Tools of the Trade [Super Engineer]

When first introduced to a new project you can expect a set of planning drawings, perhaps if you are lucky a project specification and/or a brief. You'd hope for at least a sketch or two though.

You will most definitely be offered an opportunity to take a closer look at the property by way of a site inspection. During this initial visit, it benefits everyone if the Engineer [that's you] can take away the maximum amount of information possible. Unless of course you live just round the corner.

Again, if you are a fortunate Engineer, you may well have access to the services of a builder, who will help you access hidden structure during the investigation.

But what happens if you don't?

Quite often the projects can be simple and straight forward, and if the Gods of Engineering smile sweetly upon you, then like the Red Sea parting, access will be granted and all will be revealed.

If not, then pulling up a bit of carpet reveals the direction of the floor boards, and hence the joist span direction. Tapping on a wall may reveal a light weight partition, or a load bearing block work wall.

This is all well and good, but what if the floor has a floating timber floor over, or tiled? How about a dot and dabbed block work wall, when you are expecting an non-load bearing one?

The truth is, the initial site visit made by the Engineer can quite often be revealed to have been an opportunity not taken advantage of.

So we make educated assumptions, and extensively caveat our work - SUBJECT TO CONFIRMATION BY CONTRACTOR.

For everyone involved, this is less than satisfactory. It allows the contractor to adjust their costs [upwards], taking advantage of the proverbial 'foot in the door' position which they have. Also the Architect may [with good reason] withhold construction drawings until further investigation has taken place.

There isn't a single thing wrong with this process, it happens for most refurbishment projects. Although, from the clients point of view, it looks pretty wasteful, and frustrating.

So, what can we do? Not enough unfortunately, but we can be proactive, and give ourselves a better understanding of the building by being prepared. So I have learned.

"Fortune favours the prepared mind" Louis Pasteur

Below is a snap shop, and list of investigative tools which could very well push the odds back in our favour.

This list is not exhaustive or indeed THE optimum bag of tricks. It does however represent a great starting point. Add to the list as you see fit, and please tell me of your experiences too!

1. Collapsible step ladder. Trust me, not everyone owns an access ladder into their loft or roof space. If you carry some - you can actually look like you know what you are doing. [mine cost £80, you can buy smaller versions for around £50]
2. A million candle spot light/torch. When 999,999 candles just won't cut it... having this piece of kit with you will make you look like Superman. This is a great tool. [£3.99 from any petrol forecourt when you spend £30 on fuel]
3. Clip board. Simple, easy to use. Everybody knows that the guy or gal with the clip board is the one worth knowing. Kudos is only 50p away. Buy one.
4. Claw hammer and a few blocks of wood. Smash stuff and open up plaster board ceilings with one bound. [try and spend atleast fiver on this item]
5. Essential tool alert! Tape measure. [try and spend atleast fiver on this item]
6. Bonus weapon. Electric cutter. Can be very useful to cut accurate and tidy holes. Be careful though, pull out one of these and you start looking like a builder who turns up to work in a suit everyday. I like them, so I have one. [cordless will cost you around £100]
7. Wrecking bar. Tasty leverage, light weight and bullish. You can wreck all day with this tool without breaking into a sweat. [a good one will cost around £7]
8. Screwdrivers. An assortment of them will help out tremendously. [you could spend a minor fortune here, a fiver]
9. Pliers/pincers. I like them, you may not. [£5 from any good hardware shop]
10. Scissors or Stanley knife [other bladed knives are freely available]. Great at trimming and making good an edge. [£1 down Poundland]
11. Brush. Not absolutely necessary, but I keep one just in case I make a huge mess. [£1 down Poundland]
12. Digital Camera. I use the camera on my phone. Taking pictures during an investigation has helped me no end in the past and a serious investigator needs one. [Price? Where do I start?]

A number of other tools have not been included; for example a hand shear vane tester, engineers note book, reference material and calculator etc.

Please add to this as you see fit, and enjoy your new Super Engineer status.

Many thanks to Alexander from Building Doctors, and Brian Bonnett for the inspiration behind this post.

IMPORTANT ADDENDUM and warning
Please check your professional, employers and public liability insurances before personally taking on any of the invasive investigations mentioned over. If in doubt, always ask that a builder is present to open up structure. Thank you for your input Baz! [see below for Baz's comment]


Engine[er]

Present buying? Engineer it.

Christmas is almost over for another year, and congratulations for surviving it intact. Or did you?

If you are anything like me, you may have failed miserably at the business end of the Christmas. The present buying. It's not that I don't 'get' or understand the needs of my other half, but I have concluded that when it comes to deciding what to buy, I am assaulted with too many options to make an accurate decision.

The question is, can I find a solution which may help me reduce the choices available?

Perhaps if we can firstly remove certain key variables? For instance, some couples set a ceiling to the amount of money which can spend on presents. By restricting the total spend you are solving a number of problems.

Since most presents really are not worth consideration unless you spend say £5.00, you are essentially restricting the amount of presents that you can buy. Also spending the bare minimum on every present does not offer up much of an opportunity to bestow upon your partner a fancy gift or two.

Therefore, I propose that the main present be determined [or enquired after] before shopping commences. It is also noteworthy to mention that blowing the entire budget on the main event is not preferable, as opening smaller, or lesser valuable presents is also part and parcel of a winning spread of gifts.

The question that remains is if you have set a price ceiling on the gifts [as determined by personal financial constraints], how much of that can you spend on the main event present? I propose that this is related to the amount of presents that you intend to buy. The amount of presents that you purchase must also be related to the amount of presents that your other half is set to receive from others. For example, if your girl friend is estimated to receive say 10 presents from her close family and friends, then this infers that you may be freed up to spend a larger proportion of the available funds on a single present.

Based upon the previous statements, I propose using the following algorithm.

First we must establish the number of presents which you should consider giving using the equation below:

Number of Presents N = [15-[A+0.5C+0.3P]] / 2

Where A = number of adults which are planning on giving presents to your partner.
Where C = number of children planning on giving presents to your partner.
P = number of pets in the household.

Always round down..

Once you have determined the number of presents, then simply apply this to one of the equations below:

Price Ceiling [£] x 0.75 and 0.25 for 2 presents
Price Ceiling [£] x 0.60,  0.30 and 0.1 for 3 presents
Price Ceiling [£] x 0.60, 0.20, 0.10 and 0.10 for 4 presents
Price Ceiling [£] x 0.50, 0.15, 0.15, 0.10 and 0.10 for 5 presents
Price Ceiling [£] x 0.45, 0.15, 0.15, 0.10, 0,10 and 0.10 for 6 presents

Example: Your partner is expecting presents from 4 adults, 2 children and the house contains no pets.


Therefore N = [15-[4+1]] / 2 = 5 presents.


The couple decided to spend only £75.00 on each other due to their financial situation.


Therefore each partner may spend up to £37.50 on the main present, £11.25 on 2 presents and £7.50 on the final 2 presents.

So there you go, use the equations wisely and perhaps you will have more luck than me next year. Well actually, I did try following the formulae - and I think that I decided upon the number of presents correctly.

Apparently cook books are still a no no though.

Merry Christmas and have a prosperous, and a very happy New Year!!


Engine[er]

Calling all good men and women

Hello. Lots to talk about in this post, so please get comfortable.
Starting a business is challenge and is kinda universal, no matter what you decide to go into business as. It is true that some business start-ups require a heavy amount of upfront investment to perhaps develop bespoke websites or buy premises to store goods, or simply purchase your stock to get the ball rolling. Heavy financing just means more risk from the outset, more to consider.

As a Structural Engineer, you have to remember that you are the expert consultant that clients will be paying for. Experience and confidence is key - hopefully your training and past engineering mentors will have prepared you for almost everything. Note: I have always believed that as an Engineer you are not employed to know 'everything' there is to know about your field of expertise. You are employed to resolve problems - by utilising your resourcefulness and experience. This means that if you know where to look for information and the client gives you enough time, then you can deliver anything. Remember that when you are sat in a meeting with everyone staring at you expecting an answer... you need to grow a very thick skin and learn to buy enough time to think through your design proposals adequately.

What consultancy life doesn't prepare you for is the web design creatives and branding gurus who will take your business seed and and help form an image for you to personify day in day out. [They] don't prepare you for setting up a limited company OR making the decision to become VAT registered from day one or not. You are hidden away from chasing prospective clients and begging for work, or just for the opportunity to give them an estimate of your time! Many of these skills you will have to pick up as you go along, taking you away from fee earning time - and thus reducing your possible earnings to less than when you were a trainee... you are the creator, the decision maker, the completer finisher, the business host, the admin staff all in one.

And what do I think about that? I love it. I want that responsibility and to drive home my ideas or to see them fail and then rise like a phoenix as new directions of travel. If you feel the same way as me - then keep reading.

Engine[er]

This is my journey - I give it to you

If you have been scouring the internet looking for a reason, "pleeease, just a solitary reason"  to start up a business to call your own, then I hope that you may find this an interesting blog page to read.

If you have aspirations to become your own boss; and are sick of listening to your friends, family and colleagues tell you that now is not the right time to risk everything... then I'm here to tell you that there has never been a better time.

Finally, should you have happened across this blog page by accident - perhaps you were carving up the web, looking for inspiration or a reason to change your life... then welcome to a new way of thinking.

This is my journey from inception to late nights and my eventual creative and professional freedom.

The Engine[er]