing boundary is approximately 70 m.

In NRW, such a survey would cost at least around €3850, i.e., if additional surveying services are required due to local conditions on top of the minimum costs, it is quite possible that the costs of €6000 are correct.

For sovereign services, the HOAI is not decisive, but in NRW the VermWertGebT, i.e., the (each country-specific) fee schedule for surveying services. HOAI and fee schedules must be strictly distinguished; they are two completely different things.

In general, subdivision surveys are usually individual cases, and therefore hardly any comparisons are possible based on the mere mention of quoted sums. If several approximately equally sized plots are subdivided simultaneously in a development area, the costs are actually comparable; otherwise, this is not possible without detailed knowledge of the conditions.

Best regards
Dirk Grafe

Very simple answer to your question: Yes, they are negotiable. At least, that was the case for me.

Good evening,

Very simple answer to your question: Yes, they are negotiable.
At least that was the case for me.

No, the fees are not negotiable. If you have paid a presumably "lower" fee for all 4 service levels, something will be missing.

Rhenish greetings

The HOAI part of the surveying service, e.g. [Feinabsteckung], is negotiable. The part that is governed by the local fee schedule is not.

Good evening,


No, the fees are not negotiable. If you have paid a presumably "lower" fee for all 4 service levels, something will be missing.

Rhineland regards

Nope, nothing is missing. However, we are only talking about a very, very low three-digit amount here. Strictly speaking, the smallest possible three-digit amount. But still.