Is my Engineer pulling a fast one?

kraken208

Hi

I have engaged an engineer who works for a reputable firm but this is outside that as he has his own company also.

it's a relatively Small extension.

He would do bcar submission (with opt out), details for raft, walls,roof and opinions on compliance for planning and building regs after.

so far he has submitted the wrong foundation/wall detail to bacr ("so they dont ask questions and keep things moving")

and when I asked for his PI insurance he said that would never be handed out but we do have it.

these just appear to be red flags to me or am I over thinking it and thats just how its done?

all details so far have been over the phone to builder and no drawing bar the incorrect one sent to bcar.

thanks

muffler

Im confused on a couple of points. How do you know he submitted the wrong foundation/wall detail?

You asked for a copy of his PI cover, he refused but you have a copy. That doesnt make sense.

Nigzcurran

I think the op means that the engineer said "we don't give a copy of it out but we do have it (the insurance)"

deandean

Why did you choose that engineer in the first place?

Let me guess. His was the lowest cost.

You get the service you pay for.

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123746351#Comment_123746351

That makes sense. He is entitled to a copy of it though.

kraken208

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123746321#Comment_123746321

I have the login for the bcar and opened the file that he had submitted

He specifically said "we" have PI cover which made me think did he mean via his main job and not his 1 man operation.

kraken208

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123746362#Comment_123746362

Seems a bit presumptuous….. why so defensive?

anyway I will tell you straight up it's about 4k. it's one of the items i actually didn't price around regrettably so I couldn't tell you if he is the cheapest or not.

recommended by my builder

Mellor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123746419#Comment_123746419

I highly doubt he was referring to his main job, as he couldn’t be that stupid.

and when I asked for his PI insurance he said that would never be handed out but we do have it.

This is a huge flag for me. PI should be provide prior to signing somebody up.

Do you have a contract with this guy? Is PI is the contract? I’d be withholding final payment PI was provided.

lmk123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058422509/is-my-engineer-pulling-a-fast-one

so he won’t show you his PI insurance almost certainly because he doesn’t have it, he sent in the wrong details, probably details for another house and he’s just changed the name on the title block, the builder recommended him and he’s giving details to the builder over the phone, to me it sounds like the builder knew that he couldn’t really care less and he will be able to do things his own way with this engineer, you can’t even really check things against a drawing by the sounds of it and he can just say “oh ya I asked the engineer about that and that’s the way he told me to do it”. €4k for nothing by the sounds of it

muffler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123746419#Comment_123746419

Thanks for that. It's never a great idea to engage an engineer recommended by the contractor but it is what it is now. I would suggest you send a letter or email to the engineer requesting a copy of his insurance and an explanation as to why he submitted the wrong detail. It's important to have everything in writing. You should also get a copy of the detail that was given to the contractor.

Have you paid him in full yet? If not you need to withhold any further payment until the above matters are resolved.