American Council of Engineering
Companies of Oregon
Celebrating 50 years of representing engineering companies in Oregon and
Clark County, Washington,
1956-2006
member of the
American Council of
Engineering Companies
Washington, DC
Learn about the benefits of membership:
ACEC Oregon: What's in it for you?
When
to Retain a
Consulting Engineer
A consulting engineer should be retained when projects and programs involving engineering issues and requiring engineering decisions are to be undertaken.
The engineer may be retained as a general consultant in technical matters, to investigate and study alternatives, to design projects and equipment, and to assist during production or construction.
The project may be public or private, large or small; it may be an addition, a renovation, or an entirely new project.
A consulting engineer has specialized engineering knowledge; independent, objective, and unbiased judgment with respect to methods, material, and manpower; and broad engineering experience. These factors are drawn together in direct service to the client, with time and staff arranged to the most useful application of professional engineering in the client's best interests.
When appropriate, the consulting engineer will provide construction management, furnishing continuity of responsibility through the project's completion, thus freeing the client to pursue his regular endeavors.
Many engineering firms use the systems approach to planning and engineering, combining such capabilities as economics, management, marketing and sociology.
A consulting engineer should be engaged at the earliest stage of a project to develop the plan, determine its feasibility, aid in arranging finances and analyzing costs, design the project, supervise construction arrangements, and test or verify the completed facility for acceptance by the client. The consulting engineering firm becomes a temporary engineering staff, serving management, or may augment and extend the technical ability of an existing engineering staff.