Bill of materials for structural drawings?
Bill of materials for structural drawings?
(OP)
Long story short, client contracted us to create structural drawings for a large residential project designed and drafted by himself. We completed structural drawings and client is now requesting we produce a bill of materials for hardware we call out in structural drawings (eg screws, joist hangers, ABs, etc.) In over thirty years of business, we have never before provided this information as this has always fallen under the purview of the contractor and the shop drawing process.
Is this a legitimate request on his part? Is this something others have ever done as part of their normal services when creating structural drawings for a project?
Is this a legitimate request on his part? Is this something others have ever done as part of their normal services when creating structural drawings for a project?






RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
What's in your contract/agreement with the client?
There's no standard in the USA that requires an engineer to do a Bill of Materials for buildings that I'm aware of.
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RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
foundation plans and details, framing plans and details, lateral bracing plans and details. Nothing that would indicate we are to provide BoM. We produced what is required for permit. It is only after some revisions were requested to the original that the client has asked for us to do a BoM. Client had stated they would provide them. This is in USA.
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
However, I'd consider providing it if they would pay me hourly for it. I'm a slow counter though and would want to double check to make sure I'm not wrong. Would probably charge 2x the time it took me to actually design it...
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
Dik
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
Well... the client is most always right, if he wants to pay for the service and your extra effort. Materials lists and quantities are not normally part of the Structural Engineers construction document package around here. The contractor usually does some of this while bidding, and then certainly while ordering construction materials and misc. hardware, etc. on larger jobs. On residential work, and the small contractors involved, the contractors buy nails and screws by the box or pail and then throws the leftovers in their truck for the next job. They count the number of joists or trusses and then go buy the hangers, plus a couple, etc. Sure as hell if you started listing these quantities, they would start the layout from the other end and all the quantities would change be some amount, and then you would be the s.o.b. It sounds like the client is a another breed of pretend engineer , used to seeing materials lists on drawings. He has a CAD program, fancies himself a great Arch., and is acting as his own G.C. Listing and ordering materials and quantities is his job, not yours.
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
Also most lumber companies will do a quick & dirty lumber take-off for free if the project is large enough.
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
That's normally the contractor's pencil to sharpen. Your liability is in the wind is you make a mistake, both from whomever he hires as a contractor to provide a bid, and from the client. I would never touch it, particularly if you have never done estimating before. You would have to budget for waste product too...
Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
In these environs, an estimate of quantities is usually done on a spreadsheet and is never part of the drawing set. An estimate of quantities is quite different from a Bill of Materials.
RE: Bill of materials for structural drawings?
That's what I was saying an estimate of quantities is not the same as a bill of materials.