Civil Engineering Sole Proprietorships (or small partnerships)

[proletariat]

I've come to the realization I'll never be truly happy working for someone else. I've also come to the realization that I don't like managing 5 or 10 other people, or (would like) worrying about the cash flow required for payroll for those people. So, to that end, I've been trying to find disciplines and specialties within the Civil Engineering realm which could make for a feasible sole proprietorship, or small partnership.

I have observed those people that generate a "report", or "study" are generally more highly paid, and require fewer support personnel to grunt out the design work. For example, I know a traffic engineer who subcontracts the car-counting, and generates a report of his findings. In contrast, I work for a land development company that requires a legion of cadd operators to design a residential development. Grading a 20 acre site alone can take one guy 2 weeks. Ug! The product-based fee structure seems to be superior to the labor hour-based fee structure for small business.

What are some viable business models for a small firm? I've worked mostly with transportation, construction, and land development. So my ideas that follow are along those lines:
-Stream restoration (design/build)
-Traffic impact studies and signal design
-On-lot septic design
-Small acreage (mostly commercial) land development
-permitting subconsultant to land development firm
-1099 consultant of any type
-Municipal review / town engineer
-Forensic engineer (expert witness / investigation)

Are there opportunities for building a business doing exclusive stormwater, water resources, or sanitary sewer (pump station) work? The whole wastewater side of the business is foreign to me.

Anyway, let's brainstorm awhile.

 

[Slugger926]

I am with you. I am interested in getting my own small firm going someday, but I am also comfortable with managing personel once I get business going. The question is how to get something going on the side. I am qualified to do land development/water resources/sewer/subdivision/site-design work, as well as structural and mechanical work. These areas wouldn't conflict with my current corporatation job. The question I have is how to get started on a part time basis. What software packages do I need to pick up? How do I find customers for small project to get started? Ect....

 

[SlideRuleEra]

proletariat - Since you are a new PE and relatively young (info from your other thread), suggest that you find other engineers who want to start a business and see what you can work out with them. As an alternative, perhaps you can contribute your expertise to a newly formed firm that is willing to branch out. Clients needing "report & study" work usually look to established firms or indivuals who have a track record.

Slugger926 - My advice, unless you have substantial capital, don't buy ANYTHING until you can reasonally expect to use it. I understand that this is a judgement call, since you must be familiar with software to use it effectively. To find jobs - network - and don't hesitate to do a limited amount of volunteer work. Often that leads in unexpected (profitable) directions.

http://www.SlideRuleEra.net

 

[Slugger926]

Thanks for the purchasing advice. I already have a reputable overseas software company that will sell me their software at a deep discount since I won't be doing much full time work with for some time. They also are offering me nice commisions if I can demo and sell their software to domestic firms here.

I already have dog training friends in multiple states that want my help in designing retriever training ponds. These would be fun to do, but these people can only pay with puppies and free training. It would be hard to recoup transfering my license to many states besides trying to figure out local codes and paperwork in multiple states.

I also doubt that some of these people realize how much it will cost to develop their specialty rentention ponds. I believe most of them are expecting to pay construction costs of a little more than what the surveying fees that will be required.