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Recent content by LOTE

  1. LOTE

    Pervious Pavers Experience

    LittleInch, permeable interlocking concrete pavers is mainly what I am referring to. https://www.masonryandhardscapes.org/resource/pav-tec-018/
  2. LOTE

    Pervious Pavers Experience

    I have been approached (ok, begged) by one of my bigger clients to start designing pervious pavers for their customers. My business is mainly setup to do segmental retaining walls, but a lot of my clients are in the hardscape space so there would be a lot of crossover. What I envision is the...
  3. LOTE

    Code reference for greenhouses

    The National Greenhouse Manufacturers Association has a design manual that goes through the full design considerations specific to greenhouses: https://ngma.com/industry-information/#1520270666699-a54e9c68-29eb
  4. LOTE

    Client requesting full Professional Liability Policy

    @TheFeds this was very helpful. I ended up sending them the policy with things like premium and deductible values redacted.
  5. LOTE

    Tips on cold emails?

    I have had success sending a personalized email (or LinkedIn message) to a targeted company. In my case, reaching out to precasters and manufactures in my industry with a cold email and explaining how my services can benefit them has had good success. However, I am in a very small niche (mainly...
  6. LOTE

    1099 and licensing

    They need to be under responsible charge of a PE. Generally the PE firm should hire the 1099 contractor (not the other way around), and the PE should have full ability to comment, revise and direct the 1099 contractor as if they were working as a junior staff under the PE. As long as that is the...
  7. LOTE

    Becoming a Better Structural Engineer

    Since opening my practice, I have been niching down and being hyper focused on my niche. I have found trying to become one of the most knowledgeable people in my niche has both helped me grow as an engineer and helped my business become more profitable. Getting involved on committees (like TRB...
  8. LOTE

    How to find a PE for consult and stamping of tower plans

    "employed by the same company" is typically not a requirement, at least in the states I operate. I hire a lot of 1099 contractors, and this still falls under the direct supervision and control without them being a rank and file employee.
  9. LOTE

    Client requesting full Professional Liability Policy

    I have a client that is requesting to see my full professional liability policy, not just a COI. Has anyone had this request before? I have clients request COI all the time, but never to see the full policy documents. My policy documents have some personal company information that I don't care...
  10. LOTE

    Artificial Intelligence in Structural Engineering

    @BridgeEngineer21 Yes, I review the audio quite in depth (the graphics are not AI generated) and edit out some things. With the NotebookLM, I haven't found too many errors, more like when a lawyer tries to explain an engineering topic and mispronounces it or spells out an acronym or over/under...
  11. LOTE

    Artificial Intelligence in Structural Engineering

    I would not a language model to perform math, nor is that what it is meant for. I know AI tools are coming out that can do math functions I use chatgbt to help me draft response letters to field issues. I feed it the general things I want to convey and the tone I want, and it creates the letter...
  12. LOTE

    Being asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement before quoting

    I cross through stuff all the time when I have a client written contract. Rarely has anyone come back to me and said they can't accept my markups. I would cross through everything you are remotely concerned about (minus the strictly NDA parts) and send back to them with an explanation that you...
  13. LOTE

    When do you require licensure in your firm to move up

    Not sure what you mean? I still reported to an engineering manager (or VP), who was also the one reviewing and sealing my work. That is why I say the engineering manager needs to be a PE, but not necessarily to begin managing projects and staff (1-2 years out of school engineers, CAD techs...
  14. LOTE

    When do you require licensure in your firm to move up

    You should definitely be licensed before becoming an engineering manager, but I think "senior PM" as you call it can be someone unlicensed. I quickly jumped the ladder at a young age and was managing staff and projects prior to getting my license. However, it was clear to my employer that I...
  15. LOTE

    Remote SE Work

    I work for myself from home and have several 1099 contractors that are also all remote. We are all on different timezones, which works well for getting work complete as we are typically working at different times of day (I do not have set work hours for them, just minimum # hours/day). I record...

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