Structural Engineer fee what do I get?

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Hello

we have a prelim design from our architect for a kitchen renovation and need to have a structural engineer come out to tell us what would be needed to execute the design as we want to remove part of an exterior brick wall. There is a fee associated with this service, should we expect to be getting some kind of document stating his findings so that we can have all the information, what is the norm for this visit? I understand if we want him to draw structural plans that would be the next step with an additional fee.

Thanks

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Comments (7)

kudzu9
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
First ask the architect what he/she needs from the structural engineer in order to get a permit. There are various levels of services provided by structural engineers. The two times I've needed a structural engineer, my architect took care of everything. The architect was competent and I didn't need -- or want -- to be involved.
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
2 years ago
In my experience the architect should know this . Are you sure you have an architect or just a draftsman . As for the engineer he would provide you with his recommendation on how to move forward with the plan and that should be all you need then your architect moves on in the design of the new addition
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Depends entirely on your state and municipality. Bear in mind you're not just paying for a stamp on a piece of paper. At the very least you're asking them to stand behind your structure. Beyond that they may be doing framing/structural drawings on your behalf. Our structural drawings are quite a lot more detailed than our architect's drawings. It could also be that your town's environment requires more engineering. We are building adjacent an area with mostly flat land, where most homes are built on spread footings or slabs. However our town is hilly and most new construction is pier & grade beam on 16' drilled piers. You can guess the cost difference in both design and implementation. Back in the 1960s it was all spread footings. People had higher tolerances for settlement and cracking back then. I live in CA where there are many more considerations and expenses. It is not a very friendly place to build compared to "flyover country". Note that if you're looking at an engineering contract, you should look for verbiage along the lines of "damages limited to the cost of this contract." If you see that, have it removed. I've seen this in a few and what it says is if they screw up, they are only liable for $4000 (in your example) towards the cost of rectifying their mistake. Their insurance should cover them for much more.
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I expect the unexpected! It's just the unwarranted and invented expenses that rankle. A year so far on this. Zoning Plan Review and Committee of Adjustments ($6,360) took six months. Now six weeks and counting for permission to remove one (!) tree that is too close to the proposed foundation. (The required licenced arborist's Tree Protection Plan--$1,202.92-- said it cannot be saved.) Without that permit, a grading plan cannot be done or submitted. Without an approved grading plan, the city will not issue a building permit. Building permit review is estimated at two months. I am always amazed at the posters here who wander down to their City Halls and two weeks later are ready to excavate. But not here in California East!
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Hi I am licensed structural engineer. A few folks here have hinted at the right solution. An engineer’s consultation never hurts - it’s a safe and easy suggestion from those who don’t have to eat the fee. Having said that, there are many situations hiring an engineer is overkill. It looks like you have cut back about 12’5” of drywall which I am assuming is your span. Depending on your home, you most likely fall under a scenario covered by a span table provided in your local building code. Contractors use these tables to size beams without having to do any detailed analysis. These tables are the reason a licensed engineer is not required by law to design or remodeled most types of residential construction. Engineers develop these tables and review them every few years, and release them to the public for use in situations similar to yours, so that everyday folks do not need to pay a high fee for a highly trained engineer to size a beam that is very common in home construction. The real question is do you have a permit for this work, and a licensed contractor ready to do the job? Without both of these items, the building code span tables do not benefit you. Without these items, there is no legal recourse for if the beam is the wrong size and the home collapses because somebody did not use the right assumptions for a given span, and you do not have the benefit of a city plan check to identify if the situation is beyond a contractor’s expertise, and a city inspector who has a good eye for a beam that does not meet code. Hope this helps
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I'm a designer that is also a cabinet dealer. I also resell plumbing, tile, lighting, etc. I charge an hourly fee and a markup on product. My markup generally still affords the client a better price than retail, but if they find the product less expensive somewhere else, they can purchase it themselves (and deal with any issues that pop up ie damage, incorrect items shipping, returns, backorders, discontinuations, etc.). When a client makes a purchase from me, I do not charge my hourly fee to manage the purchase. Designers are not obligated to sell you product less than anywhere else, regardless of their hourly fee. I do not price match. If you want me to handle the purchasing, arrange the deliveries and deal with any issues, you pay for this service via my markup. My hourly fee is for design services. You can't really compare the price structures of designers. One might be a better fit for you, so you pay what they charge. If she is charging $175 plus markup, it means she can.
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Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
I'd bring a General Contractor in before drawing anything. He'll make sure the math they draw is doable cost effectively.
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Debbi Washburn
2 years ago
Our architect handles all that stuff - we have never has to bring in a different person.
WestCoast Hopeful
2 years ago
Here a structural engineer must also sign off on plans before being submitted to permits. We had to have one for our kitchen remodel and on our mew build. Both times it came with signed documents indicating what they said was needed to be safe and some kind of official seal from the engineer. Bo
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Charles Ross Homes
2 years ago
I can't speak for your engineer or what they provide for a particular fee. In general, where the expertise of a structural engineer is required, they should be able to either 1.) describe their recommendations in a written report and/or 2.) use the architect's plans and annotate them to indicate necessary structural details. If you have questions, ask the engineer before they being their work.
MizLizzie
2 years ago
We had to hire one when we uncovered a slight structural deficit in the home we were remodeling. The home had stood for 40 years but our GC was nervous and thought we needed to proactively install an LVL while the kitchen ceiling was open, and before the building inspector forced the issue. Structural engineer came on site, met with us all, did a boatload of computations and wrote a carefully detailed report specifying exactly what was needed.

Structural Engineer fee what do I get?

Comments (7)

kudzu9

Patricia Colwell Consulting

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