I was just wondering how much people on here have paid to have a property survey done.
Do they charge per foot of boundary line? Does it necessarily include a written document or do they just put stakes in the ground and flagging tape in the trees?

Do you mean a land survey or a home inspection? They are very different. A property (Land) survey you would have to use a licenced Land Surveyor (in Ontario).

I paid around $500 including taxes for my house inspection - that included a full written report together with a huge binder full of information and a recommendation not to purchase, lol.

What you should bear in mind is that if something comes to light after the home inspection - even if the inspector should have spotted it - the most you can sue for (in Ontario anyway) is the original fee.

Anyone can go to college and do the course part time, you don't need to be a chartered surveyor or similar as in the UK.

It's very different here, there are no guarantees when it comes to home inspections.

Edit: This website shows what should be included in a Property (Land) Survey: http://www.aols.org/single.asp?itemcode=AOLS-BYL-SRPR

We paid $500 just to get the stakes down one side and four corners marked. They write a letter saying that they have determined where the boundaries care. This was for a half acre lot and the minimum they could do.

sorry for the confusion, I did mean a land survey. The reason I was asking is that we had a survey done for a small part of the boundary. I think it was 136 ft x 150 ft and they put one stake in the ground and a few orange pieces of tape in the trees. They sent the bill and it was $920 . We didnt' even get a letter with it, so we thought they ripped us off...hence I was wondering if this was comparable before I paid it...

I think you got ripped off, but perhaps others could give you their opinion, I think what you get depends on what you have asked for.

You should have a read of this: http://www.ansls.ca/land_surveys.htm

They have information about the regulations etc., for Land Surveyors in NS. http://www.ansls.ca/

They also have a complaints procedure: http://www.ansls.ca/files/Complaints.pdf

So you did not ask before you had the work done? Unless they gave you a quote, you are pretty much on the hook for the bill.

Yes we asked. I had called 3 different surveyors and received a price over the phone for surveying the complete line (which borders 5 different neighbours) They didn't give us a written quote (which in hindsight I should have requested) but agreed orally on a price of $800 + HST . They started the work and stopped it after surveying the line with one neighbour and then sent the bill.
Unfortunately we don't have anything in writing and before I pay the invoice which I feel is too high, I am just trying to find out if we can do anything about it or pay the "idiot tax" (referring to myself) . I certainly have learnt from this to ask for a written quote on just about anything..

If they gave you a verbal agreement, no reason not to try and hold them to that. Sound like they have not finished the job, if it were me they would get nothing until they had completed the job. Then I would offer what they told me over the phone. I doubt they would take you to court over a couple of hundred dollars.

Typically, they also have to go the local land registry office, search title, ensure that there are no easements on title, and I would think it would be wise to have the building footprint with dimensions shown on the plan. For any future additions that is common.

Literally anybody can put stakes in the ground, but a surveyor would also check at the land registry office and check to see where any standard iron bars are in the area for cross-reference.

When we got ours done they were very reluctant to do anything less than full marking. I insisted we only needed the corner marks and the disputed border in detail. He said that there had to be a letter to ensure the validity of the markers.

Just tell them they have not done the work that they said they would for that price and that you won't pay until it is finished. Maybe the office thinks it was all done.