Providing Stamped Repair for Job Currently Under Construction

[BoilerEng]

I'm looking to start outside consulting and one thing I've found is a company needing help with problems that arise during construction.  What are your thoughts on providing consulting in the form of stamped letters/repair sketches for contractors on a job where problems arise?

For example, a contractor forgot blocking in a portion of the roof framing and has already shingled it.  The EOR is saying they must tear off shingles and installing blocking per the plans.  The contractor wants a repair that avoids tearing the roof off (certified by Structural Engineer) and has requested my help.  

I don't know how I feel about going over the EOR's head and suggesting a repair..

 

[ptatohed]

Sounds like a job for the EOR, no?

 

[Road Guy]

Being the engineer of record and being The owner are two different things. If the owner wants to consult outside resources for a modified repair there's not really anything wrong with that.

Tear it out and redo it is this safe play but many times there are other ways to skin a cat.....

 

[BoilerEng]

Sounds like a job for the EOR, no?

That was my thought, but the contractor has indicated the EOR will not allow any repairs other than removing the roofing and installing the blocking, so they are looking for outside consultants that will approve a modified repair. 

That being said, I'm not there to supervise the repair and they've already messed up the original installation.  Best to just leave this one alone

 

[smahurin]

During construction fixes that don't meet the original are somewhat risky in my opinion as usually the best way to do the "x" was in the design documents.  But if you can feel comfortable with a potential fix, someone is willing to pay you, and you're willing to accept the risk, I suppose go for it.  Especially as a starter company.  I would imagine a lot of small starter companies don't get to be too picky when it comes to work selection.

But I would stress that you have to be very comfortable with the risk you're assuming.  Even if your fix is sound, by touching that building and stamping something involved, you're buying risk.  If something goes wrong, a lawyer is going to slap a law suit on every person who had a hand in that project (right or wrong) even if your fix doesn't touch a mistake that the contractor or EOR made elsewhere on the project.  You'll likely settle for some (significant) amount of money, again whether you were at all at fault or not.  I don't want to sound negative, and you can do this work and many people/companies likely do, but just be aware that you are buying risk and price your design fee accordingly.

 

[SE_FL]

I have a seawall contractor client that prefers a certain type of wall and deadman system that saves him time and money. Whenever he gets a job with a different system he pays me to update the permit set. It seems silly to me that it wasn't designed that way to begin with. He has gone back to the EOR several times to change but the EOR is too busy on new projects to mess with revisions. 

I would be careful for components and cladding revisions. The new ASCE 7-15 is going to make things a bit more complicated.