Who says you need professional engineer services?

So you’ve got a major facility design and construction project looming. There are lots of moving parts affecting it, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. You’ve got some depth in your in-house engineering staff with the experience and expertise to handle most aspects of the project and the ability to learn the rest. So who says you need professional engineer services?

Before you dismiss outside engineering help as an unnecessary expense, it might help to look more closely at what a professional engineer does and how that might impact your project.

First and foremost, a professional engineer is a licensed professional qualified by education, technical knowledge and experience in one or more engineering disciplines, confirmed by appropriate state licensing. Just as important, they are independent professionals who provide objective services on a contract basis without the kind of commercial or industrial corporate affiliations that might affect their judgment and color their opinions. They are impartial. In fact, the very nature of their chosen profession requires honesty, impartiality, and fairness, along with a healthy dedication to public safety, health, and well-being.

A professional engineer’s focus is to ensure that a project is done correctly, appropriately, efficiently, and effectively.

As a consultant, a professional engineer serves government, public and private clients in a number of ways, ranging from brief, one-time consultations acting as an outside objective sounding board for filtering ideas to the complete design of an engineering project.

Professional engineers adhere to a code of ethics that may vary from state to state but essentially embodies the following statements:

The professional engineer shall:

• Hold paramount safeguarding life, health, and property while promoting the public welfare in the performance of his or her professional duties
• Perform services only in the areas of his or her competence
• Issue professional statements only in an objective and truthful manner
• Act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agent or trustee, avoiding conflicts of interest
• Avoid improper solicitation of professional employment
• Support and faithfully comply with the laws of any jurisdiction within which he or she practices

Hiring a professional engineer services firm is a great way to add crucial engineering expertise to your team without increasing your overhead, while reducing risk and helping ensure your project is completed on time and on budget. A professional engineer is familiar with all applicable codes, laws, and regulations affecting his or her area of expertise.

Every engineering project involves running lots of numbers, performing calculations, and validating assumptions. Isn’t it a good idea to have an objective outside engineering professional safeguarding your investment?