Cost for new construction engineering/site plans for metal building

[john.k]

You got a good height there.....I wanted over 4m(160") sides,but but over 4m is town planning,and the neighbours get the chance to object....my neighbours thought I was building a house till the day the frame went up.The council came out ,checked that the dimensions and plans agreed ,and went away.....so there must have been at least one complaint.

 

[Fish On]

Independent guy just gave me a rough estimate of $6k. I'll have to provide the drawings from the bldg manufacturer for foundation design, but that the quote provides basically everything to get a permit.

Sounds a lot better to me than $25k.

 

[kustomizer]

Independent guy just gave me a rough estimate of $6k. I'll have to provide the drawings from the bldg manufacturer for foundation design, but that the quote provides basically everything to get a permit.

Sounds a lot better to me than $25k.

Though, you see, it is a simple perspective thing, the first engineer thinks the opposite. Perspective, it is all about perspective.

 

[kustomizer]

I recon we are all guilty of giving that " I really don't want to do it price", but if it will net me a new boat, I recon I will.

 

[MrInspctrMan]

I'm starting back down the road of getting a new building constructed on a piece of commercial land I've got.

I got a proposal back from a contractor that seems reasonable (at least for the times we're in), so to move forward, he requested I get a topo survey done (which I've ordered), and this morning he sent me a proposal for engineering costs, and to me they seem out of line.

I've got a 1 acre relatively flat piece of commercial land.

Plan is to build generic 40x60x14' steel building. Only 'special' things on building is I've spec'd my own door locations (2 - 12x12' doors, 2 man doors), and I've spec'd an expandable end wall (basically just changes the end wall supports to a center span beam, so structure exists already when expanding building).

Inside the building, all that's spec'd is a 12x16' office in one corner, with a 6x6' bathroom next to it. Plumbing consists just of necessary plumbing (municipal water, municipal sewer) for the one bathroom. Electrical consists of 3 phase service with just lights and the bare minimum circuits for code sign off.

Outside consists of a 40x60' concrete parking slab next to building, and a gravel drive connecting said slab to existing culvert at street. No curbs, no storm drains, nothing. Truly just the bare minimum to be able to get my machines inside and able to make parts.

That's it. No HVAC planned (well, not as it pertains to initial construction plans). No gas.

I've got a quote for $24,500 for design and drawings, with another $500-1200 for final 'As Built' plans. To be clear, this does NOT include topo survey or soil samples - the quote provides recommendations for who to call for those services.

The proposed project cost is around $225 - $250k. Do drawings typically cost 10% or more of the entire construction costs? My understanding is the building manufacturers typically provide engineered drawings for the building, and some for the slab as well, so I'm not having trouble seeing how the remainder of the design work costs so much.

You should be able to get a pre-engineered steel building that includes drawings except for foundation, you get an engineer to do that. I bought a 30x40x20 steel building with 2 12x12 rollups and a man door including insulation for $25k. Foundation plans were $1000. Got quoted 16k for concrete and 16k for building erection. Your plan is more elaborate in a much harsher economic time. Hope it all worked out for you.

 

[huleo]

Independent guy just gave me a rough estimate of $6k. I'll have to provide the drawings from the bldg manufacturer for foundation design, but that the quote provides basically everything to get a permit.

Sounds a lot better to me than $25k.

I didn't make it through this thread but since I work in this stuff, I figured I would reply. A 'prefab" building is 'pre-engineered". That means the structure should be turnkey, though they typically throw a fee for their stamped drawings for your locals. However, the foundation must be designed as a separate piece to the puzzle, usually by a local engineer. Typically you do NOT need technical soil studies done and work is cheaper/easier to just go with tabulated values set out in IBC and other codes. Basically we would calculate based on the weakest tables, but if you do a soil test, you have authority to use that data, which 'may' provide greater support from the soil. It is usually expensive and used more for multi level structures where bearing strength is being pushed.

Some people quote engineering work based on price ONLY! Some engineers do shady things and their work should at least pass the sniff test.

Once the structure is designed up, any interior work is considered nonstructural unless a second story is added. However, going into "commercial" categories, you don't get to use basics in IRC code for construction, and everything must be on an as-built, and MEP plans are typically submitted. This should be within the scope of your engineer. They can work with your contractors, whip up the plan, and submit it.

All in all, a LOT of BS red tape for a small basic building. You may check with your locals to see what is required and if that 6K is really getting you all you need.