Structural Work on L&I Structures

[dpa]

Occasionally I get a call to do some structural analysis of a mobile home or double wide. Usually it is in an area that is totally inappropriate for the structure such as snow load or earthquake that far exceeds the capacity of the structure. The latest is a request for drawings and calcs to support replacing the aluminum sheathing with OSB. The siding removal is required to gain access for wiring replacement (aluminum wiring). Not a problem except I feel it would be unethical to fix up part of a structure and walk away knowing that the roof and foundation are inadequate. You can't force a client, in this case a Federally funded program to hire you for additional work so what do you do? I have always turned these down in the past but in this case the wiring is dangerous and has already caused at least one fire. Do you walk away and leave them to burn or do you do just what they asked and leave them to fall off the foundaion?

 

[jike]

If there are other defiencies that you are aware of, I believe you have a professional obligation to inform the client. Then it is up to them whether they want to hire you to provide additional services.

Unfortunately, some clients don't want to hear bad news. They often choose to bypass the guy who is thorough and go with an engineer that only gives them what they ask them to look at.

Engineering is not really a commodity but often it is treated that way and the client ends up hurting himself.

 

[dpa]

Hi Jike,

Thanks for the quick response. I agree. One of the problems with L&I is they don't seem to have a grasp of structures. They allow 40lb roofs in 135 lb snow load areas and they do it knowingly. It's hard to enforce any realistic engineering standards on a structure whose governing agency has much lower requirements.

DPA