Best way to find structural engineer for small project? 1

[Jinxr]

I'm an ME completely out of my lane here and looking to hire someone to design a foundation (piers w/ floating slab) for a 30x60 red iron shop I'm having built. I have reached out to 5 local firms but struck out each time (too busy, not their wheelhouse, etc). I'm still waiting on 3 or 4 more responses but I'm afraid I won't get any from them.

I have all the load data from the metal building manufacturer, a fairly accurate cross-section of my yard/driveway/shop floor elevations I made up, and a soil analysis (from my perk test). I don't know if the perk soil analysis would help

Does anyone have any recommendations for maybe a regional or national firm that could do this for me? Or heck maybe someone on here could take this little project on?

I'm in Arkansas if that helps

 

[271828]

See if the metal building manufacturer or GC can recommend someone who has worked on a previous similar project for them.

 

[BridgeSmith]

Sounds more like a project for a geotechnical engineer than a structural, to me. The structural portion should be fairly straightforward; determining the best foundation type and sizing it will be the more difficult part. You might look for a local geotech.

 

[Jinxr]

BridgeSmith... That's what I thought too but I've had two I reached out to say I need a structural engineer. Which surprised me

 

[phamENG]

I've never met a geotech that will design structural concrete, so it doesn't surprise me one bit. By "red iron shop" do you mean a metal building system (MBS), designed and fabricated by a single company?

271828 has the best advice. Your GC should have a 'go to guy' for this. A lot of engineers won't do these for one off clients. They are a headache and an owner client suggests they are trying pinch pennies and potentially GC it themselves. Even at twice my normal fee that probably wouldn't be worth my time.

 

[271828]

Even at twice my normal fee that probably wouldn't be worth my time.

The last time I was approached for one of these, I proposed a low fee. Still, the contractor said I proposed at least double what they expected to pay.

There are apparently people who are willing to do this for very low hourly rates. Or else they're not doing much. The race to the bottom. Lol