Design Business

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necnotevenclose

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I have been entertaining the thought of starting an electrical design business. I don't have a PE stamp so I cannot call it a consulting engineering firm. So without a PE stamp I have to start a contracting business and obtain a contractors design stamp. My vision of my business is that a contractor could hire me at a lower cost of an enginner to provide design, construction assistance, review of plans & submittals. But I have a few mental obstacles before I can start. They are:

1) Being a design contractor & not a PE would I need liability insurance, or would the contractor that ends up actually doing the work have the majority of the liability?

2) Is there any $$$$ assistance from the feds to help fund this new venture?

3) If you are a contractor would you use this type of service?

4) How do you get hooked up with GC's, owners, architects, and other contractors. is cold calling okay?

Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated and if anyone starts a successful business based off of this idea I want 30% of the profits.
 
In most states, the practice of design that results in construction of things that affect the public health, safety, and welfare is called engineering. The fact that you don't call yourself an engineer doesn't stop them from prosecuting you for the unlawful practice of engineering.

I always like to read the reports of enforcement actions from boards in states where I am licensed. The usual reports describe a pattern along the following lines.

Someone doing a plan review will notice the absence of a PE stamp. After the contractor mumbles a bit, he is going to leave you swinging in the breeze. Then some PE in the municipal engineering department is going to check out our credentials (your absence of credentials) and notify the PE board. You will get a notice to appear before the PE board. After they verify that you are doing engineering work (no matter what you call it) without benefit of license, it will be referred to the prosecutor's office. The evidence will be the plans with your name on them.

If you are lucky, you will cop a plea with a big fine and a promise to not do it again.
 
Bob,

Thank you for the reply. Since I do not want to be prosecuted. Would the board object to a design assist where drawings are produced to a level where they could either be reviewed by a PE for a stamp & sign or to a contractor where they can take over the drawings and stamp & sign them with a contrator's stamp?
 
necnotevenclose said:
Bob,

Thank you for the reply. Since I do not want to be prosecuted. Would the board object to a design assist where drawings are produced to a level where they could either be reviewed by a PE for a stamp & sign or to a contractor where they can take over the drawings and stamp & sign them with a contrator's stamp?
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The usual criterion for an engineer stamping work of others is that the work must be done under his responsible supervision. That engineer is responsible for errors and omissions that might subsequently be revealed. If an error or omission results in $100,000 of work to pay to fix the problem, who is going to pay the bill; you or the engineer that stamps it?
 
In our area there are several independent engineers that will do our drawings for a reasonible price, they will take the job from the start and do all the work our we can do some of the field work. So I can see no reason to use a non-licensed person to do what I can hire a licensed engineer to complete.,
 
Growler,

Washington State allows contractors to stamp & sign their own drawings as long as the project meets certain criteras say service, building size and type of building then a PE stamp is not required.

Bob,

That is a great question I think I need to look into insurance costs.
 
brian john said:
In our area there are several independent engineers that will do our drawings for a reasonible price, they will take the job from the start and do all the work our we can do some of the field work. So I can see no reason to use a non-licensed person to do what I can hire a licensed engineer to complete.,
Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply. Note to self, VA seems to be covered.
 
necnotevenclose said:
Washington State allows contractors to stamp & sign their own drawings as long as the project meets certain criteras say service, building size and type of building then a PE stamp is not required.
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Actually, here's what the Washington Administrative Code says about plans for projects that require plan review.
"...must be prepared by, or under the direction of, a consulting engineer registered under chapter 18.43 RCW, and chapters 246-320, 180-29, and 388-97 WAC and stamped with the engineer's mark and signature."
 
necnotevenclose said:
Washington State allows contractors to stamp & sign their own drawings as long as . . . .
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I would accept the notion of signing, but not ?stamping.? I once worked for an electrical contracting firm that did much of their business as ?design/build.? Very seldom did their design activities require involvement of a PE. When it did, they hired a local engineering company to participate in the design process.

I know of no other ?stamp? than the ?seal? of a P.E. Can someone enlighten me on this question: Is there such a thing as a ?contractor?s stamp??

Bob NH said:
The usual criterion for an engineer stamping work of others is that the work must be done under his responsible supervision.
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That is not a ?usual? thing; it is the law. An engineer?s seal does not mean anything along the lines of, ?I have reviewed this work and I find it to be acceptable.? Rather, the P.E. seal means one thing, and one thing only: ?This work was performed by me, or under my supervision.?

necnotevenclose said:
Would the board object to a design assist where drawings are produced to a level where they could either be reviewed by a PE for a stamp & sign . . . ?
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They would. See above.

If the design process had reached a significant level of completion before the P.E. has the first opportunity to involve his or her brain in the process, it would be illegal for the P.E. to seal or sign the design documents.
 
necnotevenclose said:
I have been entertaining the thought of starting an electrical design business. I don't have a PE stamp so I cannot call it a consulting engineering firm. So without a PE stamp I have to start a contracting business and obtain a contractors design stamp.
Click to expand...
I've never heard of such a thing. In my state, you can get an electrical contractor's license or a PE license. An EC can only do design work for buildings specifically exempted from requiring a PE to do the work. These exempt buildings are things like single family dwellings and commercial buildings that are fairly small.

If the work can be legally designed by the EC doing the installation, he's going to do it himself. I don't see how he saves anything by subbing out the design work to you. And since you don't have a PE license, you aren't going to be able to sign most design work, anyway.
 
charlie b said:
I know of no other “stamp” than the “seal” of a P.E. Can someone enlighten me on this question: Is there such a thing as a “contractor’s stamp?”
Click to expand...

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RACO
P.O. Box 4002
Southbend, IN 46634-4002
Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. For novelty purposes only, not valid in any state.

*** The above advertisement is a fake. We are not affiliated with RACO products in any way. ( this is how I got the badge I had to buy the gun ).
 
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