PEMB foundation design fees

[ntattose]

What are you charging clients for PEMB foundation design and drawings. Assume basic design, no docks, pits, or other slab features.

 

[phamENG]

Almost as much as I'd design the whole warehouse for.

1) I still have to specify and review the design criteria to ensure it's correct and the design in general to make sure I understand the load paths. There's always back and forth here that eats into the budget.

2) the foundation system is generally more complex than a typical steel frame building. Thrust from rigid frames anchored 4 inches from a slab edge makes for some intricate detailing even on simple PEMBs.

3) while there are some great PEMB manufacturers out there and some good clients who use them for what they're best for, the number of clients who want to use the bad ones for things they were never intended for are far too many. So that's an automatic "PIA" factor.

 

[EcoGen]

I've done a couple of these. Can't remember what our fee ranges were in the past. Keep in mind, it's the PEMB designer's responsibility to make sure they give you the correct gravity and lateral load reactions at each column location. Using those reactions it'll be pretty straightforward design of spread footings unless you have other geometrical complications. Make sure you include clauses in your proposal if the PEMB drawings or reaction tables are modified, it may warrant an add serv.

If you need to do a preliminary foundatiom design at the design development stage without the full PEMB drawings then that's a whole nother story where you essentially are analyzing the whole building. And should include enough fee for that.

EcoGen Consultants LLC
Structural Engineers
ecogenconsultants.com

 

[jgailla]

Also, who is the EOR? PEMB engineers generally will not be the EOR. If you're the only other engineer on the project, the client will likely be looking to you for this. You'll also assume responsibility for delegated design of the PEMB.

 

[Aesur]

I agree with phamENG, unfortunately in my area they go for less than half a full design fee however. Almost everyone of these I have done has been a bust, hence why I price accordingly and get few of these now days. It's crazy that they expect our fee to be so little compared to the PEMB design fee which is usually at least triple your design fee. I had one where I was hired to design the foundation and a connector building between PEMB's and ended up having to design their wall system, elements attached to the PEMB, redesign foundations multiple times and then I found out their fee compared to mine and made a point to price these as normal buildings hence forth or write my proposals in such a way that I exclude redesigns of foundations, exclude designing their wall systems or attached elements, etc.

The best way to price these is look at the time it will take, add a multiplier (usually takes longer than we all estimate) and go with that number.

 

[la belle vie]

I’ve been only marginally involved in PEMBs, but I am told that it’s important to consider the column fixity at the base. The manufacturer may want fixed column bases because it makes the building lighter. For the foundation designer pinned is easier.

 

[GC_Hopi]

You are better off charging it as a normal project. If they are looking for an engineer it means custom and like jgailla said you will take the role of EOR so you should charge like you are.