The dude wrote:
Probably the entire $1,000 upfront..
How much money is the actual staking actually worth?


The actual staking is the finishing touch. It's usually very fast -- a
few minutes per stake. All the prep work is done in advance. Usually
we spend more time driving to a customer's property than we spend staking.

That, and the actual paperwork -- the plat of survey itself -- are the
end products. You want BOTH. It's the plat that's of actual value;
there's no proof of who pounded in the iron pipes (or whatever they
use). If you distrust the surveyor, don't hire him. Explain your
concern up front; you're concerned that the staking will never get done
if you pay the full amount up front. Suggest 50/50.

The surveyor is also a businessperson, and should be aware of your
concerns & will certainly anticipate same. If he acts put out with an
offer of 50/50, he's not much of an entrepreneur. Shop elsewhere.

Odds are, though, that 50/50 will be welcomed. (And in my neck of the
woods, a grand for a 3.5 acre boundary survey is a bargain).