While we’ve already talked about why you should hire a structural engineer, we haven’t exactly informed you on how to hire a structural engineer. Despite how simple this entire process may seem, there’s actually a lot you need to consider when hiring a structural engineer. This is especially true if you have residential construction projects lined up as you’ll want to be as thorough as possible.
To help you out with this, we thought it would be useful to put together a brief article listing down all the things you need to consider when selecting a structural engineer. If this is something that you’re interested in knowing more about, read on for the four factors that you’ll want to examine when hiring a structural engineer for your residential construction project.
Experience
The first thing that you’ll want to consider is the experience level of the structural engineer. Now, this may be a little difficult to gauge as experience isn’t something that you can easily see. This is why you’ll want to ask potential candidates a slew of different questions so that you can determine how experienced they are. Here’s a list of questions that you can start with:
- How many projects have you worked on?
- What kind of projects have you been a part of?
- How long have you been working as a residential structural engineer?
Aside from asking the questions listed above, you’ll also want to ask them for examples of the projects that they’ve worked on. This will aid in helping you determine whether or not they’ll be a good fit for your project.
Reputation
While experience is important, it’s also crucial that you hire a structural engineer with a good reputation. This is a great way to gauge the quality of their services, as it will be indicative of the quality of services that their previous clients received. Be sure to check client reviews and testimonials so that you can get a good idea of the kind of service that you’ll be receiving. When reading reviews, be sure to be aware of fake reviews and testimonials that are there to mislead potential clients.
Insurance
Insurance is something that you should value highly when it comes to structural engineers. This is because a lot can go wrong during a residential building project. If you end up hiring a structural engineer without insurance, you won’t be covered for any of the damages that are brought about by any accidents. When hiring a structural engineer based on insurance, you’ll want to make sure to ask about their policies so you have an accurate picture of the extent of the insurance that they have.
Costs
Lastly, you’ll want to consider how everything will cost you. While this shouldn’t be the most significant factor, your budget will dictate what kinds of services you’ll have access to. With that being said, the costs of the services will be indicative of the type of service that you’re going to get. While more affordable structural engineers are better suited for people who are operating on a tight budget, this isn’t something that you’ll want to skimp on if you have the resources to spare.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to hire a structural engineer in Tulsa, OK, AEI Inspections has you covered. We’ll provide you with comprehensive inspection and structural engineering services to ensure the safety of your home or building. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, we’ll provide quality solutions for properties of any kind. Have a project in mind? Contact us today!
