Need advice. Guide to be a structural engineer

[engrmarks]

Hi. I just want to know any tips to become a freelance/self-employed structural engineer in the future. My main target is just small projects. Low-rise buildings and the likes. I am a Licensed Civil Engineer in my country and currently work in the construction industry as technical engineer on-site. Fairly new to the industry, just about 2 years in total experience.

Can I be a freelance/self-employed structural engineer in the future if I stay in the construction industry? I like the the construction industry because you get to see the actual thing and work with other people, it also feels more alive rather than sitting in front of a computer everyday but I also want to do structural design. What is the best course of action? What training should I take? Should I go to a design firm?

Thank you all!

 

[jayrod12]

Is 2 years your total experience, or just in the construction industry?

In my experience, you can't generally work in the construction industry in that way while being free-lance. Most of the construction firms I know want their site engineers on staff. And they generally are separated from their delegated design engineers who take care of their shoring designs etc.

 

[engrmarks]

Sorry, 2 years in total experience.

 

[oldestguy]

Nice goal, but no way with only 2 years so far. Keep this in mind and try to find work for a firm that does those types of jobs. Maybe in 10 years, and maybe not.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

My tendency is to say that you should only be a free lance / self employed engineer for the types of work that you have solid experience and knowledge in. So, if you're talking about doing this for small projects and low rise buildings and such, then you should have worked under an engineer doing the design calculations and issuing drawings for that type of work.

 

[jayrod12]

Yeah, I'm with the others. Unfortunately I don't think enough experience can be gained in 2 years of non-directly applicable experience. Even 2 years in a consulting firm doing precisely those types of projects is likely not enough to start yourself. Although I have seen a few people go that route and be successful.

By successful I mean their firm is still open for business after a couple years. But the people that started those firms work crazy hours in order to meet deadlines, do all the back end billing etc. It's a lot of work to do.

 

[msquared48]

I agree with the above. I went out on my own after 8 years with a wide diversity of project experience, not because I wanted to at the time, but because I was tired of being laid off. I chose to make my own security.

Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA, HI)

 

[dreber]

Independent consultant here. Definitely, you are only going to be successful consulting if you are doing the same sorts of tasks that you have a lot of experience in. I spent 2 years doing residential solar structural analysis (very easy structural work).

After that, I was able to (and did) run a one man structural engineering firm for a year, but I found that I was stuck in that one industry since my breadth of experience was so limited.

In order to get some more experience outside of solar, I took a job with a local high end structural firm, but my experience was so limited that I was really only helpful to them as a drafter for a couple years.

Frustrated at drafting 40 hours a week, I switched to another small firm where I ran calculations on a fair variety of projects in all the common building materials. Only after two years there was I able to resume consulting effectively with a broad set of projects that I can comfortably complete safely.

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http://www.kadent-structures.com

 

[engrmarks]

Independent consultant here. Definitely, you are only going to be successful consulting if you are doing the same sorts of tasks that you have a lot of experience in. I spent 2 years doing residential solar structural analysis (very easy structural work).

After that, I was able to (and did) run a one man structural engineering firm for a year, but I found that I was stuck in that one industry since my breadth of experience was so limited.

In order to get some more experience outside of solar, I took a job with a local high end structural firm, but my experience was so limited that I was really only helpful to them as a drafter for a couple years.

Frustrated at drafting 40 hours a week, I switched to another small firm where I ran calculations on a fair variety of projects in all the common building materials. Only after two years there was I able to resume consulting effectively with a broad set of projects that I can comfortably complete safely.

Thanks! Did you take any other trainings outside of work experience (e.g. masters degree or any training specific to your goal)?

 

[engrmarks]

Yeah, I'm with the others. Unfortunately I don't think enough experience can be gained in 2 years of non-directly applicable experience. Even 2 years in a consulting firm doing precisely those types of projects is likely not enough to start yourself. Although I have seen a few people go that route and be successful.

By successful I mean their firm is still open for business after a couple years. But the people that started those firms work crazy hours in order to meet deadlines, do all the back end billing etc. It's a lot of work to do.

Yes. I understand that it would not be enough now. But to be clear, what would be the best course of action? So that I can prepare myself in the future. Say 7 yrs or so.
Thanks!

 

[CANPRO]

There is no reason that you couldn't do this in the future. Some important questions though - are you currently getting consistent design experience? Not just sizing a shoring post or a footing every 6 weeks and then doing project management in between - what is your day to day design work like? Does your current design work align with what you want to do on your own? You'll get lots of good experience working or a contractor and also keep in mind that there is an entire scope of structural services you can offer that doesn't include designing the building - temporary shoring, scaffolding, formwork and faslework, erection procedures, rigging design, etc... You can be a successful structural engineer without ever designing a building.

 

[blihpandgeorge]

I have 20yrs experience in mid and large companies focussed on buildings and recently joined a smaller company to help them grow. I did actively consider starting my own business, and I was comfortable with technical aspects but it was the business side that worried me. In particular the necessary aspects of marketing, winning work and most importantly getting paid that turned me off doing it myself.

I am definitely not saying dont pursue this - there are lots of successful small businesses! My only comment is that there is far more to running a business that delivering the technical design - i dare say at times the technical delivery part can be the easiest bit!

In the short / medium term, i would be focussing on developing the technical skills in housing / small projects as well as learning to manage clients, put fees together and generally run projects. A great way to go is to basically run your own business inside a bigger business - ie win and do your own work.

 

[engrmarks]

There is no reason that you couldn't do this in the future. Some important questions though - are you currently getting consistent design experience? Not just sizing a shoring post or a footing every 6 weeks and then doing project management in between - what is your day to day design work like? Does your current design work align with what you want to do on your own? You'll get lots of good experience working or a contractor and also keep in mind that there is an entire scope of structural services you can offer that doesn't include designing the building - temporary shoring, scaffolding, formwork and faslework, erection procedures, rigging design, etc... You can be a successful structural engineer without ever designing a building.

I don't have consistent structural design work. I had three projects to one client, all are two-storey reinforced concrete buildings some are decks, some are roofs, but that was 2 years ago. My day-to-day work is to prepare shop drawings to be used on-site, manage material quantity (rebar, concrete, formwork), and some site supervision.

 

[CANPRO]

I'm sure you're getting good experience at your current job, but if your long term goal is to be a design engineer then you need to find different work. If you aren't doing design work consistently under an experienced engineer, you will never get to a point where you can comfortably (ethically) go out on your own. From what I've seen, the longer you stay out of a design environment, the harder it will be to get back into one. Its good you're thinking of your 5-7 year plan - my advice is to not set goals that are too specific. If you want to design structures for a living then you need to start trending towards that goal, based on your last post you are not currently on that track. Best of luck.

 

[dreber]

engrmarks. The only training I have had since graduation is taking classes for the PE and SE exams.

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David Reber

http://www.kadent-structures.com