Engineers.

M

mary

Guest
Does anyone know what an engineer will charge for looking at a secondhand house and where can I get a list of registered engineers.

Thanks
 
engineer

do you mean a surveyor to assess the condition of a home you're about to buy?

if you meant an engineer I think you can call the construction industry federation and ask them to point you to a registered engineer...thats what i got suggested to do to look for someone to rebuild an extension roof...hope it helps
 
engineer

Yes, it is for someone to assess the condition of a secondhand house that I am hoping to buy, I looked at the property and have seen that it needs rewiring and central heating new kitchen, bathroom and decorations etc. What else can a surveryor look for therefore hoping that an engineer will let me know if there is anything wrong with the structure etc. The property is approx 20 years old.

What can I be expected to pay for an engineers report or a surveyors report on a 3 bed property in the country.
 
mary, surveyor

hm, the surveyor i used to check a 2nd hand home did mostly a visual check of all aspects of the property...he pretty much looks for clues of structural damages but for a more in depth analisys or if the surveyor picks none and you want to be absolutely sure you probably need an engineer...the property I had surveyed was a 60 year old 2 bedroom terraced home, no structural imperfection was noted by the surveyor and so did not examine any further...he did pick up the fact the extension roof was a bit on the old side and to keep an eye out for leaks and right he was as the bugger started leaking soon after we moved in...
i guess it depends on the age and condition of the property you're looking at...hm, the surveyor here in dublin was 350 E. he was very very thorough i have to say.
 
Recommended Surveyor

Hi Wavejumper,

How did you find out about this surveyor? Would you mind sharing his/her contact details?

James
 
Engineer fees

Last year I engaged an Engineer to draw up house plans, conduct the relevant percolation tests, do levels & submit a planning application. I organised a digger for the perc. holes and spent much of the last year hunting him down to complete work and to eventually get the application submitted. The decision is due in the next two weeks.
At the begining of the process I asked him how much this would all cost (i.e. what he was going to charge) he mentioned 'around 15,000 euro. This sounded OK to me. I just received a bill.... his professional fees were 4,500, then VAT on top 945 + his outlay bringing the entire job up to over 5700!! In my mind this is way off the mark. I have several friends who have used Engineers in recent months the most expensive ending up costing just over 3,000 all included, the cheapest being 1,200.
Am I being taken for a ride? Any advice on the next best steps? I do plan on challenging him this morning on the cost and have no intention of paying out that much.
 
Re: Engineer fees

Correction to my initial mail - the initial charge which the Engineer and I discussed was 1,500. The eventual charge is 5,700.
 
Re: Engineer fees

For an excellent engineer, one who takes all the pesky jobs and associated worries off your mind, I'd say the figure was high but not excessive. It sounds however as if you had to do most of the legwork yourself (which is typical, in my experience), in which case his fees are a disgrace.

Do let us know how you got on when you questioned the fees.
 
Re: Engineer fees

Thanks for your feedback. I got him on the phone yesterday and trashed it out. Of course I got the usual 'professional fees' line. Time spent re-doing edits of the plans etc. However, I did say that the charge was excessive in my mind. He mentioned that there was a VAT charge of in excess of 900euro, my Q to mention CASH. Of coures the bill changed then.
Where we left it was that he didn't want to go 100% cash - more a 40/60 or so split. I'd say that I'm looking at a bill of at least 4k at the moment. He wanted me to send on a cheque at this time of 2700e and do the remainder in cash at a later date (when application is approved). So the latest is that I've informed him that I'll meet him at the weekend to 'write' the cheque. Once I get him eye to eye I plan to get this thing sorted and agree a difinitive overall cost.
This may prove difficult to agree a final fee as to make a bad day worse I got a letter from the council yesterday to say that I now have to resubmit. It appears that when the planner visited the site the site notice was not there. (I presume a local scumbag/future neighbour) removed the notice. This requires a full resubmission! Anyhow I'll keep you posted.
 
Re: Engineer fees

Care to name names to report this proposed tax evasion to the revenue?
 
Re: Engineer fees

Don't be too surprised that he's prepared to rip you off, given that you're prepared to conspire with him to evade tax and rip off the rest of us. What goes around....
 
Re: Engineer fees

As much and all as I'd like to join you on that high Moral ground, with the current options in front of me:- saving a deal of money or allowing myself to give it away, I think I'll take the former. Unfortunately, in whats increasingly becoming 'chance your arm' Ireland, what goes around.... looks to be keeping the country going round.
 
Re: Engineer fees

Always insist on a written contract . Stating the exact nature of the job with a time table and the agreed sum to be paid in stages and stating fines for not complying . This was your first lesson in the building trade. If you go on like this you will be poor man soon , without a house .
 
Re: Engineer fees

That's fair enough Heinbloed and certainly good advice - however I've found to my cost that, in the current building boom, engineers and contractors (admittedly, mostly the latter) have the luxury to walk away from "annoying" customers-to-be who bother them with such unreasonable requests as documentation etc.

> If you go on like this you will be poor man soon , without a house .

Yeah, but insist on doing everything by the book and you'll still have your money but remain houseless.
 
Re: Engineer fees

A very valid point Justpassing, you can only do so much on the Engineer bill front, if the planning goes through first time fine it should be fairly clear on cost. Items like resubmissions, alterations to drawings, travel costs, meetings with you/with planner etc. will all add up the longer the activity continues and the more questions the planning authority have.
What Engineer is going to waste his costly time providing you with an itemised 'what if' additional cost list?

For the likes of a plumber, carpenter, builder I'm sure it is clearer - price the job up front, signed and detailed. Then any additions which you may request as the job is being done can be priced as they appear or at agreed intervals.

Any other potential overchargers to watch out for?
 
Re: Engineer fees

heinbloed said:
Always insist on a written contract . Stating the exact nature of the job with a time table and the agreed sum to be paid in stages and stating fines for not complying . This was your first lesson in the building trade. If you go on like this you will be poor man soon , without a house .
Click to expand...

Which contry do you live in? certainly not in Ireland, as Oirish contractors walk away as soon as you mention "written, specifications, time table, stages, penalties, etc..."
 
Re: Engineer fees

Well, I 'm a self builder my self . When I started my

first project , here in Ireland, I was ripped off myself . So I know what I 'm talking about. The company that ripped me off is well known in the building trade . It was a somewhat similar case as the first poster experienced, " self builder " . After one year and plenty of money I got ....nothing !!!

The building plans not existing . The sewage (-water disposal) problem not solved . The planning permission " not valid " since no sewage disposal drawings . They simply missed ( as anything else ) to put the drawing of the reed bed into the drawings .

So it's not a different planet I'm reporting from . It's Cork .

"Selfbuilder's " engineers aren't calling them self " PAH " by the way ?! Those with the funny books at Eason’s ? With all the virtually drawings of these fine homes they planned in their computers ( CAD ) - and never build ?

My lawyer told me that I was absolutely right to demand my money back . And that they are financially liable to the time they wasted , my money that I lost . But it would take me another year to bring them to the court rooms at least . And plenty of letters and reports and so on .

So I paid them their fare and that was it.

These bits and pieces they called " drawings " where unreadable to builders . One company told me straight away they won't touch a project made by this company /engineers before even looking at the supposed -to -be -drawings : "...the drawings are crap .We have seen them before . Nothing works out ."

I knew this beforehand I contacted the builders , having worked in the business before , hence abroad .I thought they where all like this here in IRE . But they aren't. Shop around . Pay the € 1,000 extra. And you’ll get it done . In time . Including the tax . But insist on a contract . Only the chancers work without conditions. And as a self builder you haven't many chances . Once outline PP is granted you are under pressure . And the rooks know that .
 
Re: Engineer fees

I have just applied for planning this week and the total cost for the architect was 1,700 which I thought was excessive as he did not have to draw plans. I used a plan that he recommended. What do ye guys think of the price?
 
Re: Engineer fees

€ 1700 is a lot . I hope that includes everything ? Keep in mind that a builder might ask for an engineers drawing.Incl. all the calculations/specifications .An architects drawing - meaning fantasy- is not much worth concerning structural stability.

 
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