Fees for Peer Review?
Fees for Peer Review?
(OP)
I'm putting a proposal together for a structural peer review, and am not quite sure how to set my fees. If I was the structural engineer of record, I would likely charge about 3/4% of the total construction cost.
But since I'm not the structural engineer of record, I know my time requirements will be down significantly, as I do not have to produce drawings, do not take on the overall project liability, and will run only a percentage of the calculations I normally would (i.e. check the design of 25-50% of beams and columns, etc.). I'm basically checking for code compliance and constructability issues.
Does anyone have experience in determining fees for a structural peer review?
Thanks!
But since I'm not the structural engineer of record, I know my time requirements will be down significantly, as I do not have to produce drawings, do not take on the overall project liability, and will run only a percentage of the calculations I normally would (i.e. check the design of 25-50% of beams and columns, etc.). I'm basically checking for code compliance and constructability issues.
Does anyone have experience in determining fees for a structural peer review?
Thanks!





RE: Fees for Peer Review?
Very rough rule of thumb is that checking the drawing will take 10-20% as long as creating it in the first place.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
I would agree with kennats range as anything more than 20% of the original design would definately be too much.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
Is the peer review for code compliance only? constructibility? or specialty items such as base isolators. Is it for the entire contract document or primary structure (gravity/lateral) only?
I agree with about 10% for the whole 9 yards. Less if the scope is reduced.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
I charge my officemates $5 to peer review one of their details. Then we go for margaritas.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
If the design engineer put in a fixed quotation I think you will have a hard time convincing the client that you couldnt do the same for a peer review. After all one assumes that you would have all the information in front of you as opposed to many design projects that are often in flux.
You can figure out what you would have quoted to design the job and then get 10% of that, divide this by your hourly rate to check that you have given yourself a reasonable timeframe.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
This is real ball park and will depend on a lot of other factors.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
"This is real ball park and will depend on a lot of other factors."
Sounds like a lot of guessing to me, not to mention time spent guesstimating the initial design cost. I'd do it on an hourly basis.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
Welcome to the world of fee quoting, it is always an educated guess, the trick is to err on the side of profit.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
The balancing act between erring on caution and trying to be competitive is challenging.
Once you've done it a few times you get better.
KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
KENAT hit the nail on the head about the balancing act. If you are "guaranteed" this work, err on the side of reasonable profit.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
I provide lump sum prices for design all the time. However, I determine the scope and finely define the scope of my work in my proposal. If I had someone else's design calcs, I'm sure I could give a lump sum price. If I don't have their calcs, I would lean toward an hourly rate for an unknown scope.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
I see what you mean, if they designed every nut and bolt then you have to check every nut and bolt.
RE: Fees for Peer Review?
Just out of curiosity, what type of project is it that a peer review is required?? and who mandates that there should be a peer review??