What to do when someone calls looking for a design... 2

[TehMightyEngineer]

...and then you find out they are just looking for free advice and don't want to pay for any engineering?

For this hypothetical situation lets say their design doesn't require engineering to be legal and they seem to have a reasonable understanding of engineering principles but clearly aren't an engineer themselves.

(Wow, I just realized this sounds a lot like engineering tips. )

Maine EIT, Civil/Structural.

 

[IRstuff]

I think that latter part is irrelevant. Free advice in your business is a disaster asking to happen. The knucklehead is going to follow your free advice, but he will cut corners, as is his wont, as demonstrated by his asking for free advice, and his design will fail and take down his entire house, and he'll sue you for the entire value of the house, plus emotional distress, etc., because he found a cut-rate lawyer who's hungry enough to bet on the come, and you'll be out thousands of dollars simply fighting off the suit. That's if you're lucky.

TTFN
faq731-376

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[rowingengineer]

I provide no advice other than "that sounds like an idea, we can review that for you, where do we send the quote?"

http://www.nceng.com.au/

"Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build bigger and better idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning."

 

[brandonbw]

The best free advice I give is go down to the local building and safety department and ask your question over the counter. We get hand written thank you letters for spending time over the phone helping out. If that puts us into a sticky legal situation I give up.

B+W Engineering and Design
Los Angeles Civil Engineer and Structural Engineer

http://bwengr.com