Fee for a parking garage

[Robbiee]

We are asked to provide a fee for a precast parking garage of about 400 stalls all above grade. We have done one in the past but wasn't the one priced it. My estimate for the total cost is about $5M. I don't know yet if we will be the EOR or we will only do the foundations and the EOR will be the precast engineer. Searched this forum for the fee and found one mentioned 0.5% of the total cost. Can somebody explain why 0.5% is reasonable fee? If we are the EOR, the fee will only be $25000.00? I would certainly reject this. Any comments are appreciated.

 

[JedClampett]

I don't know about pricing parking garages, but I do know a little about business:
Because someone has done it for that price, or the guy down the street will do it for .51%.
If you're uncomfortable with that price, and I would be, don't do it. It just encourages us to be treated as commodities.

 

[JAE]

I don't know yet if we will be the EOR or we will only do the foundations and the EOR will be the precast engineer.

That would be a big difference.

Usually there is an EOR that specifies the garage layout (along with the architect or garage designer) and the EOR does the foundations and specifies for the precaster the design criteria.

The precaat supplier will either use in-house engineers or consultants to develop the overall design of the members and the layout, erection drawings. They would also produce all the shop ticket drawings of each piece consistent with the precast company's design and fabrication standards.

Depending on your scope the fee could very immensely.



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[Robbiee]

Thanks. I had asked the question: who is the EOR and was just told the precast engineer will be. You only design the foundations for the forces provided to you by the precast. Considering the time needed to coordinate, design, drawings, and review I am hesitant to propose 0.5% even for the foundations only.

 

[BadgerPE]

I haven't ever worked on a project where the precast (specialty) engineer has been the EOR. Is that commonplace for precast structures?

 

[JAE]

It is not - our precast group recently was put in that position which was awkward and created all sorts of issues.



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[BUGGAR]

I think you should quote a separate hourly fee for coordination and administration. I suspect the actual engineering will be minor compared to this.

 

[Robbiee]

Great comments. I also thought that the precast engineer being the EOR is not common, unless they use the services of another structural engineer. I am thinking now, does the client, who is not an engineer, know what the responsibilities of the EOR are. Based on this, I think I have state it clearly in the proposal that the EOR for this job is the precast engineer.