The construction industry, especially the residential market is largely borne along by small business subcontractors. Most of those small businesses lack the infrastructure to provide engineering services when a project requires it, therefore engineering firms specializing in various areas of construction are called on to fill the gap. A common misconception is that this is an extremely expensive and lengthily process – however, this is usually not the case. A large scale home renovation we worked on in Calgary(in excess of $500,000) saw engineering expenses of only $2500, a mere 1/2 of 1% of the project value. Of course this pricing will vary based on the scope of work, but it is safe to assume it is an affordable part of a given project.

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What did this $2500 worth of engineering services buy? This particular renovation required extensive site review due to the condition of the existing structure. Our engineering firm provided us with:

1. A site investigation to determine the specifics of the existing structure
2. A new foundation and attachment design (as it was an addition)
3. A review of existing and proposed bearing wall loadings
4. A design of new beams and post/pad requirements, and beam/bearing details for where existing bearing walls were removed
5. A review of existing and proposed wood framed details including the new roof structure and integration with the existing structure
6. Form A inspections for exterior manufactured stone installations
7. And finally, an “as built” inspection and sealed/stamped letter confirming all structural work had been performed as per the required specifications and designs

How difficult was it to facilitate all this work? It wasn’t. An initial plan review at the engineers office identified the broad scope of the work to be done. A few site visits narrowed down specific requirements. The engineer and support staff were easy to deal with and required little auxiliary management time as they were experts in their field. Like hiring any good sub-trade – a qualified and reputable engineering firm should open up your schedule rather than fill it up with unneeded consultation.

While the hope is always that all projects will operate 100% as expected, the truth is unknowns and issues are usually a part of any construction project. Having a good working relationship with an engineering firm will greatly mitigate the stress and expense of issues of a structural nature. When one of these issues is encountered, a review by the engineer and subsequent recommendation, or letter of design, can usually be supplied quite quickly.

So the next time you are looking at a project and the need for an engineer arises – don’t fret! It will be a wise investment in the planning and development of your project, and leave you more time to do whatever it is you do best.

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