Fequently Asked Questions
Can my drafter or home designer design my project?
What type of engineering work is required?
What type of engineer do I need?
At what stage of my project should I contact an engineer?
What should engineering work cost?
When do I need an engineer?
When the type of construction you are contemplating falls outside of what is known as "conventional construction" because of the type or complexity of the construction, or for commercial or institutional projects, you typically need either a licensed engineer or licensed architect to design your project. The site plan for your project in many cases is now required to be designed by a licensed engineer.
The building department is the authority that determines when an engineer will be required in order for them to approve your plans, or your engineer can advise you of the specifics.
What is "Engineering"?
Engineering refers to work that, because of it's technical complexity, is required to be performed by a properly licensed person. It can be the design of beams, the foundation, or the design of bracing for wind or earthquake forces for your project, and can include the design of the air conditioning system, plumbing or electrical systems on larger project. It can be the design of your site plan, to address drainage, grading, compaction, building locations, handicap access, or other critical factors. The "engineering" can consist of pencil or pen "mark-ups" intended to be used by a non-licensed drafter or designer, or an architect drawing the plans for your project, with supporting "calculations" to show arithmetically how the work will comply with the code, or it can include complete plan sheets prepared by the engineer.
Can my drafter or home designer design my project?
For residential projects, in most cases, yes, even if you employ an engineer for the project. The drafter or designer would design the conventional parts of the project, and the engineer would design the structural part. For commercial and institutional projects, the plans are usually prepared under the supervision of an architect or engineer. Drafters and designers may draw the plans, including the site plan in some cases, but an engineer or architect is required to review and approve the work by stamping and signing the plan sheets, and usually markups or 'redlines" are provided to the drafter or designer, indicating what needs to be done.
What type of engineering work is required?
The most common types of engineering provided for residential projects is structural engineering and site plan engineering. On commercial projects, in addition to structural work, an engineer or architect is required to design the building features such as exits, handicap features, glazing and other 'building" type features. In addition, commercial projects need either an architect, engineer or licensed contractor to design the air conditioning/heating system, fire sprinkler system, electrical & plumbing systems.
What type of engineer do I need?
For your residential or commercial project, typically you need a Civil Engineer. In many cases, a Structural Engineer can also provide what you need.
A licensed Civil Engineer, if also qualified through experience and/or expertise, is able to perform the design work for residences, buildings four stories or less in height, industrial structures, roadways, bridges, and public works facilities. These are broad areas, and engineers typically specialize in only one or a few of these areas.
A Structural Engineer is a Civil Engineer that, through more education and experience, is qualified to do the structural work for hospitals, schools, and buildings taller than four stories. A Civil Engineer cannot do this type of work unless under the supervision of a Structural Engineer.
At what stage of my project should I contact an engineer?
Sometimes, as in the case of remodeling work, the engineer is contacted first, to see if the project is even feasible. In the case of suspected structural defects, drainage problems, water intrusion issues or other types of problems, the engineer is probably contacted first.
For new projects where there will be a dafter, designer or architect involved with the project, the engineer is engaged either at the same time as the designer, or in some cases, the engineer is engaged after the design is substantially complete. This would apply where the design is fairly routine and the engineer's input is not needed at the beginning.
It doesn't hurt to ask an engineer for opinions about this.
What should engineering work cost?
The size and complexity of projects vary, and the amount of engineering required varies. Some simple, small projects can require a lot of engineering work, and some large and complex projects can require very little engineering. These factors notwithstanding, fees typically are somewhat commensurate with the size and type of project. Engineering can be billed per hour, or charged at a flat rate.
Because of the many different factors influencing costs and the many different types of projects, it is best to call or email your engineer about fees. It is usually possible to get an exact quote for your project if your plans are substantially completed or if the scope of your project is well-defined. If not, you can usually get a fairly close range of engineering costs to expect if you can have a good idea of what you want to build and can describe this to your engineer.