We Provide Superior Structural Design Services

According to Section 6701 of the State of California Business and Professions Code, a structural engineer renders services for the design of structures and buildings that require education, training and experience in engineering sciences and that require application of special knowledge of mathematics, physics and engineering sciences.  California law restricts the individuals entitled to practice engineering to those who are licensed by the State.

Structural engineers are licensed professionals.  The process of retaining a structural engineer is the same as that employed when hiring an accountant, attorney, doctor or other similar such professional.  Evaluation of credentials and qualifications is a key consideration.  Selection of a professional solely on the basis of the lowest fee can heighten the risk of an unfavorable project outcome.  Fee based selection is appropriate when buying a commodity, but not when procuring professional services.  In soft story retrofit projects, engineering fees could amount to approximately 20% of a project's total cost for design and construction, yet the engineering services are critical to determining the other 80% of the project's cost.  Projects on which the engineer is retained on a low-bid basis tend to save owners a small amount on up-front design costs, but can result in significantly higher construction costs.

Consider consulting this publication that the California Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors published for insights on retaining engineers.

Sources for identifying licensed engineers include the referral list that the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California (SEAONC) maintains, the telephone Yellow Pages, and the internet.

Consider identifying three or more candidates, request a written services proposal, and interview the candidates after the proposals have been reviewed.  Inquire about past experience with projects similar to your own, and request references from the candidates of past clients whom you can contact.  Ensure the candidates are California licensed engineers in good standing here.

Pursuant to State law, engineers are required under most circumstances to furnish written agreements to clients before providing engineering services.  The agreement should as a minimum describe the proposed services, the compensation basis, the engineer's address and license number, the terms and conditions concerning additional services, and the procedure by which either party can terminate the agreement.

Consider conversing with candidate engineers about project circumstances that are beyond the engineer's control, how such circumstances will be addressed, and the compensation basis for addressing them.  Common circumstances engineers are requested to address but cannot anticipate at the time they formulate their scope of services include the extent of plan review comments that the DBI issues during the building permit application process; and construction phase situations such as contractor substitution requests, encountering unforeseen conditions that conflict with the proposed work, queries from City inspectors, and queries from the owner's Special Inspectors.

In preparing fee proposals, engineers formulate the scope of services they anticipate will be required to complete a project.   Sources for disparity in scopes or fees could include differing understandings of the project's objectives, differing opinions on the means by which project objectives can be attained, or differing understandings in responsibilities assigned.  For example, one candidate may include in her/his scope of services response to plan review comments from the DBI, while another candidate may exclude such from his/her basic services but intends to provide such as an additional service on an as-needed basis.  During the selection process, inquiring about these disparities while interviewing candidate engineers can be an effective means of ascertaining the basis for scope of services or fee variations among candidates.

If the seismic retrofit work scope alters the building's exterior appearance, fire safety rating, parking capacity, disabled persons' access, or historic fabric in cased where the building is listed on a recognized register of historic places, the involvement of a licensed architect may be necessary to consult on these matters.  The planning code and the building code regulate these facets of a building.

If the seismic retrofit work scope alters the building's mechanical, electrical or plumbing systems, the involvement of engineers versed in these systems may be necessary.

Older vintage buildings commonly contain hazardous materials, such as asbestos pipe insulation; lead based paint or certain ceiling finish treatments containing asbestos ingredients.  If the retrofit work scope disturbs materials containing hazardous materials, a professional versed in hazardous materials identification may have to be consulted. Laws at various governmental levels regulate the handling and disposal of hazardous materials.

Construction duration varies depending on many factors, including building size, retrofit work scope, workers' accessibility to the work areas, project phasing constraints (e.g. can the contractor complete the work in one phase, or does s/he complete one portion of the work, demobilize, remobilize and complete the balance of the work to accommodate tenants' relocation), and inclement weather. Soft story retrofit project durations can generally be expected to last from several weeks to several months. Encountering unforeseen conditions during the construction phase, such as buried utilities obstructing new foundation, or pipes or electrical conduit concealed behind wall or ceiling finishes obstructing installation of new structural components can be aggravating circumstances which pose schedule delays. 

The building code requires certain types of work to be inspected by a Special Inspector as a quality assurance measure. The Special Inspector must be retained by the owner. Special Inspection Items should be listed on the building plans as well as the ‘statement of special inspection’. The building code prohibits the contractor from hiring Special Inspectors. The DBI maintains a list of firms prequalified to provide Special Inspection services here.