Engineering company

[BC9392]

This is a shot in the dark but I need a civil engineering company to do a truss design. It's not so much as the design it's the ability to design with plywood gussets at the joints and the nailing pattern associated with such.

If anybody knows of a good company that can do, please let me know.

Thanks
Bob Crossman
804-347-3568

 

[stusic]

I think a structural engineer would be better suited to truss design. Sorry, I don't know any local engineers though

 

[Notyourmomslx450]

I do Civil and we don't do anything w/ trusses. Civil engineers do land development type stuff.
I built trusses in my 20's but have no idea where the plans came from.
Definitely want a structural engineer

 

[bassguyry]

I think a structural engineer would be better suited to truss design. Sorry, I don't know any local engineers though

Structural engineering is actually a specialty/focus under civil engineering.

@BC9392 - give Jerry Meiser at GEI Engineering a call (303-940-1996). He's a civil engineer in Arvada who specializes in structural engineering. I'm not sure if he'll be able to help with your specific issue, but I've known him for years and he's a good guy. Tell him Ryland Percy sent you.

 

[KC Masterpiece]

I use Criterium Cona at work frequently. Currently helping me with some degrading concrete support columns in 5 condo buildings.

Good guys over there.

Thankfully nothing crazy but after that collapse in Miami its best to take zero chances.

 

[stusic]

Structural engineering is actually a specialty/focus under civil engineering.

Yes, but while all structural engineers are civil engineers, not every civil engineer is a structural engineer.

 

[rover67]

we have used these guys in the past:

Gebau.com — Welcome

www.gebau.com

 

[bassguyry]

Yes, but while all structural engineers are civil engineers, not every civil engineer is a structural engineer.

I get your logic. All Land Cruisers are Toyotas, but not all Toyotas are Land Cruisers.

Check.

 

[stusic]

All Land Cruisers are Toyotas, but not all Toyotas are Land Cruisers.

<user=Prius has left the chat>

 

[BritKLR]

If you haven't found one yet, lmk and I can dig out the engineer we used on the first design of our shop that included truss design. Due to having to downsize and redesign we ended up with a different company in the end. One lesson we learned the hard way was to always get a solid understanding and quote for all and any services. When we were "interviewing" several different engineer companies in beginning and just getting an understanding of services, capabilities and general designs based on our needs and space it was shocking to get a $750 consultation bill in the mail from one of the companies for a 15 minute conversation while all the others did it at no cost. Good luck.

 

[DaveInDenver]

If you haven't found one yet, lmk and I can dig out the engineer we used on the first design of our shop that included truss design. Due to having to downsize and redesign we ended up with a different company in the end. One lesson we learned the hard way was to always get a solid understanding and quote for all and any services. When we were "interviewing" several different engineer companies in beginning and just getting an understanding of services, capabilities and general designs based on our needs and space it was shocking to get a $750 consultation bill in the mail from one of the companies for a 15 minute conversation while all the others did it at no cost. Good luck.

Yeah, those shifty consulting engineers trying to make a living getting paid to consult. It is hit or miss how projects are priced. Since you're selling intellectual property trying to roll it into future bills is tough. I'm actually surprised you got many to give you free knowledge beyond a generic "our capabilities and experience" spiel. Accumulating projects, insurance, marketing, software. It's tough to keep an engineering firm afloat.

That said, $750 for an hour? That does seem out of line. My highest billable rate ever was in the mid-$200/hr and that was using government G&A rates.

Both of us are P.E.s (she's a structural, although not in private practice at the moment) and we'd probably give an on-site scoping consult without expectation of it becoming a job for a couple hundred. A reasonable billable rate is about $100/hr plus basic expenses (e.g. travel) perhaps. For $750 I'd expect a fairly detailed proposal and probably a simple deliverable, like a basic site plan sketch and written quote.

Your engineer should at least have given a cursory look at zoning and special codes and I think it's reasonable to be paid for services rendered. You betcha this is a sore spot. You spend 15 minutes "just talking" to your doctor and you don't flinch when the bill comes for that transfer of knowledge. This "gimme it free" ends up being why engineers avoid working directly with homeowners.

 

[BritKLR]

Yeah, those shifty consulting engineers trying to make a living getting paid to consult.

I knew I should have prefaced that with something along the lines of I wasn't being critical of people/companies getting paid for their skill/services (lawyers, doctors.....engineers, etc.....) and understand the need to pay for those skills. But, It wasn't our experience after brief meetings with several other firms in Boulder to be charged for the initial conversation/consultation.
This firm is/was located on the Hill and their whole approach was a bit disorganized. Our normal approach was to schedule an appointment. Introduce ourselves and our project and ask if they could provide the design/engineer sevices that would meet County code. Their biggest issue was creating a customer file (fee based), take other phone calls, discuss the history of the firm and the services the firm could offer........that's it and several weeks later we get a consulting bill with customer file fee for $750.

This "gimme it free" ends up being why engineers avoid working directly with homeowners.

Dave, I'll also take exception to this. It was never my point or intent to not pay for "the work", there simply was no work done in any of these initial meetings. They were all "interview", "get to know you", "due diligence" and "learning" meetings set by appointment to see if the firm could do our project to Boulder county code (kinda like when you get a new doctor or dentist...). If it was the norm and our experience to pay for these 20-30 minute meetings then I would never had made the orginal statement, but it wasn't. Also, if we had sat down and pulled out paper, pencil, CAD and stated designing the project then hell ya I would pay and did pay several thousands of dollars on our first Engineer designed Monitor building, the one that initial got downsized by the county due to the 125% rule that apparently didn't get factored in at the time......I agree and support you 110% about getting paid for your expertese and services provided. This case was different.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I knew I should have prefaced that with something along the lines of I wasn't being critical of people/companies getting paid for their skill/services (lawyers, doctors.....engineers, etc.....) and understand the need to pay for those skills. But, It wasn't our experience after brief meetings with several other firms in Boulder to be charged for the initial conversation/consultation.
This firm is/was located on the Hill and their whole approach was a bit disorganized. Our normal approach was to schedule an appointment. Introduce ourselves and our project and ask if they could provide the design/engineer sevices that would meet County code. Their biggest issue was creating a customer file (fee based), take other phone calls, discuss the history of the firm and the services the firm could offer........that's it and several weeks later we get a consulting bill with customer file fee for $750.



Dave, I'll also take exception to this. It was never my point or intent to not pay for "the work", there simply was no work done in any of these initial meetings. They were all "interview", "get to know you", "due diligence" and "learning" meetings set by appointment to see if the firm could do our project to Boulder county code (kinda like when you get a new doctor or dentist...). If it was the norm and our experience to pay for these 20-30 minute meetings then I would never had made the orginal statement, but it wasn't. Also, if we had sat down and pulled out paper, pencil, CAD and stated designing the project then hell ya I would pay and did pay several thousands of dollars on our first Engineer designed Monitor building, the one that initial got downsized by the county due to the 125% rule that apparently didn't get factored in at the time......I agree and support 110% with you about getting paid for your expertese and services provided. This case was different.

Like I said, the get to know you meeting has to be part of the cost of doing business, time would be charged under marketing for your overhead calculation. You can't sell yourself until you've actually met a potential client, so every professional has to respond to as many requests for proposals as he or she can handle to keep the channel stuffed.

Beyond the sales pitch and "Sure, we can do that." handshake how much actual work you do and what you want to get paid for is up to you and how much risk from an E&O standpoint you want to assume. I give about an hour or so of up front free time personally but would only give general information without a contract. It benefits every client for you to pay your liability carrier and risk your license but not charge them anything, right?

But I also would not bill anyone without a contract (either formal or just verbal) either basically no matter how much work I do. So regardless if it's $750 or $75 I don't agree with that based on your description. I've had misunderstandings where the client feels a marketing call is a design meeting, at which point you have stop them and clarify the situation. "Have you hired me? Can we write this down?"

 

[Sean Solo]

Hi Bob, I worked as a roof truss designer a number of years ago doing truss designs for custom home builders. Most of the calculations were done by the software we would create the roof layout in. But we would use plates in the joint areas to build the trusses and not plywood. You could reach out to a truss company to give you a quote which should include a basic layout of the truss shape to start with. We did this for free but it was 20 years ago. I would also think you may need some truss ratings for snow load and other stuff for what ever your local code enforcement may want. (Not really sure any of this is helping you.) As a side note, my brother in law ordered roof trusses for a house 7 weeks ago and is still waiting for them. normally you could have them in about 2-3 weeks. Good luck.