ILS Associates, Inc., formerly I.L.Schwartz Associates, Inc., provides professional services in the fields of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Land Surveying, Land Planning and Development. Founded in Marin County in 1981, we have been assisting both private and public agency clients in meeting the challenges of development in one of the most environmentally sensitive regions in the United States.
Our projects represent a wide range of clients throughout Northern California. We have performed and continue to perform a broad spectrum of land surveying, engineering, planning and construction management services for our clients related to land development, transportation, public works and environmental issues.
Our projects represent a wide range of clients throughout Northern California. We have performed and continue to perform a broad spectrum of land surveying, engineering, planning and construction management services for our clients related to land development, transportation, public works and environmental issues.
Reviews (5)
Loren F.
May 13, 2017
I can only echo the experiences of the other reviewers. Please use someone else. In 2005 we contracted with ILS to do a survey of part of our property where we had a small landslide. The survey and the subsequent plan were acceptable, but when we priced out the job it was more than we could afford, so we did not proceed. Fast forward to this winter, and, sadly, the slide becomes much bigger thanks to the rains.
Now we have to do something. We ask for a quote from ILS to extend the previous survey by 10-20' in one direction and identify a few downspouts from our room, and they send us an estimate of $4600. That seems excessive to both us and the landscape architect we're working with, so I ask them to send the CAD file of their previous survey to us (because we paid for it back in 2005).
They refused. Only when our architect asked for it did they send it to him. We found another surveyor / civil engineer who redid the entire survey and located the downspouts for $1800 (Paul Krohn: 530-342-2826; highly recommended). And then we get bill from ILS for $90 for half an hour of work at $180/hour to transmit the plans. Unless they were using a telegraph, I cannot imagine how that required 30 minutes. If you value your money and having low blood pressure, go elsewhere.
Now we have to do something. We ask for a quote from ILS to extend the previous survey by 10-20' in one direction and identify a few downspouts from our room, and they send us an estimate of $4600. That seems excessive to both us and the landscape architect we're working with, so I ask them to send the CAD file of their previous survey to us (because we paid for it back in 2005).
They refused. Only when our architect asked for it did they send it to him. We found another surveyor / civil engineer who redid the entire survey and located the downspouts for $1800 (Paul Krohn: 530-342-2826; highly recommended). And then we get bill from ILS for $90 for half an hour of work at $180/hour to transmit the plans. Unless they were using a telegraph, I cannot imagine how that required 30 minutes. If you value your money and having low blood pressure, go elsewhere.
Paul T.
Jan 15, 2015
I hired ILS to do a drainage plan for my property in conjunction with a retaining wall i was building. Steve Schmidt came out for a site visit. At the site visit he portrayed a dire situation with apparently no knowledge of easements for drainage lines, testing that had to be done etc. After that discussion i decided i didn't need them as i had functioning drainage that had been approved by the City and told him i would forgo the plan.
He sent me a bill for $1,179 which was more than half the proposal. I called to ask how he justified that bill for a simple site visit. He said there was 6 1/2 hours of prep work done by engineers in anticipation of the meeting including checking for easements (he had no knowledge of the easement situation at the visit) and preliminary drawings (which he has never provided me with).
I asked him for time sheets, copies of all work including drawings and easement information. After about 2 months he dropped off copies of materials i had supplied and a printout from Corelogic with deed information. All of this could have been done by a neophyte in a matter of minutes. I called him to have him explain how this material required 6 1/2 hours of engineering time and he never returned my call, just sent me another bill.
I really don't understand their game other than get a contract and bill as much as possible. They don't appear to keep time sheets on their work, don't return calls to justify their work and i wold not hire them for anything! Caveat emptor!
He sent me a bill for $1,179 which was more than half the proposal. I called to ask how he justified that bill for a simple site visit. He said there was 6 1/2 hours of prep work done by engineers in anticipation of the meeting including checking for easements (he had no knowledge of the easement situation at the visit) and preliminary drawings (which he has never provided me with).
I asked him for time sheets, copies of all work including drawings and easement information. After about 2 months he dropped off copies of materials i had supplied and a printout from Corelogic with deed information. All of this could have been done by a neophyte in a matter of minutes. I called him to have him explain how this material required 6 1/2 hours of engineering time and he never returned my call, just sent me another bill.
I really don't understand their game other than get a contract and bill as much as possible. They don't appear to keep time sheets on their work, don't return calls to justify their work and i wold not hire them for anything! Caveat emptor!
David P.
Oct 29, 2013
I wish that I had researched ILS on Yelp before contracting them to work on my property survey. They completed the survey on time and within budget. After completing my property survey they sent my architect CAD files to use for my new construction. The CAD files were incorrect and nor did they provide the right level of detail on the topographic lines.
My architect and engineer looked at the files and came to the same conclusion that the drawings are incorrect. We tried numerous times over email and phone calls to get ILS to resolve the issue. Their response was an invoice for $600 to fix their mistakes. Please save yourself from a frustrating experience and avoid ILS Associates
My architect and engineer looked at the files and came to the same conclusion that the drawings are incorrect. We tried numerous times over email and phone calls to get ILS to resolve the issue. Their response was an invoice for $600 to fix their mistakes. Please save yourself from a frustrating experience and avoid ILS Associates
Mark C.
Mar 19, 2013
I have had a horrible experience with ILS and Associates. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this business. An associate engineer gave me an initial estimate for some sewer connection drawings. I agreed for the drawings to be done. The first progress billing before the drawings were even done was higher than the original estimate. They assured me the drawings were nearly complete and that the city of San Rafael would approve the ILS drawings with very little changes required.
So I reluctantly went out of pocket more than the original estimate for the drawings to be finished. Got the next invoice and was shocked at how many more hours they were trying to charge for. The original associate engineer who gave me the estimate said I now needed to talk to Irv. Irv is a hilarious wheeler dealer who tries to see what he can get out of you.
When I turned in the ILS drawings to the city of San Rafael they responded with a two page letter with 11 corrections required to the drawings that were supposed to have very few (if any) corrections. I decided to hire another civil engineer that I knew would stand by his estimate to start over and complete the drawings. (I probably saved money by starting over).
I supposedly came to an agreement with the associate engineer to pay ILS what I thought was fair to close out their billing. 3 weeks later ILS sent me to a collection agency for the remaining funds. I called Irv two times and he would not call me back. Finally when I mailed a letter threatening to take them to small claims court the collection notices stopped coming. Avoid this company!
So I reluctantly went out of pocket more than the original estimate for the drawings to be finished. Got the next invoice and was shocked at how many more hours they were trying to charge for. The original associate engineer who gave me the estimate said I now needed to talk to Irv. Irv is a hilarious wheeler dealer who tries to see what he can get out of you.
When I turned in the ILS drawings to the city of San Rafael they responded with a two page letter with 11 corrections required to the drawings that were supposed to have very few (if any) corrections. I decided to hire another civil engineer that I knew would stand by his estimate to start over and complete the drawings. (I probably saved money by starting over).
I supposedly came to an agreement with the associate engineer to pay ILS what I thought was fair to close out their billing. 3 weeks later ILS sent me to a collection agency for the remaining funds. I called Irv two times and he would not call me back. Finally when I mailed a letter threatening to take them to small claims court the collection notices stopped coming. Avoid this company!
Patti S.
Nov 10, 2012
I hired ILS to do a survey and then civil engineering work for a retaining wall project in Mill Valley. For the survey: an estimate was provided, and the work was done, and lo! - a bill for much more than the estimate was received, with no warning at all that the work had been more complicated than anticipated. I called Irv, and he discounted much of the excess, and I decided to give them a second chance and go ahead with the civil work. Hello, train wreck.
This time I put them on a Not to Exceed (and yet, they did exceed it). As the date for completion of the work approached, I called to check in and discovered nobody was assigned to the project, and that it had in fact been "passed around" quite a lot. Furious is a good word for how I felt. After much badgering they finally finished, and then I got -yes - the bill. Ugh - over budget again.
After some back and forth Irv discounted the bill again, but the firm has continued to refuse to give me the work product I paid for. I will not use this firm again - no third chances. I do not recommend this organization.
This time I put them on a Not to Exceed (and yet, they did exceed it). As the date for completion of the work approached, I called to check in and discovered nobody was assigned to the project, and that it had in fact been "passed around" quite a lot. Furious is a good word for how I felt. After much badgering they finally finished, and then I got -yes - the bill. Ugh - over budget again.
After some back and forth Irv discounted the bill again, but the firm has continued to refuse to give me the work product I paid for. I will not use this firm again - no third chances. I do not recommend this organization.
