Estimating hours for house renovation

[GalileoG]

I am looking at job here that is for engineering only (no drafting) of a major house renovation. The job includes the addition of a new garage, and a second floor. I have not touched many residential jobs so I am not quite sure what a reasonable fee would be. Floor area of the addition is 35'x35'. I am in Alberta, Canada.

Thanks!

Clansman

If a builder has built a house for a man and has not made his work sound, and the house which he has built has fallen down and so caused the death of the householder, that builder shall be put to death." Code of Hammurabi, c.2040 B.C.

 

[msquared48]

Renovations can be very unpredictible.

I would suggest an hourly with a not to exceed amount, set high if you run into any problems.

Things are never what the drawings say, even if there are any drawings.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
Motto: KISS
Motivation: Don't ask

 

[rowingengineer]

I'm similar to Mike, but I would stage the quote, so first stage is investigation/information gathering, once completed I would give my preferred option for quoting on the next stage. I use the insurance analogy to win the client over (if we have to make assumptions then you pay for it).

Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in mud. After a while you realize that they like it

 

[beton1]

I would agree with Mike and Rowing. I would get a deposit or retainer unless you know the client very well. Give a budget if possible, (staged basis) and a payment schedule. Often on residential jobs, the client might change the scope or cancel the project when the cost estimates come in.

 

[ash060]

Is it a homeowner that the agreement is with or some other third party like an architect?

If it is the homeowner, you can only charge what they would be willing to pay for a remodel. In my experience that varies from $500 to $2500. It is hard to get anymore than that from most homeowner's because they are not fimilar with engineering.

If you are dealing with an architect; you probably will get less. I am assuming that you are not because many architects do everything for small remodels and do not hire subs for these type of jobs.

And if they dont want drawings what do they want? Just someone to tell them what materials to use?

 

[vandede427]

per diem with a max total fee is the way to go. notify the arch or owner when you get close to the max b/c they need to know when you put your pencil down. they may have to authorize additional hours for you to continue working.

residential owners will change their minds many times before the completion of the project.

 

[BAretired]

Before you can estimate the time required, you have to visit the site and get an idea of what is possible. You can charge an hourly rate for the preliminary inspection.

If it all seems feasible, you may want to give a fixed fee for the design work and an hourly rate for site visits. If it does not seem feasible, you may want to advise the client and back away.

If you are not providing drawings, who is? I can't remember a project which did not require some drawings, even if they are simply crude, hand made sketches.

BA

 

[lsmfse]

Estimating remodel/renovation projects, especially when you are trying to integrate a second floor to an existing structure is difficult to quantify. Unless you can expose existing structural elements, you make assumptions with respect to the existing structure which will then need to be verified during construction. How much of the existing construction will need to be current code compliant? You may need to provide a lateral analysis of the entire structure, add shearwalls, holdowns etc that the Architect or owner didn't consider in thier budjet. My advice is to be upfront with the client and maybe give them a best case scenario(which translates into less construction cost) and worst case scenario(new footings, underpinning etc)which may be a budjet buster.