Thursday, 29 July 2010
 
House Plan Home arrow Home Plan House Plan arrow Custom Home Plan arrow Ask the structural engineer
House Plan Designer
House Plan Home
Home Plan House Plan
Home Plan Drafting
Rates and Pricing
House Plan books and software
Resources
Contact Us
Cad Drafting
Cad Drafting Service
Search Bargain Homes
Home Plan Pro
Home Builder
House Plan Permit
Design your own Home
Autocad LT
Find a Contractor
Privacy Policy
Avoid Home Builder ripoffs
Latest News
Ask the structural engineer
Untitled Document

It is ALWAYS good to get a structural engineer involved in your house planning, and its always best that they come into the project at the planning stage. They will give feedback on cost benefits and advantages of different types of construction, and give "rules of thumb" - depths and sizings to use in your planning which will affect your elevations, floor to floor heights, basement design and roof design. One good idea can save you thousands of dollars, maybe its as simple as using a prefab wall system that will save you on your insurance policy every year.

Ask for options, and weigh initial costs with payback times and resale values or differing construction methods.

Foundation sizing of foundation, spec out sizing and spacing of steel in the slabs and foundation. Size and spacing of hold downs. Specify depth of foundation below grade.

Shear walls Design the shear walls to take into account the wind load on a house, the way the load affects the house, the type and amount of nailing to be done, and the tie downs at the connections of roof to wall and wall to foundation. The structural engineer will show typical shear wall details and notes, and show placements of extra supports where needed.

Floor joists- design the thickness and spacing, and type of wood to be used in the floor joists.

Roof Design sizing and spacing for the roof rafters/ trusses.

Ask the structural engineer - will you stamp the drawings, or will you be writing a letter on your letterhead stating that you have reviewed the drawings. There is a big difference in price!

Has a soil analysis been done? if not, consider digging some test holes in the main corners of the house, to a depth a little more than the maximum depth of the foundation, then inviting the structural engineer or a knowledgeable building consultant to look at the soil. Is the site sloping? is it next to a water body? Is there a high clay content in the soil? Yes to any of these questions please get professional advice. Will you have a septic system or a municipal sewer connection? will you use a well or connect to a municipal water supply? What outbuildings will you be constructing, ( horse barn, storage, stand alone garage, swimming pools, etc). Are you in a flood zone? wetland area? what are the required setbacks for your property?

These are just a few preliminary questions - there are more!

 
 
93 queries executed
1
SET sql_mode = 'MYSQL40'
2 SELECT folder, element, published, params FROM mos_mambots WHERE published >= 1 AND access <= 0 AND folder = 'system' ORDER BY ordering
3 SELECT `id`,`link` FROM mos_menu WHERE ((`name` LIKE '%custom home plan%') AND (`published` > 0))
4 SELECT oldurl, newurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE oldurl LIKE 'custom-home-plan/ask-an-engineer.html' LIMIT 1
5 UPDATE mos_redirection SET cpt=(cpt+1) WHERE `newurl` LIKE 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=2'
6 SELECT template FROM mos_templates_menu WHERE client_id = 0 AND ( menuid = 0 OR menuid = 2 ) ORDER BY menuid DESC LIMIT 1
7 DELETE FROM mos_session WHERE ( ( time < '1280403047' ) AND guest = 0 AND gid > 0 ) OR ( ( time < '1280403047' ) AND guest = 1 AND userid = 0 )
8 SELECT * FROM mos_session WHERE session_id = '3996352b61ab98d7f2b64e24f61fa90e'
9 SELECT session_id FROM mos_session WHERE session_id = '0c48f521f39cf2fbd52e7fcc5a12a6ff'
10 INSERT INTO mos_session ( `session_id`,`time`,`username`,`gid`,`guest` ) VALUES ( '0c48f521f39cf2fbd52e7fcc5a12a6ff','1280403947','','0','1' )
11 SELECT * FROM mos_menu WHERE id = 2
12 SELECT a.*, u.name AS author, u.usertype, cc.name AS category, s.name AS section, g.name AS groups, s.published AS sec_pub, cc.published AS cat_pub, s.access AS sec_access, cc.access AS cat_access, s.id AS sec_id, cc.id as cat_id FROM mos_content AS a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS cc ON cc.id = a.catid LEFT JOIN mos_sections AS s ON s.id = cc.section AND s.scope = 'content' LEFT JOIN mos_users AS u ON u.id = a.created_by LEFT JOIN mos_groups AS g ON a.access = g.id WHERE a.id = 27 AND ( a.state = 1 OR a.state = -1 ) AND ( a.publish_up = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR a.publish_up <= '2010-07-29 07:45' ) AND ( a.publish_down = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR a.publish_down >= '2010-07-29 07:45' ) AND a.access <= 0
13 UPDATE mos_content SET hits = ( hits + 1 ) WHERE id = '27'
14 SELECT folder, element, published, params FROM mos_mambots WHERE access <= 0 AND folder = 'content' ORDER BY ordering
15 SELECT a.* FROM mos_components AS a WHERE ( a.admin_menu_link = 'option=com_syndicate' OR a.admin_menu_link = 'option=com_syndicate&hidemainmenu=1' ) AND a.option = 'com_syndicate'
16 SELECT id, name, link, parent, type, menutype, access FROM mos_menu WHERE published = 1 AND access <= 0 ORDER BY menutype, parent, ordering
17 SELECT title, catid, id, access FROM mos_content WHERE id = 27
18 SELECT c.title AS title, s.id AS sectionid, c.id AS id, c.access AS cat_access FROM mos_categories AS c LEFT JOIN mos_sections AS s ON c.section = s.id WHERE c.id = 28 AND c.access <= 0
19 SELECT title AS category FROM mos_categories WHERE id=28
20 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=1&id=28&Itemid=2'
21 SELECT title AS section FROM mos_sections WHERE id=1
22 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=1&Itemid=2'
23 SELECT id, title, module, position, content, showtitle, params FROM mos_modules AS m INNER JOIN mos_modules_menu AS mm ON mm.moduleid = m.id WHERE m.published = 1 AND m.access <= 0 AND m.client_id != 1 AND ( mm.menuid = 0 OR mm.menuid = 2 ) ORDER BY ordering
24 SELECT m.* FROM mos_menu AS m WHERE menutype = 'mainmenu' AND published = 1 AND access <= 0 ORDER BY parent, ordering
25 SELECT name FROM mos_menu WHERE link = 'index.php?option=com_frontpage'
26 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1'
27 SELECT title AS section FROM mos_sections WHERE id=1
28 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=1&Itemid=2'
29 SELECT COUNT( id ) FROM mos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1
30 SELECT id FROM mos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4'
31 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=4
32 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=4
33 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4&Itemid=34'
34 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=19
35 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=19
36 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=35'
37 SELECT id FROM mos_menu WHERE type = 'content_item_link' AND published = 1 AND link = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40'
38 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=40
39 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=40
40 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=58'
41 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=42
42 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=42
43 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=60'
44 SELECT name FROM mos_menu WHERE link = 'index.php?option=com_contact'
45 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_contact&Itemid=3'
46 SELECT m.* FROM mos_menu AS m WHERE menutype = 'Other Menu' AND published = 1 AND access <= 0 ORDER BY parent, ordering
47 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=17
48 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=17
49 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=32'
50 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=20
51 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=20
52 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=36'
53 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=12
54 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=12
55 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=27'
56 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=16
57 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=16
58 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=31'
59 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=18
60 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=18
61 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=33'
62 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=21
63 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=21
64 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid=37'
65 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=31
66 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=31
67 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=51'
68 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=32
69 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=32
70 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=53'
71 SELECT a.id, a.title, a.sectionid, a.catid FROM mos_content AS a LEFT JOIN mos_content_frontpage AS f ON f.content_id = a.id INNER JOIN mos_categories AS cc ON cc.id = a.catid INNER JOIN mos_sections AS s ON s.id = a.sectionid WHERE ( a.state = 1 AND a.sectionid > 0 ) AND ( a.publish_up = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR a.publish_up <= '2010-07-29 07:45' ) AND ( a.publish_down = '0000-00-00 00:00:00' OR a.publish_down >= '2010-07-29 07:45' ) AND a.access <= 0 AND cc.access <= 0 AND s.access <= 0 AND s.published = 1 AND cc.published = 1 ORDER BY a.created DESC LIMIT 5
72 SELECT ms.id AS sid, ms.type AS stype, mc.id AS cid, mc.type AS ctype, i.id as sectionid, i.id As catid, ms.published AS spub, mc.published AS cpub FROM mos_content AS i LEFT JOIN mos_sections AS s ON i.sectionid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS ms ON ms.componentid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON i.catid = c.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS mc ON mc.componentid = c.id WHERE ( ms.type IN ( 'content_section', 'content_blog_section' ) OR mc.type IN ( 'content_blog_category', 'content_category' ) ) AND i.id = 42 ORDER BY ms.type DESC, mc.type DESC, ms.id, mc.id
73 SELECT id FROM mos_menu WHERE type = 'content_blog_section' AND published = 1 AND componentid = 0
74 SELECT id FROM mos_menu WHERE type = 'content_blog_category' AND published = 1 AND componentid = 0
75 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=42
76 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=42
77 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=42&Itemid=2'
78 SELECT ms.id AS sid, ms.type AS stype, mc.id AS cid, mc.type AS ctype, i.id as sectionid, i.id As catid, ms.published AS spub, mc.published AS cpub FROM mos_content AS i LEFT JOIN mos_sections AS s ON i.sectionid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS ms ON ms.componentid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON i.catid = c.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS mc ON mc.componentid = c.id WHERE ( ms.type IN ( 'content_section', 'content_blog_section' ) OR mc.type IN ( 'content_blog_category', 'content_category' ) ) AND i.id = 41 ORDER BY ms.type DESC, mc.type DESC, ms.id, mc.id
79 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=41
80 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=41
81 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=2'
82 SELECT ms.id AS sid, ms.type AS stype, mc.id AS cid, mc.type AS ctype, i.id as sectionid, i.id As catid, ms.published AS spub, mc.published AS cpub FROM mos_content AS i LEFT JOIN mos_sections AS s ON i.sectionid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS ms ON ms.componentid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON i.catid = c.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS mc ON mc.componentid = c.id WHERE ( ms.type IN ( 'content_section', 'content_blog_section' ) OR mc.type IN ( 'content_blog_category', 'content_category' ) ) AND i.id = 40 ORDER BY ms.type DESC, mc.type DESC, ms.id, mc.id
83 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=40
84 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=40
85 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=40&Itemid=2'
86 SELECT ms.id AS sid, ms.type AS stype, mc.id AS cid, mc.type AS ctype, i.id as sectionid, i.id As catid, ms.published AS spub, mc.published AS cpub FROM mos_content AS i LEFT JOIN mos_sections AS s ON i.sectionid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS ms ON ms.componentid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON i.catid = c.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS mc ON mc.componentid = c.id WHERE ( ms.type IN ( 'content_section', 'content_blog_section' ) OR mc.type IN ( 'content_blog_category', 'content_category' ) ) AND i.id = 39 ORDER BY ms.type DESC, mc.type DESC, ms.id, mc.id
87 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=39
88 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=39
89 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=2'
90 SELECT ms.id AS sid, ms.type AS stype, mc.id AS cid, mc.type AS ctype, i.id as sectionid, i.id As catid, ms.published AS spub, mc.published AS cpub FROM mos_content AS i LEFT JOIN mos_sections AS s ON i.sectionid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS ms ON ms.componentid = s.id LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON i.catid = c.id LEFT JOIN mos_menu AS mc ON mc.componentid = c.id WHERE ( ms.type IN ( 'content_section', 'content_blog_section' ) OR mc.type IN ( 'content_blog_category', 'content_category' ) ) AND i.id = 38 ORDER BY ms.type DESC, mc.type DESC, ms.id, mc.id
91 SELECT title_alias FROM mos_content WHERE id=38
92 SELECT c.title AS category, a.title_alias AS title FROM mos_content as a LEFT JOIN mos_categories AS c ON a.catid=c.id WHERE a.id=38
93 SELECT oldurl FROM mos_redirection WHERE newurl = 'index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38&Itemid=2'