The structural design of a building is a science in itself, based on numbers, formulas and physical laws. For many builders and investors, this is a specialist area in which one cannot always have a say in the details. It is all the more important to find a trustworthy contact person. Comparatively large forces occur, especially in multi-family houses, which must be safely conducted into the subsoil without endangering the stability of the neighboring buildings. How exactly do you find the right structural engineer for your project? Below we provide you with an overview that can help you with your search.
1. Scope of Services
Structural planning is colloquially called statics. However, the word statics actually only refers to the static calculation. In addition to the static calculation, position plans should be created, reinforcement plans drawn and project-specific advice given. The well-known saying applies: Every project is unique. Accordingly, as a structural engineer, you have to think your way into each project individually.
A helpful indicator when identifying the scope of services are the HOAI service phases. The basic services of the structural design are assigned to the HOAI service phases 1-6. In addition, special services may occur. These include, for example, evidence of earthquakes, which are more common than one might think, especially in south-western areas along the Rhine. The individual services within the above-mentioned service phases can be found in HOAI Appendix 14. Some providers advertise with a complete provision of service phases 1-6, but do not carry out all the specified partial services. This includes also documentation of all consulting and planning services, participation in preliminary negotiations with authorities and in cost or scheduling. Practice shows that these tasks are often not taken on at all. So ask and consider whether you would like to commission your statics office for this at all.
2. References
The performance profile of structural engineering is a generally applicable performance profile for building construction and infrastructure construction. In building construction, there are still different sectors such as residential construction, industrial construction or commercial construction. Within the divisions, a distinction can still be made between new construction and existing building measures. The size of the construction measure or the construction method (solid construction, timber construction, steel construction) also allows for further distinctions. What we want to say: We recommend that you look for a suitable structural engineer who works in your area. Background: There are a wide variety of standards, legislation, detailed solutions and software applications that not every structural engineer can know. Unlike in the past, this is simply no longer possible or efficient.
3. Offer
For many years, the minimum prices for engineering services in the construction industry were more or less fixed by the HOAI. The methods and tables used to calculate the fee are still widely regarded as standard today. From a legal point of view, the wording has been changed and the HOAI tables are only used as orientation values. For outsiders, the calculation based on the HOAI was in any case difficult to understand and actually associated with risks. Because: The fee determination according to HOAI is linked to the chargeable costs (a special parameter when determining the construction costs). This means that from the point of view of architects and engineers, there is an interest in setting the construction costs as high as possible. This contradicts the economic thinking of the builders, who, as a result, have often agreed on maximum rates. In the past, architects and engineers were not used to recording, documenting and calculating the effort.
It will be interesting to see how the prices develop. We believe that construction management know-how will help to make the calculation of the offer price transparent and understandable for the builder and planner. So nowadays you can ask how the asking price came about.
4. The Accessibility
We often find that some project participants still assume that it is advantageous for planners to have their offices close to the affected property. However, digitization has meant that a lot of location data such as information on the built environment, snow and wind loads, earthquake zones, monument protection lists, coal mining areas, flood areas, even rough guide values for the subsoil quality can now be called up via geographic information systems. Furthermore, it should be borne in mind that the structural design is to be regarded as specialist planning that provides technical support to the property planners (usually architects) in the planning. The main task of structural planning is to statically verify the planning concept of the architectural office and to plan load-bearing components (reinforcement plans, etc.). Each calculation is based on assumptions, apart from the external boundary conditions (see above), which are largely determined by architects and builders. The planning concept (construction drawings, building descriptions, site plan) and information on the subsoil quality (from an on-site subsoil report) are now exchanged digitally.
The availability of a structural engineer no longer improves today if you can be in front of the door within 5 minutes. Rather, it is increased by modern means of communication, such as secure servers and mail accounts, hardware and software for video calls, chat functions or even virtual planning environments to plan live with each other. We recommend building owners to pay more attention to the digital infrastructure and the size of the team than to the location of potentially suitable structural engineers.
5. Delivery time
In times of the construction boom, most engineering offices are very busy. Furthermore, a generational change is just around the corner. In our experience, the small-scale industry is characterized by older management. The hardware and software applications are not always up to date. Several factors mean that the processing time can be extended. Reliable information about an approximate delivery time, at least until the proof of stability has been completed, is rare. In order to be able to do this, modern project management has become indispensable, also in engineering offices. So feel free to inquire about the underlying processes in the engineering office. Project delays can cost you dearly if financing loans are already running and the handover date to end investors and tenants is set early.
6. The Experience
Experienced structural engineers can identify relatively quickly what risks will arise in a construction project. Missing supports or other supports, in multi-family houses usually with cantilevered ceilings, large window areas and open rooms or underground garages. We recommend building owners to hold an initial meeting and to address the possible pain points. In the course of the conversation, outsiders usually get a feeling relatively quickly as to whether it is an intermediary platform or an experienced engineering office.
7. Communication
As already mentioned in connection with the topic of accessibility, communication plays an important role in the early phases of a project, especially between the building owner, architectural office and specialist planning. Modern means of communication ensure that drafts, drawings and other data can be shared and viewed digitally together. Modern input devices help to mark critical points and also quickly sketch individual detailed solutions digitally by hand. Data exchange formats continue to play an important role in technical communication. A lot of work can be saved if drawings or even models can be transferred from one software to another specialist software. Inquire with those involved in the project and, if possible, ensure a common data exchange standard for larger apartment buildings. Possibly the price can then also be renegotiated by reducing the effort.
8. The Understanding
At many universities, architects and civil engineers are taught separately. This contributes to the fact that each discipline also develops a kind of tunnel vision. However, the planning of a building is based on an interdisciplinary exchange in which there must be an understanding of the respective other discipline. Structural engineers also tend to evaluate designs too critically and propose conservative solutions. Find out about architectural features in a conversation about constructive solutions. Otherwise, a project can quickly end up in a dead end.
9. Solution Orientation
An apartment building is usually an economic investment, a technical construct, a social commitment and, of course, an ecological issue. The variety of topics means that the planning of a building is an iterative process. Architects design a building, and technical experts such as structural engineers check the design concept. There are adjustments and consultations. There will always be individual points in the planning that are not ideal for everyone involved. Errors will also occur in human actions. You can “dead plan” a building and move the ball back and forth until you spin in circles in desperation.
Conclusion
The planning of an apartment building is a process that is lived by people. The process thrives on the cooperation of many participants. The structural design and the responsible structural engineer (structural engineer) are an integral part of the planning team. We hope that we were able to help builders with some important aspects when choosing a suitable structural engineer. If you are interested, please contact us. We are happy to support you with the technical planning of your building, with the selection of the project participants and with the organization within a project. It is now a matter of finding solutions. A pragmatic approach can be very helpful here. As a client, develop a feeling in the initial discussions for whether the same interests exist, whether only other people’s problems are seen or whether solution-oriented action is recognizable. This is what you can expect from a suitable structural engineer.
