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1
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human909
Structural
- Mar 19, 2018
- 2,067
A deliberately provocative title to get a conversation going. 
And I fully expect to be proven wrong by some nimble engineers who are more skilled and comfortable in this area that I am.
The instigation this thread is I've just returned from a site visit from a owner who is removing a load bearing wall. No architect and no builder engaged yet. I should have said no at this point, but I'm still in the growth phase of my sole practice and I still say YES to almost anybody who asks. From an engineering perspective it is just a new new roof beam, a couple of supporting studs and two localised footings as the home is on stumps. The visit was local but it is still a couple of hours by the time you communicate, commute, inspect and return. That time is all BEFORE you get into any engineering work. Then given the relatively small task, fees can't be excessively high.... But the building is 80-100years old, the risks and challenges shouldn't be ignored.
My point is that today has further made me question the benefits of bothering taking on such clients unless I am hungry for work. Today's visit just didn't seem worth any potential fees and risks. Especially since I crouched through the roof space and crawled through a floor space for a decent inspection.
Anyway that is my rant. I'm probably just too comfortable in my own area of expertise (industrial and manufacturing facilities). Both in terms of healthy fees and in my own confidence of my engineering knowledge in the industrial field.
Do others here relate to my experience? Do I just need to know when to say 'no'? Or is what I describe just bread and butter for some people?
And I fully expect to be proven wrong by some nimble engineers who are more skilled and comfortable in this area that I am.The instigation this thread is I've just returned from a site visit from a owner who is removing a load bearing wall. No architect and no builder engaged yet. I should have said no at this point, but I'm still in the growth phase of my sole practice and I still say YES to almost anybody who asks. From an engineering perspective it is just a new new roof beam, a couple of supporting studs and two localised footings as the home is on stumps. The visit was local but it is still a couple of hours by the time you communicate, commute, inspect and return. That time is all BEFORE you get into any engineering work. Then given the relatively small task, fees can't be excessively high.... But the building is 80-100years old, the risks and challenges shouldn't be ignored.
My point is that today has further made me question the benefits of bothering taking on such clients unless I am hungry for work. Today's visit just didn't seem worth any potential fees and risks. Especially since I crouched through the roof space and crawled through a floor space for a decent inspection.
Anyway that is my rant. I'm probably just too comfortable in my own area of expertise (industrial and manufacturing facilities). Both in terms of healthy fees and in my own confidence of my engineering knowledge in the industrial field.
Do others here relate to my experience? Do I just need to know when to say 'no'? Or is what I describe just bread and butter for some people?
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