Category Archives: tips

Construction Estimating: the Odd Numbers game

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As a design professional, you have likely seen your share of construction estimates.  You may be in charge of evaluating bid proposals and/or in reviewing projects for value engineering possibilities.  Of course, you are almost certainly involved in submitting your own proposal estimates for architectural or engineering services on a project.

I saw a recent blog discussion on construction estimates, and how owners view them.  In the situation discussed, a contractor was losing business because his estimates were in nice round numbers, creating the suspicion in the owner’s mind that the numbers were not carefully put together.

tall building

 

One commentator, a civil engineer, said:

As a Professional Civil Engineer and owner’s representative, I am very leery of proposals received that are round (up or down) unless I’ve done business with this group before and am aware of it. I agree with the other comments that it appears as if the bidder has not put much effort into their proposal.

What do you think? Are you leery of an estimate that is a nice round number? Do you round your own estimates? Does an estimate of $21,975 look more legitimate than an estimate of $22,000?  Share your thoughts, and your practice, below.

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Photo credit: Håkan Dahlström.

Rapunzel vs. the Structural Engineers

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Rapunzel-tower

A little light-heartedness for your Friday morning………….

Do your kids’ eyes glaze over when you tell them what you do for a living?  The only exposure many kids have to architects and engineers is Mike Brady (thru Brady Bunch re-runs) and NASA folk.  If you don’t work for NASA (and I’m pretty sure you aren’t Mr. Brady), then you may have trouble generating enthusiasm within your brood.  Never fear!  How about showing your kids exactly how *you* would design Cinderella’s pumpkin-turned-carriage, the smart little pig’s brick house, or, better yet, Rapunzel’s castle.

Yes, that’s right– there are now sketches circulating the web showing a prototype castle for the long-haired beauty, all part of a challenge created by NYC architect Andrew Bernheimer and his sister (and children’s book author) Kate Bernheimer.  They asked three A/E firms to create designs for popular fairy tale stories.  Guy Nordenson and Associates had the coveted story currently popular with 4 year old girls everywhere: Rapunzel.  They created a design to meet the story: a “tower that stood in a forest and had neither a door nor a stairway, but only a tiny little window at the very top.” When asked about the key structural elements, the structural engineers responded, “We were able to meet the Grimms’ strict design requirements by employing a slender tower design of vertical cylindrical stems that are joined by intermittent outrigger beams with a reinforced space at the very top for Rapunzel’s long captivity.”

Create your own fantasy design to show your kids that yes, you are too cool!

(Hat tip to Behold the Architect for the story).

Sketch via Design Observer.

Top 3 Take-Away Lessons for Engineers from the Sewage case (law note)

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takeaway signAs we discussed yesterday, CH2M was held liable in negligence for the accidental death and other injuries sustained by workers at the Spokane wastewater treatment facility.  Today, a few take-away lessons for design professionals, regardless of where you work:

  1. Never assume that you cannot be sued.  The engineers at CH2M thought they had a slam-dunk case, because there was actual language giving them immunity in the law.  However, even then that immunity language did not stop the lawsuit and liability.  You can always be sued, even with the best language in the law or your contract.
  2. Even limited work can give you significant liability.  One of CH2M’s arguments was related to the fact that they were providing limited work on an “on call” service contract.  As the Court noted, just because you have not actually put pencil to paper (or made the CAD drawings), doesn’t mean that you are not “designing” in the eyes of a court of law.
  3. You must assume the negligence of others.  Okay, the case doesn’t specifically say this, but it does note that CH2M could not escape liability because the City had made modifications to the plant over the years.  The Court held that “a reasonably prudent engineer in the position of CH2M could reasonably have anticipated” that the plant might have been modified over the years, and that a prudent engineer would have conducted an engineering analysis to make that determination.

Comments, thoughts, or questions?  Drop me a line!  I want to hear from you.

Photo:  (c) Debbi Long via CC.

5 Great iPad Apps All Architects Should Have (Tue Tip; guest post)

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Today’s Tip is a guest post from Vanessa Lang.  Vanessa is an author who writes guest posts on the topics of business, marketing, credit cards, and personal finance. Additionally, she works for a website that focuses on educating readers about online payday loans.

holding an ipad

As an architect (or engineer), it is very important to stay organized and well informed. What better way to do that then with your iPad? The following are just a few of the best iPad apps I’ve found to help an architect stay sane while on the job.

DaVinci

This app will let you draw accurate floor plans with the touch of a finger. You can draw walls, place labels and symbols, and define specific areas as long as you can use the iPad. DaVinci also lets you add photos so you can remember ideas and anything else you need to document when you get the iPad camera connection kit. There is also a voice feature that will allow you to record your own notes to the iPad for future reference.

AutoCAD WS

With AutoCAD WS, you can view, edit, and share DWGTM files with anyone who needs to see them. You can also work on your AutoCAD drawings from your iPad. This convenient app will allow you to revise drawings while you are on the go or on location. This really is a great app for architects that are constantly out of the office and need to work from other locations.

Architect Magazine

One of the best ways for architects to keep up with what is going on in the industry is to read AIA’s Architect magazine. This app will show you the pages of the actual print magazine without having to waste the paper used to print it. You can look through the pages of each magazine while you are connected to the internet or you have the option of downloading an issue to look through it later.

Not only can you read the magazine whenever it is convenient for you, but you can also access other pages through hyperlinks on each magazine page. This makes it much easier for you to access new information about architecture, and go beyond what you can get from the print version.

Expensify

This application is free from the iTunes store and can be a great tool for architectural business owners. With this accounting application, you will be able to import purchase transactions and track your receipts for credit card purchases. Even if you use cash, you will be able to scan your receipt to import and keep track of the information for your taxes. Expensify is really great because it allows you to keep your business and personal expenses separate.

Fruit Ninja

After working so hard all day, it is important that we all take some time to relax and have fun. This game will do just that. The concept of the game is so simple, but that does not make it any less interesting. There are three different ways to play the game, but the objective is always the same: slice as much fruit as possible without hitting the bombs. That’s it! I’ve spent hours playing this game trying to unlock the different backgrounds and blades you can get. Even if you just need a little break during a long day, it really is a great way to let out your frustrations and simply have a little fun.

Thanks Vanessa!  Full disclosure from the editor here: I myself do not have an ipad, so while these apps look inviting, I cannot speak to them personally.  Even though I am a bit of a Luddite, these ones look promising.  Well, except for the Fruit Ninja, but we all have to have fun sometime, right?

Do you use any of these apps?  Have others that you’d recommend?  Share in the comments section below.

Photo: (c) John Karakatsanis via Creative Commons license. 

An Engineer interviews Santa Clause — and the red-suited man is NOT happy!

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This post has nothing to do with the law.  After all, how cheery and festive can one make litigation issues?  Yeah, I thought so.  Anyhow, as you get ready for Christmas this year, remember the poor fat man in the red suit!  Below is part of an interview between Engineer (and EDN Blogger ) Jit Lim and Mr. Clause, and he is not happy.

santa and his posse

JL – Hi, Mr. Clause. My name is Jit Lim, I’m a senior technologist for a company called Tektronix.

SC – Mr. Clause? Don’t be so formal. Call me Santa. Can I call you Jit?

JL – Sure, Santa.

SC – Senior technologist, does that mean you’re an engineer?

JL – Close. As a senior technologist, I look at not only current technology but future technology, as well.

SC – So you’re responsible for creating new products? I’ve got to say that I’m a little perturbed about the speed at which you engineering types are launching new toys that people want for Christmas.

JL – Yes, I help make new products, but my company doesn’t actually make consumer goods. We make test equipment that makes it easier for companies to make those new toys. We like to say we “enable innovation.”

SC – Oh, so it’s your company and companies like yours that make it easier for all that new-fangled stuff to come out so fast?

JL – Well, yes. Is there a problem with that?

SC – Is there a problem?! You bet there’s a problem! What do you think goes on those lists I have to make every year? Toy soldiers? Dolls? Train sets! No. No. No. They want PlayStations, iPads, laptops. When kids started asking me for Wii’s I thought they needed to go to the bathroom, but it turns out it’s one of those new-fangled games.

JL – I don’t understand, Santa. What’s the problem?

SC – Do you know how fast those things change, “Mr. Enabling Innovation?” I can’t keep up. A perfect example is the iPad. It comes out in March of 2010, and by some miracle I was able to get my production up and running just in time for Christmas that year. I figured I get a jump-start on 2011 and start production early, and then in March they announce the iPad2. Do you know what it takes to re-train an elf?

JL – Well, no. But …

SC – I’ve got an excess inventory of iPads because I started producing too early and then I had to stop production and gear up for iPad2’s. Do you think Steve Jobs, may he rest in peace, gave me a call to give me a heads-up? Nope. He’s too busy innovating. No consideration for one of his most important supply chains.

To read the rest of this highly amusing interview, head over to EDN.

And to those of you who haven’t already done so, sign up for regular email updates of all blog posts here at Construction Law in NC so you’ll never miss a post.  It’s what all the good boys and girls are doing this year!

Photo (c) Whispering Crane blog 12/24/2006 via Creative Commons license.