Frank,
I am having trouble finding a fabricator that will supply engineered drawings at no cost. My plan is to flip leases and pay the fabricator a fee to keep that happy as you have advised but everyone that i have contacted has a fee of around $1500 for stamped drawings but that fee will go towards the contract price if they are awarded the job. Any advice on how I can get around this? Also is there anyone that know of reputable fabricators in Georgia that I can contact?
Thanks for the help.
Does anyone have any input on this? Also, I cannot find a company that will do both structural and site drawings. I would like to find a company that can do this so i am not paying a premium at two different companies. Can anyone help me with this?
Thank you
Sorry I did not see this post sooner.
What’s happened is that you have spooked the fabricators by letting them know (whether verbal or subliminal) that you are not going to be building structures but just flipping them. Since you are not going to be buying a structure from them, they don’t see how they are going to make any money off you, and there is some degree of pride they take in their drawings and don’t just want someone out there potentially “sharing” them with others unless it leads to an order. If you are building the same type of structure over and over – and only need one set to pull infinitely many permits – then you may be money ahead to just buy the engineering (but not for $1,500, more like $500) and use it on every application you file. The other alternative is to start over, and tell people that you are actually going to build the structures, get the engineering and then decide not to build it after all, The spin is more important than the actual action (as many people get the engineering and don’t move forward and buy a structure, but the intent looks legitimate). I have never had to pay for engineering in my entire life, so I don’t think that’s the norm. But if you are unconvincing as a potential customer who will place big orders for structures, then it’s going to be tough to get.
Have you tried some of the national fabricators, like Keeler Iron Works? A big outfit, that sends out a lot of engineering, might be less uptight about providing you what you need.
I did try Keeler. They said they will not supply the drawings until an order for the steel has been placed. But that does not make sense because you don’t want to order material before the drawings are even approved. Maybe I did tip them off somehow that I am flipping and thats why they said that. I emailed them this morning from another email address with a different aproach. In your experience do any fabricators do the site drawings as well. I would imagine the site drawings would require a survey of the property would it not?
Yes, I think you’ve spooked them, because you can’t order steel before you get the permit, and you get the permit without the engineering. I don’t know of any fabricators that do the site drawing – you have to do that yourself.
Can anyone suggest some sources for buying a set of engineering drawings - I am looking at outdoor billboard sign around 20 ft by 12 ft - and steel structure. Thanks.
Omar
The way to get engineered drawings is to find a steel fabricator and build a relationship in which you will order signs from them if you build a sign, and you need their engineering to pull the permit. Nobody really sells sign engineering. Trying to buy it is like going to a car dealership and wanting copies of their brochures without expressing any interest in actually buying a car. They will give you engineering if they think you will be a legitimate customer, but otherwise they are not going to participate.
If you want send me an email to ( crazeoutdoor@aol.com ) I am in Georgia and I do everything ,!!! installs, electrical, arrwork, vinyl production, electrical, and advertising… Anything and everything that has to do with Billboards. I will try and help if I can…
thanks, Jimmy Craze