Engineering Firm Providing Detailing Services - Questions

[starcasm]

Hello Everyone! I am a structural engineer and work for an engineering firm that is looking into providing detailing services for structural steel and concrete rebar. We are considering Tekla Structures. My firm would like to provide these extra services to projects we have already designed. But, does anyone have experience providing detailing services using design drawings from a direct competitor? I understand the service is a construction phase task for the contractor and fabricator. And maybe I am over thinking the service. But I would think competing engineering firms would not like their design drawings (or modeling files) collected in our office. I am wondering if there could be conflict of interest issues... But nothing jumps out at me except maybe losing the design contract to a competitor, and winning the detailing services. Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts.

 

[SteelPE]

Wouldn't you set up the detailing services of your business under a different company (just in case something happens you could just close the troubled company)? If that is the case wouldn't you name is something different than what your company is already named?

I don't see any problems with what you are proposing. I can't even see any other engineering companies having issues with it. Why would they even care. However, I doubt the engineering companies will submit you their computer models for use. You would most likely get a pdf set and have to create your own models based upon their information. If you can convince them to give you their models there will probably be a fee associated with the models.

I worked for a steel fabricator doing some design build work for a number of years. We used to get drawings in from all over the place. It was funny because by looking at the drawings you could see where the core of a company came from (because the all had the same typical details and drawing methods).

 

[Archie264]

The man I apprenticed under used to do steel detailing work while he was getting his design firm up and running. That was many years ago so I don't know if there are different (legal?) issues to consider nowdays, but I wouldn't think there would be.

Perhaps something to consider is that since your design drawings are stamped would it then imply that the shop drawings would carry the same weight, since the same entity prepared them as well?