Structural engineers drawings

[Lucy Murray]

We have our structural engineers drawings and have taken them to our steel fabricator. Although the drawings specify the type of steels to use they haven't specified the lengths which our fabricator finds unusual. After a brief conversation with the engineer, he has passed the buck to the architect.

 

I've yet to speak to the architect but he has specified in the spec all steelwork sizes etc is confirmed in the engineers drawings. However I find it baffling as to why the engineer as not given the lengths each individual steel needs to made to. Should my fabricator really be expected to try and guage measurements by flicking between architect and engineers drawings? I would have expected a spec sheet with details such as steel A needs to be this length? 

 

Am I wrong to assume this? I just find it hard to believe we've paid for drawings yet the fabricator has to take the risk of doing the measuring and obviously if any problems arise they then become his problem.

 

Look forward to any feedback help on this one.

[joe90]

Rightly or wrongly I would expect the architect to give dimensions for the building and the structural engineer to spec the steel type and dimensions to suit the dimensions given by the architect. You don’t want it wrong and an argument as to who to blame!!!

[PeterW]

SE is wrong - to do the calculations they will have had to produce the exact steel dimensions so they should have provided them as part of the drawings as they will need to be accurate. 

 

Who engaged the engineer..? If it was the architect then tell him to get the engineer to put it right. 

[bassanclan]

 

The structural engineer will have used lengths in his calculations, but it is probably a nominal length based on scaled drawings, but without visiting the site.

 

If you want exact lengths then your builder will measure the opening.