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As a layman and without reading the statute, given your information I would say you are not obligated to provide FREE copies to anyone, once the initial client has been provided the copies he has paid for. The legal obligation to keep the records for 20 years does not, as you've stated, obligate you to provide copies at all, let alone free copies. Certainly, you'd have to allow someone to access the surveys, in your office or other location, but they are not entitled to a hard copy, unless the statute states such. Again, there is no entitlement to a free copy should the statute simply state access must be available.

I think craigster59 has a fine solution. Like the mortgage company, people are looking for a cost lower than a new survey. Pricing copies of old surveys a bit lower than a new survey will either drive away the requests, make them want a full priced new survey, or make them think they are getting a "deal." Regardless, you will be paid for your time and effort if you charge enough to cover those two factors.

BTW, public records held by the government nearly always cost to get copies. Why should a private company have to eat the same costs that the government passes on to the customer? That lawyer needed to be challenged, but I completely understand the route you took--not worth the headache.