Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
(OP)
We have a client that would like to make some extensive modifications to a PEMB. We have expressed concern over the problems this may create, but they intend to push ahead nonetheless.
Does anyone here know of a structural engineering firm that specializes in work with modification of existing PEMBs? I was able to find one using the widely known Google tool, but no luck otherwise. Any suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Does anyone here know of a structural engineering firm that specializes in work with modification of existing PEMBs? I was able to find one using the widely known Google tool, but no luck otherwise. Any suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated.
Thanks!






RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
Convince the Owner to pony up and give the contract to the original PEMB company. It seems like it would be a win in the long run.
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
I would also suggest getting your hands on "Metal Building Systems: Design and Specifications" by Alexander Newman.
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
Dave
Thaidavid
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
I am currently working on a project with an existing PEMB and a new PEMB. The new building is 10' away from the existing building, with an interior "breezeway" between the two. The new building has members that cantilever the 10' span to the new building, and the only thing we did to the old building is take the siding and girts off one side, and add siding and girts to where the new building was "attaching".
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
Well, when the CGC called the PEMB supplier, they refused to do it. Don't know why, but I don't think it was a money thing. We would have backed any change order they submitted. We were majorly pissed. We called some other smaller firms, to ask them and see if they knew anyone. No one called back.
I had my guy document that the original supplier (with names) refused to do it and we're doing it ourselves. We don't like messing with these for a lot of reasons, but the main one is that we can never get their members to work when we re-analyze them. Other reasons are proprietary member sizes and very hard to decipher drawings.
Once again, tell the owner it's going to cost 10 times what you normally estimate (you still might lose money) and remind them all the money they saved when they bought the building in the first place.
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
RE: Structural Engineer or Structural Firm Specializing in PEMB Modifications?
If after all of at the owner still wants to continue on this path, refer back to TLHS's comment about fees. Man lifts, calipers, limited access, liner panels,....it gets uggggly.
In defense of the PEMB suppliers, many of them cannot do this type of design very easily. Most big manufacturer's are so highly automated that they cannot feed this type of a design into their system for production. They make virtually nothing on the design side, so if they cannot make any money on the fabrication there is no profit for them. Why they include some of the warnings like they do one their drawings is puzzling, but I suppose they have lawyers.