solicitation from homeowners

[Ben29]

I have a small structural engineering firm and I am the only employee. Lately I have been getting ALOT of solicitation from random homeowners with very minor structural issues. Their issues are so minor that I can easily advise them over the phone. For instance, "I have a 1/16" wide vertical crack in my concrete foundation wall that was poured 10 months ago..."

Some of these people want me to come out to their house, give them a full report, and are fine paying my fee.
Some of them want free advice over the phone.
Some of them want cheap advice over the phone.

Is it ethical to give someone generic engineering advice over the phone and then charge them for it? I have never charged a homeowner for advice over the phone. But after giving them "free advice" alot of people are begging me to charge them. They always say something to the effect of, "I know your time is valuable and I appreciate you talking to me about this. Please send me a bill." I never do.

Are you going to tell me that I should NEVER give engineering advice over the phone and I should always make the site visit and then charge the client for the site visit? I am sure this is the safest thing to do in terms of protecting myself against lawsuits.

In the last week I could have made $1,500 if I converted these phone calls into site visits.

 

[phamENG]

Always nice when people appreciate your time.

I do try to limit what I tell people over the phone. In writing protects both parties. That said, there are some things you can tell people over the phone. I usually try to do that when I'm too busy with more profitable work. If I tell them something over the phone, I'll frame it like this: "I've seen cracks like what your describing many times. It's usually caused by X, but may be Y - and very infrequently it's Z. I can't say for sure without seeing the house and assessing it in person, but those are the typical causes."

So I make sure they know that I'm giving them a broad brush of typical problems and not anything specifically related to their house. If they're okay with that, so be it. If they still want me to come out, then I schedule a visit.

And if I give them generic advice over the phone, I don't accept payment. Payment indicates some sort of agreement and exchange of a service for money. I provided no specific service, so I don't want them to be able to tell a judge: "See, I paid him for this opinion and he was wrong!" when I never actually gave them an opinion on their house.

 

[LittleInch]

Can't you find some retired old codger engineer who wouldn't mind popping round to see the homeowner more on a "something to do" basis a few times a week?

Then you could say " my colleague, Mr Old Codger deals with these issues and when he wakes up from his lunchtime snooze I'll get him to give to a call and then he might pop round and see you on his way back to the care home his house?"

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Ben29]

Pharm,
Thank you for this advice. That is a great solution!

 

[Ben29]

LittleInch,
My favorite old codger has 3 years until retirement. After that, I will certainly employ his services!

 

[BAretired]

It won't work in Alberta. Giving advice about a structural problem is considered practicing engineering. Unless the old codger is licensed to practice, which means maintaining and reporting professional development hours, he cannot legally do that, at least not in Alberta. I, for one old codger, could not do that.

BA

 

[countervail]

Just as PAHM say. My phone "advice" normally amounts to: you don't need me, please don't pay me BUT its your judgement in the end if you do need me, and if you do I come out and you pay me.

I always wish I was more unethical and went out every time to take their cheque!

 

[skeletron]

I'm in the same boat. General advice verbally over the phone only for very minor questions and broadstroke it like @phamENG suggested. If they need to send pictures or drawings, stop the conversation and just remind that you can't really give a step-by-step guide on how to __________ without a site visit or a fee. And then just limit your scope in writing...whatever way you want to do this.

If they are willing to pay, you gotta be willing to go out there and at least snap a couple photos, peek your head around, etc. Don't put your neck out for these people, but don't be bureaucratically difficult to give them a little sliver of knowledge.