What to Expect from Civil Engineer?

[dcg9381]

My municipality requires an engineering site plan regarding the location of the garage relative to lot setbacks. But the quotes I have been getting also include other work such as a topographical survey and grading plan.

I'm not opposed to paying for extra work provided this is a benefit to me. But never having used a civil engineer before, I'm not sure what the advantage is to the home-owner other than satisfying the local governmental jurisdiction.

Any experiences?

As I read what you've written, does the municipality require and engineer and or engineer stamp? Here, a site plan is a site plan. I can do it myself using an existing (recent) survey as a basis. I usually migrate the survey into CAD, then show the municipal set-backs and where everything goes.

I haven't used a civil engineer - we spend those dollars on evaluation of soil samples and use an engineer for a foundation plan.

 

[My Old Tools]

Here surveyors are covered by a licensed PE, professional engineer. What the
OP described is survey work with a PE stamp.

 

[yeldogt]

Oh hey, look at all the other know it alls with chips on their shoulders.



Not in my case. $4k to send me a plan for an infiltration ditch. That's it. No site visit. He was going to view the property on Google maps, size the infiltration ditch for the proposed impervious area being added, and submit the plan to the township. Nothing else was included. Bare minimum work at a premium price, IMO.



Ask an ye shall receive. Enjoy the laugh you'll get from this, and you WILL laugh at it. But this saved me $9k ($4k for the engineer and a good $5-6K to build an infiltration ditch that would require me to excavate 1/3rd of my backyard). The township code official sent it out to an engineering firm for review and their reply was "This is an interesting approach. The numbers all work so we hereby approve the design."

surprised they did not want freeze protection ? How fast will it drain ?

 

[speedracerfx]

surprised they did not want freeze protection ? How fast will it drain ?

If the system is empty during winter, freeze protection isn't needed. If I don't run a pump on the system and let gravity do the work, it should drain in just under an hour (3300 gph flow rate through a 2" outlet).

 

[3onthetree]

My architect has already drawn out the garage, elevations, and foundation plan.

The village only requires a site plan showing the new garage as well as a spot survey to confirm placement.

You do not need a civil engineer. You need a surveyor (I think only 1 comment clarified this). Meaning, a "less sophisticated" company who just does surveys, gives you a deliverable drawing, and will come back to stake your dig, then give an as-built if needed for CO. You only need to hire a full-fledged civil engineering firm if you need stormwater calcs, or if soils is a problem, you hire a soils lab and a structural engineer to work with the civil. I don't think a residential garage needs that.

Your architect should be showing a representative site plan as part of the construction documents, which they get the lot and house criteria off an existing survey (he should have asked for one at the beginning of design).

 

[TexMedium]

Thanks for this thread, I always thought a civil engineer was a reasonable person who drove a train.

As a twenty-five year railroader, and a twenty-three year "train driver", let me assure you that there is no such thing!