FAQ's...
We've heard these
questions from people. If
you don't see your question please
contact
us for a personal
answer. Don't be
afraid.......we're here to help!
General
Info:
What does P.E. stand
for?
What does a
Professional Engineer do?
How can hiring a
Professional help my
project?
What's
the
difference
between
an
Architect,
designer, draftsman, Structural
Engineer, Professional Engineer
and an Architectural Engineer?
How much does an
Architectural Engineer cost
and how much does it take to
design a building?
Who?
Who can design a
building?
What
/
Where?
Do you use Green
Building practices?
What areas do you
serve?
Why?
Why is the design
process even necessary?
I just want to design it as I
go!
Why do I need
"engineering?"
Why
do engineers over-design
everything?
More
Questions?
Don't see
your question? Get it
answered here.
General Info:
What does P.E. stand
for?
P.E. stands for
Professional Engineer. A
Professional Engineer is licensed
by each state as a
professional. Professionals
(doctors, attorneys, accountants,
architects and engineers) are
distinctly different from other
occupations. A professional
must complete extensive formal
training and learning
requirements, complete a
qualifying examination process,
adhere to a code of ethics,
complete continuing education
requirements, safeguard life,
health and property and a
professional also has a duty to
promote the public welfare through
social responsibility and
integrity. All this
obligates professionals to conduct
themselves honorably and with a
high level of integrity.
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What
does
a
Professional
Engineer do?
A good Professional
Engineer helps his clients achieve
their goals and dreams by providing
the technical expertise to develop a
design that is safe, will stand up
to the elements and achieves the
projects goals through the most cost
effective method available. A
Professional Engineer should be part
of a team (owner, architect or
designer, engineer and contractor),
not just someone involved in order
to get a permit.
A good Professional
Engineer is more than a technician
that sizes members or puts lines
on paper. There is value
in what a Professional
Engineer does or can do if
allowed by the
client. Consideration should
be given to an enormous number of
influences that affect a
design. Technical
challenges, items such as choice
of materials, cost constraints,
time constraints, sophistication
constraints, site constraints,
etc., need to be identified,
evaluated and resolved to achieve
the desired result. All this
takes knowledge, experience and
good judgment. A qualified
Professional Engineer should be
able to bring all these qualities
to the team.
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How can hiring a
Professional help my
project?
Many
people in the "industry" seem to
think that hiring a licensed
Professional Engineer is
unnecessary and a waste of time
and money. Well,
this is factually not true if the
Professional Engineer is given the
opportunity to help. To bring
the engineer on board after
things have been
decided positions the engineer as
a “necessary evil” who is needed
just to get the permit. The "good" he can
bring to a project is very
limited.
But if allowed, Chris
can bring his diverse experience
to your project and actually help
and not just be a cog. In his
experience he has observed many
projects where things were
completed that were didn't have to
be. Some
things
were considered desirable while
others were not required and only
cost the owner and/or contractor
money.
Construction is
inherently riddled with problems
and potential problems. The
decisions made during the design
and construction process will have
an impact on the owner for years. Chris
can help sort things out and
provide workable solutions. And he
brings a fresh and objective point
of view to the process. Check
out the services offered,
both
before
and
after
construction
and
the
contact
us. We
can help!
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What's
the difference between an
Architect, designer, draftsman,
Structural Engineer,
Professional Engineer and an
Architectural Engineer?
An Architect
is someone who is
professionally licensed by each
State to provide Architectural
services. Many are self
described artists which is fine and
needed on certain types of
projects. Each Architect is
different and provides a varying
level of service that may or may not
include things like Civil
Engineering, Surveying, Structural
Engineering, MEP (Mechanical /
Electrical / Plumbing) Engineering,
Pre-Design services, Design
services, Contract Administration
and Construction Observation
services in his fee structure.
The type of services included
depends on their level of expertise
and their own comfort level.
A designer is
someone
who is unlicensed but is usually
knowledgeable about building design
or the building trade. This
can include people like builders,
contractors, unlicensed architects,
draftsman who also "design", people
who just want to design, engineers,
etc. Anyone can be a designer
as there are no licensing or
training requirements. There
are however, limits on the types of
buildings a designer can legally
work on. See
below.
A draftsman
is someone who is skilled at
presenting someone else's design.
A Structural
Engineer (SE) is someone
who is professionally licensed by a
State as a Structural Engineer
(SE). This license is above
and beyond a Professional Engineer
(PE) license and allows the SE to
work on all types of
structures. Many States do not
have or require this level of
licensure.
A Professional
Engineer (PE) is someone
who is professionally licensed by a
State, typically as a Civil Engineer
in the building industry. This
license allows the PE to work on all
"non-essential facilities" as
described by each State (generally
less than 4 stories but no
hospitals, fire stations, etc.).
An Architectural
Engineer is someone who is
trained in all aspects of building
science (architecture, foundations,
structures, MEP - mechanical
electrical and plumbing systems,
lighting, acoustics) and typically
gets licensed as a Professional
Engineer (PE).
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How
much does an Architectural
Engineer cost?
Now that's a loaded
question.......just kidding.
But just like most things in life,
you generally get what you pay
for. Engineering is no
different. A quality design
takes careful thought, careful
thinking takes time, and time is
money. But keep this in
mind........a poorly conceived
design will take more time and
therefore money to build.
We've seen it too many
times! But a carefully
executed design will save you time
and money in the long run.
Trying to save hundreds in
"engineering" during design phase
can end up costing thousands
during construction. No
kidding!
The total cost of
"engineering" depends on how
involved the Engineer needs to be
to provide a quality design.
The easier you make it on the
engineer, the less the
"engineering" will cost. As
an added benefit, the easier you
make it on the engineer, the
easier your project will likely be
to build too. Engineering
costs depend on things like the
complexity, location and type of
building, code constraints on the
building, the completeness of the
design drawings, and many other
factors. Best bet is to contact
us for a quote when
you are ready to start planning.
So
how much does it typically
cost to design a building?
There
is a HUGE range but this is what
we have seen.............
Keep in mind, there are "minimums"
so if you have a smaller project
(<$150k) a higher percentage
will be required. And
remodels are always at the high
end of the range due to the extra
time required to deal with an
existing building and design
something new.
Architects..........5%
to
15%
of
the
construction
cost
of
your project. The range is
large because some Architects
provide a "bare bones" design while
others are artists and provide both
the inspiration and vision for your
project. Some Architects
include a few to all of the needed
Professional services (civil,
surveying, structural, MEP, etc.)
within their fee structure. See
discussion above.
With so many variables it quickly
becomes difficult to compare apples
to apples!
Designers..........2%
to
8%
of
the
construction
cost
of
your project. The range seems
to be based on experience and
background. Some have
architectural training while others
have no formal training at
all.
Draftsman..........1%
to
2%
of
the
construction
cost
of
your building. Note that this
is "built in" to the Architects and
designers rates above.
Structural
Engineer
or Professional Engineer..........1%
to 4% of the construction cost of
your project. But remember,
this is in ADDITION to the normal
design fees charged by an Architect,
designer or draftsman above OR included
in
an Architect's 8% to 15% fee, IF he
includes this cost.
Haffner
Consulting Engineering
(Architectural
Engineering)..........2% to
6% of the construction cost of your
building (includes the structural
design and the building design - all
other consultants are extra).
How can we do this? With a
no-nonsense approach and by
utilizing our preferred design
methods. No fluff!!!
So
call and let's get started!!!!
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Who?
Who can design a
building?
These
lists
are not comprehensive but
represent some of the most common
restrictions as they pertain to
the "architectural" and structural
design of most buildings.
This IS NOT a legal opinion but is
only a representation of our
understanding of the statutes as
we know them.
Oregon:
- Structural Engineer
(S.E.): May design the
structural portion of any
building of any type.
- Professional Engineer
(P.E.): May design the
structural portion of any
building except "significant
structures" (over 4 stories,
hospitals, large schools,
firehouses, etc.).
- Architects: May design
any building and/or the
structural portion of any
building within their area of
competence with some
exceptions.
- Designers: May design
single family residential
dwellings and auxiliary
buildings, farm buildings, and
buildings that are less than
4,000 SF and less than 20' in
height. The structural
portion of these buildings may
only be designed within the
constraints of the
"prescriptive" design specified
in the Oregon Dwelling Specialty
Code for One & Two Family
Dwellings. All
non-"prescriptive" members or
systems, by law, need to be
"engineered."
Washington:
- Structural Engineer
(S.E.): May design the
structural portion of any
building of any type.
- Professional Engineer
(P.E.): May design the
structural portion of any
building except "significant
structures" (over 4 stories,
hospitals, large schools,
firehouses, etc.).
- Architects: May design
any building and/or the
structural portion of any
building within their area of
competence.
- Designers: May design
single family residential
dwellings and auxiliary
buildings, farm buildings, and
buildings that are 4,000 SF or
less. The structural
portion of these buildings may
only be designed within the
constraints of the
"prescriptive" design specified
in the Washington State Building
Code. All
non-"prescriptive" members or
systems, by law, need to be
"engineered."
Kansas:
- Professional Engineer
(P.E.): May design the
structural portion of any
building.
- Architects: May design
any building and/or the
structural portion of any
building within their area of
competence.
- Designers: May design
one and two family residential
dwellings and agricultural
buildings.
Missouri:
- Professional Engineer
(P.E.): May design the
structural portion of any
building.
- Architects: May design
any building and/or the
structural portion of any
building within their area of
competence.
- Designers: May design
one and two family residential
dwellings, any one building
of less than 20,000 cubic
feet of volume and agricultural
buildings.
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What /
Where?
Do
you use Green Building
practices?
Yes!
In
our view Green Building
design practices should be used all the time. A
structure should be designed to
meet the clients’ needs, nothing
less (does not function properly
and possibly dangerous) and
nothing more (over-designed and
costly). Efficient design
should always be the goal and
resources should always be
conserved where possible!
With
that being said there are projects
where a particular need is not met
using the most efficient design
approach (design criteria meets
the Code but not the clients’
standards). We attempt to identify
those instances and provide the
most efficient design possible
within the clients needs.
You
will find that what passes as “Green”
varies greatly. Sometimes it isn't
all it is supposed to be - see NY Times
and also this EXCELLENT
video concerning "Green".
This
is
the
EPA’s
definition of Green Building: “Green
building is the practice
of creating structures and using
processes that are environmentally
responsible and resource-efficient
throughout a building's life-cycle
from siting to design,
construction, operation,
maintenance, renovation and
deconstruction. This practice
expands and complements the
classical building design concerns
of economy, utility, durability,
and comfort. Green building is
also known as a sustainable or
high performance building.”
So what is
our approach? We
all should be designing “green”
every day whether a building is
labeled as “green” or
not. To do otherwise would be
irresponsible and a waste of our
clients’ money and resources. But
often, by the time we start a
design the desired “system” and
materials have been selected by
others in the process. But if you
have us help with the whole design
concept,
we can help provide the answers
that meet your "Green" needs while
keeping the design as efficient as
possible.
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What
areas do you serve?
Our office is located just outside
Mosier, Oregon. We can perform
engineering and design services
anywhere within the states of Oregon,
Washington,
Kansas
and Missouri.
In the Northwest we have provided
professional services in towns such
as Portland,
Lake
Oswego, Bonneville,
Cascade
Locks, Stevenson,
Carson,
Underwood,
Parkdale,
Mount
Hood, Hood
River, White
Salmon, Bingen,
Mosier,
Lyle,
Klickitat,
The
Dalles, Dufur,
Maupin,
Goldendale,
Moro,
Fossil,
Condon,
and Bickleton. In
the Midwest we have provided
services to clients in the Kansas
City metro area and in the
surrounding towns (such as Overland
Park, Leawood, Bonner Springs and
Lawrence). However, we are
willing to travel to wherever we are
needed.
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Why?
Why
is
the design process even
necessary? I just
want to design as I go!
First
- If you don't obtain the
proper permits it will not be
legal and someone will pay for
it in the future! We can
argue whether or not this is the
right approach over a beer but
it IS the world in which we
live. My answer would be
that proper design allows you to
sleep soundly at night?
Second
- It WILL cost you more
if you design as you go.
Don't believe me? Study
the image below and read
this
blog post on the
amount of control you lose
by designing later. This
is why we say there is value
in design!!!
And
Thirdly - In
construction YOU
get to control two of the
three items in the triangle
below. You will not be
able to control all three, so
choose the two that are most
important to you. And
remember, we
can
help you with all
of this!
Why
do
I need "engineering?"
Most commercial buildings
need to be "engineered" because
the law requires it. If the
public has access to your building
the public expects that your
building be safe. As a
result, a network of laws (codes)
have been established that require
"engineering."
Many residences do
not require "engineering" if they
meet the "prescriptive" design
requirements specified in the
Code. If a building official
has told you that all or a part of
your residence needs "engineering"
then something in your design does
not meet the "prescriptive" design
requirements specified in the
Code. It doesn't mean that
you can't do what you've
proposed. It just means that
a Professional Engineer needs to
design all or a part of the
building by applying scientific
principles to the non-conforming
items and designing them so that
they meet the code imposed loads
(dead, live, snow, wind and
seismic loads among others) at
your site. If you desire,
you can always change your design
to adhere to the "prescriptive"
design criteria and therefore not
require "engineering." But
then, you don't get everything you
want.
Some owners, even
though not required by a building
official, just want a quality
design and also want to make sure
their proposed design will "stand
up" to the elements. They
also want to minimize the
possibility of problems being
"built in" to the structure.
This also helps owners sleep well
during a big snowstorm, wind storm
or earthquake.
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Why do
engineers over-design
everything?
Professional Engineers get
accused of over-designing often
and in a way, our critics are
right. Until that Code
imposed load (maximum snow, wind
or other load) is exerted on the
building, it IS
overbuilt! In a
way, Professional Engineers and
the Codes they follow are trying
to predict the future by applying
the knowledge obtained in previous
events. Predicting the next
big snow storm, wind storm or
earthquake is impossible.
The loads mandated by the Code do
try to err on the side of caution
to keep you and your investment
safe. It only makes sense
and is why a 6.8 earthquake in the
US kills less than a dozen while a
6.2 earthquake in another country
with poor codes or enforcement
kills hundreds of thousands.
Normally, a
qualified Professional Engineer
designs to the code imposed
minimum loadings unless there is
additional criteria that makes the
minimum loading
unacceptable. The minimum
loading in the codes is just that,
a
minimum! In most
cases we will not see the minimum
design loads in our
lifetimes. However, they do
occur. Think of it this way;
a building that barely passes "the
Code" is the worst
building you can legally
build. Nobody knows when
that next huge snow storm, wind
storm or earthquake will
happen. All buildings are
"over-designed" until there is a
problem; then they are
"under-designed." Which kind
of building would you rather
own? Call
and we can help!
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