Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
(OP)
This question is primarily directed at structural engineers working at small firms:
Is it ethical to perform engineering calculations for a building design (usually a house), to then redline structural information on an architect's plans (architect does not work for same firm as engineer), have the architect draft the structural drawings, and then stamp the structural drawings prepared by the architect? Most boards require that engineers only stamp drawings prepared under their direct supervision - does direct supervision mean only an employee or coworker, or can it be an outside architect or drafter?
What has your experience been with this process, if you have performed engineering services this way? For a complicated building (like most high-end residences) with lots of involved custom details, is the process of "outsourcing" the drafting more efficient than doing the drafting yourself, considering all of the back-checking and re-redlining of the architect or drafter's work?
Is it ethical to perform engineering calculations for a building design (usually a house), to then redline structural information on an architect's plans (architect does not work for same firm as engineer), have the architect draft the structural drawings, and then stamp the structural drawings prepared by the architect? Most boards require that engineers only stamp drawings prepared under their direct supervision - does direct supervision mean only an employee or coworker, or can it be an outside architect or drafter?
What has your experience been with this process, if you have performed engineering services this way? For a complicated building (like most high-end residences) with lots of involved custom details, is the process of "outsourcing" the drafting more efficient than doing the drafting yourself, considering all of the back-checking and re-redlining of the architect or drafter's work?





RE: Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
This is essentially an engineer "hiring" someone to do drafting for them. It isn't against most US state engineering laws for someone not licensed to draft engineering designs...they just can't control the design or force the engineer to sign/seal something they disagree with.
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RE: Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
Dik
RE: Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
Please remember: we're not all guys!
RE: Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
RE: Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
RE: Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
Dik
RE: Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
If you do indeed depend on "another" to actually draw your plans and details, that arrangement should serve as a caution that you need to be much more fully engaged when you review the drawings and don't just scan over them quickly.
In one sense this arrangement would be similar to your own in-house drafters getting their work reviewed by you as the EOR, but you have to remember that many architects, and many architect drafters, are generally not as familiar with structural detailing, notes, etc. so mistakes are more likely to happen.
In the case of the collapsed mall (per dik) it always appeared to me that the engineer was not fully engaged in the situation and did a poor or minimal effort at performing even the minimal engineering duties that were required.
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RE: Redlining and Stamping Drawings Prepared By An Architect or Outside Drafter
Dik