Who drafts your changes to plans?

[4thorns]

When you receive a set of plans that needs to be checked for structural integrity you perform necessary calcs on structural members, connections etc. When you find areas that are inadequate you determine what changes need to be made to the plans to rectify the situation. I know that there are many design companies out there that are retained by engineers to do the drafting for them.

Questions:

1: Do you draft the required changes to the plans yourselves?
2: If so, do you have someone to review your work to avoid possible errors being passed on to the contractor?
3: If a 3rd party drafter is involved do you review their work or are you confident with their ability?

I ask these questions because I have reviewed many engineered plans. At times I find errors that on more than one occasion were quite critical. I mean absolutely no disrespect as I know we are all human and make mistakes. Just wondering if you have "Another set of eyes" backing you up.

Doug

 

[dik]

For projects in the office, this is usually left to the drafting technicians. Clients often have specific revision requirements and procedures. Once complete, the documents are issued through our 'document control' group for proper processing... the whole procedure is beyond me. At home, if a client wants documents revised, then there is a cost and he pays for it.

Dik

 

[a2mfk]

Bottom line is your name and seal means you checked and reviewed the drawings to your own satisfaction and you are the engineer in responsible charge. Whatever that means in your situation is up for each of us to decide, and that may depend on your trust in who is doing the work and of course the complexity of the design.

I think even with a small company it is good to have a peer review by a qualified structural engineer before drawings go out the door. It is just human tendency whether in a written report or drawings to miss things because you created them and are so familiar with them. New set of eyes...