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catfishhoward

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia now and Florida in 2 years

I plan on doing office calculations for multiple land surveying companies all across the country where I take the engineer cad-drawings for the proposed construction sites and I calculate the work for the surveying companies so their field crews can perform the work. The engineers would e-mail the land surveying companies the proposed cad-files and the surveyors would forward the files to me to do the work for them. I figure I would charge $25 per hour for my work.

1. Could I do a W2 for each company or would I need to do a 1099? Hours will very greatly.

2. I'm also worried about possible errors that I might make, even thought I have 25 years experience. A job I might only make $100 for might cost thousands to fix. If I was working in a office as an W2 cad-operator and made a mistake the worst I think would happen is losing the job since the owner is ultimately responsible for what goes out of their office and they make up to $75 per hour for the office work. Is there a way to protect me from being sued for an error even that I make? I have been sent disclaimers from engineering firms that say they aren't responsible for errors if I use the files in their e-mail so would something like that work for me? Let the surveying firm know that they are responsible for checking and accepting the work I do before any field work is done?
 


Just Blue

Senior Member
We don't do homework. But it seems like, from your multitude of threads today, you need to talk to an attorney. :)
 

PayrollHRGuy

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia now and Florida in 2 years

I plan on doing office calculations for multiple land surveying companies all across the country where I take the engineer cad-drawings for the proposed construction sites and I calculate the work for the surveying companies so their field crews can perform the work. The engineers would e-mail the land surveying companies the proposed cad-files and the surveyors would forward the files to me to do the work for them. I figure I would charge $25 per hour for my work.

1. Could I do a W2 for each company or would I need to do a 1099? Hours will very greatly.

2. I'm also worried about possible errors that I might make, even thought I have 25 years experience. A job I might only make $100 for might cost thousands to fix. If I was working in a office as an W2 cad-operator and made a mistake the worst I think would happen is losing the job since the owner is ultimately responsible for what goes out of their office and they make up to $75 per hour for the office work. Is there a way to protect me from being sued for an error even that I make? I have been sent disclaimers from engineering firms that say they aren't responsible for errors if I use the files in their e-mail so would something like that work for me? Let the surveying firm know that they are responsible for checking and accepting the work I do before any field work is done?
1. You are the one being paid. YOU will do neither W2 or 1099. You will likely be considered an independent contractor and they may or may not ask you for a W9 and they may or may not provide you with a 1099 after the first of the year.

2. A disclaimer might help but you need general liability insurance.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Georgia now and Florida in 2 years

I plan on doing office calculations for multiple land surveying companies all across the country where I take the engineer cad-drawings for the proposed construction sites and I calculate the work for the surveying companies so their field crews can perform the work. The engineers would e-mail the land surveying companies the proposed cad-files and the surveyors would forward the files to me to do the work for them. I figure I would charge $25 per hour for my work.

1. Could I do a W2 for each company or would I need to do a 1099? Hours will very greatly.
I do not think that you understand how things work. You would not being doing either a W2 or a 1099. The companies for whom you do work would either treat you as an employee and issue a W2 or treat you as a contractor and issue a 1099. Based on your description of things I think its likely that they would all treat you as a contractor and issue a 1099.

2. I'm also worried about possible errors that I might make, even thought I have 25 years experience. A job I might only make $100 for might cost thousands to fix. If I was working in a office as an W2 cad-operator and made a mistake the worst I think would happen is losing the job since the owner is ultimately responsible for what goes out of their office and they make up to $75 per hour for the office work. Is there a way to protect me from being sued for an error even that I make? I have been sent disclaimers from engineering firms that say they aren't responsible for errors if I use the files in their e-mail so would something like that work for me? Let the surveying firm know that they are responsible for checking and accepting the work I do before any field work is done?
You protect yourself from errors that you might commit by getting adequate business liability insurance. Its not all that expensive the first year, although it can get very expensive if you make a lot of errors.

I am guessing that if you are good at what you do that 25.00 an hour is probably too cheap.
 

catfishhoward

Junior Member
Thanks for the replies, I will look into insurance more. I've heard a lot about being bonded but I'm not a licences land surveyor so I don't think I can get it? Would general liability pay the contractor for errors that I make? Say I calculate the proposed building layout wrong and they have to re-pour the footings that cost $50,000? Just need to make sure limits are high enough.
 

LdiJ

Senior Member
Thanks for the replies, I will look into insurance more. I've heard a lot about being bonded but I'm not a licences land surveyor so I don't think I can get it? Would general liability pay the contractor for errors that I make? Say I calculate the proposed building layout wrong and they have to re-pour the footings that cost $50,000? Just need to make sure limits are high enough.
Discuss that with an insurance agent.
 

adjusterjack

Senior Member
Thanks for the replies, I will look into insurance more. I've heard a lot about being bonded but I'm not a licences land surveyor so I don't think I can get it? Would general liability pay the contractor for errors that I make? Say I calculate the proposed building layout wrong and they have to re-pour the footings that cost $50,000? Just need to make sure limits are high enough.
You would need Professional Liability as well as General Liability. Both can sometimes be part of the same policy. A commercial insurance agent can help you with that.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I'm thinking the OP needs an errors and omissions policy in addition to a liability policy.
 

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