The veteran P.Eng. I use in the 4th largest city in North America charges $750-$1,000 to review plans up to 5,000 sf.

This post was edited by worthy on Tue, Apr 2, 13 at 19:06

In our location (in earthquake country) structural engineering is required for a new build. Could you ask your architect and/or the county whether this is something that the county is going to ask for?

Were you going to use a sliding/folding door system on the first floor with a second story above? Where we are that would be "something unusual" that would call for a closer look at the structural engineering.

Sounds pricey for a standard wood frame house. I paid ~$7000 to the structural engineer but this was for a deep basement in expansive clay soil and a concrete house with two large cantilevered balconies and a 10ftx10ft corner floor to ceiling window with floating/cantilevered second story concrete walls on top.

An architect is not licensed to practice structural engineering. For a house, an architect or builder (or anyone else) is limited to using what is prescribed in the building code although at least one state (ME) allows anyone to design the structure of a single family house so it would help to know where the project is located.

It is impossible to say if the fee is reasonable without knowing the scope of the design work. It would be high for a normal light wood framed house but low for an all steel and glass structure with major cantilevered elements or if there are extensive trusses and long span beams or you are in a high wind or earthquake zone or the soil conditions are poor.

This post was edited by Renovator8 on Tue, Apr 2, 13 at 21:13

Here in Florida it is required. Although $6,500 seems really high for a 2700 sq ft house. (My DH has a Structural Engineering firm) Are you on the ocean or some other body of water or maybe the side of a mountain? DH charges by the hour and it would have to be a huge, complex house to run up a bill that high...

"Is it typical for an architect to use an outside structural engineer?"

Yes, it is, particularly when the house, foundation, soils conditions and/or regulatory and permitting processes require it. Yours is a wonderful house design, but not a simple one. And structure (foundation and framing) is not something to take lightly.

It is not possible here to comment on professional fees and services since we don't know your situation, the specifics of your location and permitting agencies, nor the services proposed for the fee you quoted.

But the answer to your question about typical use of structural engineers is yes.

Good luck with your project.

Ours in this area are $400 per residential. We used one for a consult on the build. He came out spoke with us and submitted a one page build recommendation. We used one in Charlotte, NC. We are 1/2 hour from his location. Good luck.

Not trying to belabor the obvious, but there is a world of difference in the services, expenses and legal liabilities between "a consult on the build...with a one page build recommendation", and a legally required and stamped structural engineering design, details and accompanying load calculations necessary for building permit.

And then there's the requiredconstruction field inspections that are required to assure the builder is correctly following the structural design and specifications.

You get exactly what you pay for, assuming your local jurisdiction allows you to do whatever you want. If you have to follow the regulations of the jurisdiction, you will pay for the services required by them.

The posts on this thread reflect a whole series of completely different scenarios, which are not comparble to one another.

Buyer beware! Better still, buyer check with your local building official to see what your jurisdiction requires so you know exactly what you have to do. You won't get that authoratative information here because no one knows what's mandatory in your area.

I've heard conflicting info from the various professionals I've talked to. One thing I've heard is the AutoDesk software that our architect uses can generate the load calculations, and that for most residential construction (at least in Fairfax County Va.) that is enough to get a building permit. Just trying to find out if it is a must have or a nice to have so we can make informed budget decisions. Guess it's time to call the county.

A computer program cannot design a structure; it is simply a tool that a properly educated and trained person might choose to use to save time and effort for a complicated structure. It would only be cost effective if all of the necessary information had already been entered into the BIM software. That seems to me to be an unnecessary cost unless the structure of the building is so complex it can't be designed by simple span formulas (cantilevers, continuous multiple span beams, trusses, etc.)

In VA an architect or professional engineer license is not required in order for someone to prepare plans, specifications, documents and designs for a single family house not exceeding three stories provided the plans, specifications, documents or designs (excluding electrical and mechanical systems) bear the name and address of the author and his occupation.

I believe this is an unreasonably low standard. I would insist that a licensed engineer design my house or that of a client.

After doing some research it turns out our architect is not licensed in the state of Virginia. Perhaps that is why she out sources pretty much everything except the floor plan and elevations to others.

In Virginia presenting yourself as an architect without a license is against the law and we would have never signed a contract had we known she was not licensed. Not sure what we can / should do in this situation. Any ideas?

I think I'd be inclined to talk to a lawyer about whether or not her using a title to which she is not entitled constitutes fraud.

But it's always easier to suggest other people go down that path than to do it yourself.

What recourse do you desire?

If you like the architectural design, and she has not mis-represented herself, then there's no reason not to proceed to completion. This assumes your jurisdiction does not mandate that the design for a single family house requires a licensed architect.

In many jurisdictions that do require a professional license for a single family residence, it is common that either an architect or an engineer may provide the necessary design and load calculations.

So it comes back to the recourse you may desire and the extent to which it may be practical and achievable.

Judging from the various posts, you've had a rocky road on this haven't you?

Our county requirements for plans "If prepared by a Virginia registered architect or professional engineer, the plans must bear the original signature, seal and date." since she is not licensed she is having a structural engineer complete the construction documents so that they can be submitted.

We love the house, It's just $6.500 is a lot of money that we didn't budget for. I guess if we want to move forward we just have to save up and pay for this.

Building a new house (or remodeling an existing one) always has unexpected extra expenses. It's why a contingency fund of 10-15% of the expected construction cost is usually recommended.

In this situation, I guess you need to decide if you were deceived or defrauded, and if so, in what manner.

Otherwise, the practical approach is to accept this in the same manner as when the contractor tells you the price of lumber just increased by 6%, plus adds a 1% surcharge for additional gasoline transportation expenses from needing a larger truck for the roof trusses.

I don't mean to make light of your situation, but didn't she tell you at the outset about the need for a structural engineer? Seems I remember you posting something to that effect earlier.

Good luck with your project.

If she falsely represented herself as a VA architect and you can prove it, she probably cannot use the VA courts to enforce the contract.

But the law you quote does not mean that the drawings must be stamped by an architect or engineer; it only requires an architect or engineer to use his/her stamp on any work that they produce.

If a licensed design professional was required to design a single-family house in VA (and I don't believe that is the case) she would not be allowed to hire an architect or engineer to stamp her work unless that person had been working for her under her direct supervision and responsible control and she had a valid license.

Is she licensed in another state? Sometimes an architect can design one project in another state but that arrangement would have to be revealed to the client up front.

The issue is the high cost of engineering services. Was that cost not revealed to you in the written contract before you signed it? Why is it a surprise? Why would you have to accept such a high cost?

Another thread has been started on this subject.

Here is a link that might be useful: new thread