I am a licensed contractor with over 30 years’ experience in residential and commercial construction. During the last 25 years I have been drawing plans and obtaining permits for clients throughout Sonoma County.
I am currently looking for a structural engineer or architect to do structural calculations on residential construction projects. I had been working for the last 8 years with a semi-retired engineer who recently went and made himself fully retired. He had moved. We had worked together well, and I am looking for an engineer with whom I can have a similar arrangement.
Basically it worked like this. I draw plans for a new home or remodel. If I know beforehand or the permitting agency lets me know that engineering is required, I would meet my engineer at his office or mine or over a cup of coffee, give him the preliminary plans as drawn and discuss what was needed and a fee so I could inform the client. Either at this time or later, after he had reviewed the plan, he would determine what was needed and I would then draw the plans showing the engineered design and including all details and information he felt was needed. When I was finished, we would meet up again, he would give me the stamped calcs and stamp and sign the drawings that I had prepared for submittal. I would pay him at this time.
It was informal. Often we would meet at the site. The work ranged from calcs for a beam or header, to complete structurals for a new home, or for an as built situation. Most of the work involved structural calcs for bearing loads, shear walls and engineered foundations. I have done house lifts and replacements of burned down homes in Sonoma County. I do small to medium commercial jobs, but it was mostly residential of all sizes. I liked the relationship with the engineer because the turnaround was quick and I wasn’t just a little job lost among the large projects that large engineering firms handle. I have an engineer(s) for on-site inspections if you are not available for those. My current engineer lives out of state and we have been managing just fine. Since CoVid the use of electronic plans and communications has just gotten not only better but also a standard way of business for contractors, professionals and government agencies.
These are small and medium size projects, very straightforward, and I need an engineer about a dozen or so times a year. The work is regular, good times or bad I find work. They ranged from $500-$9,000. You deal with an intelligent contractor who produces clear and uncomplicated drawings, and you rarely need deal with a homeowner.
I also handle permit mitigation for contractors and homeowners. Deal with red-tag situation and project analysis. I currently have more work for an engineer than in years past. When I started to design work, it was more of a sideline that led to construction jobs but currently I mostly do design and drafting work. I only work with experienced and high-end contractors. I have found this made the process much easier and provides assurance short cuts are not being taken that undermine the integrity of projects.
I live in the Sebastopol area, and this work is in Sonoma and Marin County for the most part. Please e-mail me if you are interested and give any info you may think important. This is straight forward residential stuff. I am interested that you are easy to work with, return calls, can explain things simply, and do not have an interest in over engineering things, etc. I don't know just about everything but can tell bad engineering from good at the residential level.
I can provide references on myself of any type you would like. I travel a bit so it may be a week or so before I get back to you. Thanks for your time.
Bard Henry
Contractor-Designer
