The total value of the engineering market worldwide is projected to grow by 100 billion dollars over the next year. If you have some engineering projects lined up, you need some residential structural engineers on deck.
When examining your options for engineers there are some key factors that you should take into account.
Knowing what to look for in an engineer can help you find the quality of workers capable of completing your building projects. Use these 7 tips to help vet the large pool of engineer resources available to your company.
The first factor you should analyze when deliberating between candidates is their level of residential engineering experience. Some good questions to ask when gauging an engineer’s experience level are:
These are a few questions that you can use to determine your candidate’s level of experience. Use them as inspiration to develop more of your own questions.
The reputation of an engineer is another major factor you should take into account when vetting a candidate. Reputation is of critical importance to both independent engineers and engineering firms.
Doing a bad job on an engineering project can lead to the destruction of life and property. Make sure to hire residential structural engineers with a proven track record for excellent performance.
The best way to gauge an engineer’s reputation is to do a little bit of digging online. Consult online customer reviews on various websites to see what people have to say about them.
Another excellent source is the Better Business Bureau. Consult them about your potential engineer candidates. Make sure that any of your prospects have Better Business Bureau accreditation.
If the engineering firm in question has a poor reputation from past clients, the Better Business Bureau will not accredit them.
They may also be at risk of losing an existing accreditation. This is an excellent resource in your reputation vetting process.
The price of an engineer’s services is another important factor to consider in your hiring process. Comparing engineering costs is simple. All you need to do is consult multiple different firms for an estimate on your project.
See what they offer you and for what price. It may be worth it to pay a bit more to get the job done right rather than going for the lowest offer. You can make a cost-benefit analysis once all your options are before you.
You should only choose between insured structural engineers. A lot can go wrong during a residential building project.
If your engineers are not equipped with their own insurance, your company could be liable in the event of an accident. Make sure to ask for specific details about their policies.
The kind of and extent of insurance an engineer has should weigh heavily in your decision-making process.
There are many different kinds of projects within the field of residential structural engineering. Depending on the type of project you are undertaking, you may need many different kinds of engineers.
Make sure to inquire about an engineer’s capabilities and expertise. That way you will know that they have the abilities needed to complete your project the right way and that it is not outside their level of ability.
You should always ask about an engineer’s level of education. They may have taken specific courses that are relevant to your project.
They also may have cultivated specializations that are applicable to your endeavor by continuing their education past the basic level to the graduate, doctorate, or post-doctorate level.
You should also ask where they went to school to gauge the quality of education they received. Some engineering schools are more reputable than others and can make your candidates more desirable.
While going to a notable engineering school doesn’t guarantee a great education, engineers that attended one are a more desirable candidate for your project.
Keep in mind that if an engineer has a high level of education they will be more expensive to take on. Factor this into your cost-benefit analysis when making hiring decisions.
You can hire freelance engineers who work on their own or hire an engineering firm with dedicated employees. Both have their own sets of standards and practices that can influence how you work with them.
Your project may benefit more from hiring a few short-term free-lance engineers on a contractual basis. This works great for smaller time-sensitive building projects.
If you have a more long-term project that requires dedicated engineers you may want to consult an engineering firm with these resources.
You can contract them for the long-term duration of your project to complete your goals.
Your other option is to hire engineers in-house and put them on your payroll. If your company has the resources to do this, it can be an excellent option.
Having your engineering department in-house saves you from having to hire new engineers on a contractual basis each time you start a new project.
This option only makes sense if you have enough work lined up to merit having your own engineering team.
It can also be more expensive as you will be in charge of providing benefits, salary, retirement, and other conditions of hire for your engineers.
That said, if you have the means to do it, hiring in-house engineers provides you consistency.
Engineers make your project both literally and figuratively. The better quality residential structural engineers you hire, the better quality end-result your project will have.
If you need to cut corners on aspects of your project, the one area you shouldn’t is your engineering department. Cutting your budget in this area can compromise the safety and structural integrity of the buildings you create.
If you need help finding engineers that are a great fit for your needs, contact us today. We can give you access to our large pool of engineering resources and find some that work for you!
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