Electrical engineers cost?

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powerplay

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Location
Canada
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I am planning to consult an engineer before setting up an Primary 12KV switch to and set up a warehouse. How do engineers tend to go about pricing for their time...is there a variety of pricing available?
 
powerplay said:
I am planning to consult an engineer before setting up an Primary 12KV switch to and set up a warehouse. How do engineers tend to go about pricing for their time...is there a variety of pricing available?
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varies. some do flat rate, some do by page, some do by hourly,
some do by size of job in dollars.....

there are as many ways to bid thinking about doing a job, as there
are ways to bid doing it.
 
Define the Scope

Define the Scope

Be sure to define the scope of what you want. Engineers tend to sometimes go on and on unless you draw the line.
And remember "Nothing cost as much as cheap help."
 
Our PE looks at the project, then quotes the cost, which we add to the bid, a good engineer can not only save you money, he can help you make money and build your business.
 
powerplay said:
I am planning to consult an engineer before setting up an Primary 12KV switch to and set up a warehouse. How do engineers tend to go about pricing for their time...is there a variety of pricing available?
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As others have said, it depends on the job.
To undertake a study, we usually quote on a fixed price basis for the work.
If it's an investigation into a problem that could be open ended i terms of time scale, we give a daily rate.
I suppose it's the same there. Define what you want done in writing. Get a quotation. Be prepared to negotiate.
 
ramsy said:
Do engineers need to be local, or want to visit job sites before providing their quote.
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They need to be licensed in the state in which the job site is located. I have a friend who was at one time (may still be) licensed in all 50 states. So no, the engineer need not be local. As to whether I would want to visit a site before quoting a price, more often then not I would. But here again it depends on the scope of work. There may be complications that you are not considering. For example, when you say you will be setting a switch, that brings to mind such things as the concrete pad, a grounding system, underground ductbanks, the impact on the landscaping, the service entrance disconnect (if it is not the 12kV switch), fault current calculations, arc flash analyses, and a few other things. You need to decide how much of this stuff you want (or need) the engineer to deal with for you. That will often involve a preliminary conversation with the engineer, and that conversation is best held on site.
 
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