How to prepare for a business in 3 years
How to prepare for a business in 3 years
(OP)
I have about 2 years of bridge design experience. Once I earn my PE, I would like to start my own consulting firm in low-rise building and facilities design. I don't have much building design experience, but it's what I learned in school and I enjoyed it much more. Finding a job as a structural building engineer with less than 4 years experience and no PE is next to impossible right now. I would like to know what I can do to plan for starting my own business about 3 years from now. Some ideas I had were to volunteer to help freelance engineers on nights and weekends to get a better feel for building design. Also, to eventually offer preliminary engineering services to clients (for free) under a s-corp which could then be checked and verified by a freelance engineer (at cost to client). This would allow me to maybe become a cheaper option to clients who would have no risk or cost in using me to get an idea of what type of structure they are looking at, and if they find the design acceptable, they could pay for it's check and verification. Also, in the year leading up to me going solo, I could build up a potential client list, build a financial history for the corporation (easier to get bank loans down the road), and provide the freelance engineer with work.
My questions are:
Does this seem like a reasonable approach for where I am in my career?
Where can I find a full set of drawing and calculations for a small building, such as in a final design submission, so that I have a better idea of everything involved?
What are some really good books for low-rise building engineering, and/or starting a consulting business?
I am basically looking at designing very small one or two story buildings or garages. Possibly even houses. If I am successful years down then line, I may partner up with a more senior engineer so that I can continue learning while I work for myself.
Am I being realistic here, or am I not seeing the picture clearly. Please try to be encouraging and optomistic, instead of shooting down my ideas. I'm looking for a plan for the future. Thanks.
My questions are:
Does this seem like a reasonable approach for where I am in my career?
Where can I find a full set of drawing and calculations for a small building, such as in a final design submission, so that I have a better idea of everything involved?
What are some really good books for low-rise building engineering, and/or starting a consulting business?
I am basically looking at designing very small one or two story buildings or garages. Possibly even houses. If I am successful years down then line, I may partner up with a more senior engineer so that I can continue learning while I work for myself.
Am I being realistic here, or am I not seeing the picture clearly. Please try to be encouraging and optomistic, instead of shooting down my ideas. I'm looking for a plan for the future. Thanks.





RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
If it's the latter, that changes things a bit...
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
I think your target is very positive and if it is what you want to do, go for it.
I also think that your timeframe is very tight and probably unrealistic. Setting your own consulting business and fly 'solo' with only 5 years experience working on something in which you are not gaining experience now ... well it is a bit too much.
Advice?
If it is your dream, go for it, but be rational and careful about how you get there and how long it takes you.
Set a realistic schedule. As I said, before you set up your business, you need an appropriate level of experience on that particular field.
Do NOT go SOLO unless you have the experience required. It is not fair to your possible clients and it is dangerous for everybody
Try to change jobs to work on something related to what you want to do (I know, easier said than done) to gain that experience
I would NOT work for free. You set up a precedent (why should I pay you good money for something you did for free last week?) and it might violate profesional rules in your jurisdiction (unfair competition).
The scheme of working for free but having another engineer checking it,... well there are so many things wrong there I do not even want to comment.
I would NOT do any work on the side. It is not fair to your current employer and they probably have rules against it, even if it is in an unrelated field.
I would look for somebody very experienced on the field you want to work on and drop by for a talk with him. Maybe he can offer to mentor you or direct you in the right direction.
I would look into further education or courses in that field.
Good luck!
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Cedar Bluff Engineering
http://cedarbluffengineering.webs.com
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
BTW don't work for free. Companies are already mad that people are lowballing right now. The places going super low are getting a reputation, so even though people want the lowest bidder, they are starting to catch on.
Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
80 hour weeks mean you work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, if you take 30 minutes off from lunch. I'd be surprised if you have been doing that for 5 years straight.
Cedar Bluff Engineering
http://cedarbluffengineering.webs.com
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
I was doing 15+ hour days easily, out here in SoCal some companies were running around the clock if there were people willing to work the hours. I was working on things that weren't that normal just because I had some strange will to want to work work work.
Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
If you can't find a job doing building work, I'd go around to different small firms and see if they'd let you work nights (after you got off your present job) for free. (Hopefully you don't have a wife or kids). Many small business owners doing buildings will be at work long after 5:00 pm
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
I wouldn't mind helping out someone who would me ask me to help them out on the side.
Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Most architects already have good working relationships with other structural engineers. All the ones you would want as clients certainly do. Unless, you call around offering a significantly discounted rate, you may have a hard time getting work.
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
The client base right now is hard to get since so many people are hurting and doing some true undercutting. Some bids are so low that I would make more money working at McDonalds than bother trying to go close to another's price.
Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Do most local agencies allow this?
It seems like in a post-9/11 United States, a random person would have a hard time getting their hands on the plans of a prominent structure.
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Other cities are not as strict.
Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Kalen Smith
Engineer-a-Business
http://www.engineer-a-business.com
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Cheers
Greg Locock
New here? Try reading these, they might help FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies http://eng-tips.com/market.cfm?
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
I have 1 yr of bridge(while I was still in school) and almost 4 years of building design experience. I'll be sitting in April for the PE. The firm I work for does low rise, high-ride, residential, commercial, k-12, inductrial...you name it. I pretty much manage 3-4 jobs at any given time and at various stages... My goal is to open a consulting firm one day and I feel I need at least 10 yrs of solid design experience and I would never do it alone.
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
you have four years of experience and are managing 3-4 jobs by yourself at any given time? What size jobs are these? My firm will not let you manage any jobs until you have a PE unless it's a small, pretty simple job - but even then a PE is intimately involved and checking over decisions.
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
Technical skills are only about 40% of what you need to be successful consultant. You need many years of experience, marketing, website technology, small business accounting and people skills. All those skills can't be acquired in 3 years.
Your shortest path, in my opinion, would be to work for a very small but highly competent firm. If you can find an owner that is looking to retire in 7 to 10 years that would be better. Learn how they get work, how they price jobs, how they avoid difficult clients and how they prepare plans and calculations. Concurrently, subscribe to Entrepreneur magazine, visit http://www.smallbusinessschool.org/ read "Million Dollar Consultant" and "How to swim with sharks without being eaten alive" Also visit Barnes & Noble and read the just released small business books every few weeks.
Then you need to save about 18 months of living expenses + start up costs. It takes a while to establish a consulting practice.
When I went on my own the first time, I only had 8 years of experience under my belt. That business lasted 7 years. I was undefinanced and was lacking many marketing skills. Further, the locale where I lived was not growing.
This time around, I corrected all my previous errors but didn't forsee this deepcession!:) We survived due to marketing and willingness to take work few hundred miles away. It is very satisfying work. It is great that you know what you want-just over prepare and be patient.
p.s: Most of the succesful engineering firms were started by individulas in their late thirties to their mid forties.
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
And before long, 40s have come and it's too risky to go on your own.
At least when you are young, you can afford the risk. It may take more time to really get established but hey, might be worth it.
RE: How to prepare for a business in 3 years
The project sizes vary... Currently the largest is a 4 story commercial structure (design). Also, managing (2)large high schools in CA phase. I'm surrounded by PE's, everything is checked. Each project goes through a few layers of review.