I live in Kentucky and this is my first experience with a permit process.
However engineer should have told me that foundation can be an issue since he is an experienced guy and knows what they need for a permit. And he promised me it will go thru without any issues.
I asked him to do a truss system only since that was what city asked for. Since truss was an originally engineered component being modified. Engineer verbally confirmed that the rest of the structure doesn’t have to be engineered and my plans are sufficient.
Existing foundation was built to the code minimums for a single story building and does not meet requirements for having a converted attic since it now needs to have a 2 story minimum thickness. That’s why city asked me to have a certification issued by an engineer, to make sure that footers under two outside walls will be able to take the load.
I always thought city is supposed to inspect the work and there is no fee for it unless reinspection is needed. Why city inspector cant compare the actual structure to the engineered plans? Is not what his job is? How many inspections can they request?
Also can they start asking for a soil testing etc? Engineer told me that current foundation is sufficient for the new load even if he takes a lowest value of 1500psf for the soil and promised to issue a written certification within a few days but for a fee which equals 50% of his original fee for the whole truss system design! How come a 1 line calculation, can cost half of the truss system? I can clearly see bad original intentions here.
But what can I do at this point? Cancel the project? Walk away to another engineering firm? I don’t have that much money to give away for nothing and not even dare to imagine what they gonna charge me for the inspections.
However engineer should have told me that foundation can be an issue since he is an experienced guy and knows what they need for a permit. And he promised me it will go thru without any issues.
I asked him to do a truss system only since that was what city asked for. Since truss was an originally engineered component being modified. Engineer verbally confirmed that the rest of the structure doesn’t have to be engineered and my plans are sufficient.
Existing foundation was built to the code minimums for a single story building and does not meet requirements for having a converted attic since it now needs to have a 2 story minimum thickness. That’s why city asked me to have a certification issued by an engineer, to make sure that footers under two outside walls will be able to take the load.
I always thought city is supposed to inspect the work and there is no fee for it unless reinspection is needed. Why city inspector cant compare the actual structure to the engineered plans? Is not what his job is? How many inspections can they request?
Also can they start asking for a soil testing etc? Engineer told me that current foundation is sufficient for the new load even if he takes a lowest value of 1500psf for the soil and promised to issue a written certification within a few days but for a fee which equals 50% of his original fee for the whole truss system design! How come a 1 line calculation, can cost half of the truss system? I can clearly see bad original intentions here.
But what can I do at this point? Cancel the project? Walk away to another engineering firm? I don’t have that much money to give away for nothing and not even dare to imagine what they gonna charge me for the inspections.
