Do you need a skilled Structural Engineer who can enhance your project team’s success with precise and concise structural drawings? Look no further than BKBM’s experienced engineering team! Our dedicated structural engineers are committed to learning from our project partners, and we strive to create efficient designs that are conveyed through concise and precise drawings that everyone on the team can work from to support collaboration, transparency, and efficiency.
Continue reading to discover how selecting the right structural partner can be a game changer for your overall project delivery process.
The Importance of Quality Structural Drawings to Overall Project Delivery.
When the hand-off from design to construction takes place, having quality structural drawings can make a world of difference. These drawings act as a roadmap for the architect, engineer, and contractor and are the home base to define the framing elements needed to complete the project.
As a project moves into construction, structural drawings help the contractor visualize the project and plan for construction, and quality drawings can also help prevent costly mistakes. Precise drawings and specifications make it easier for contractors to bid on the project and for project owners to evaluate and compare bids.
Furthermore, providing clear documentation supports the ability for the project to be completed on time and within budget while maintaining the original design intent. That is a winning situation for the project team.
How to Make Your Structural Drawings Efficient, Precise, and Concise.
The importance of having precise and concise structural drawings must be balanced. A poorly designed or cluttered drawing can result in confusion, delays, and costly mistakes on the job site – months, even years, of project planning can be compromised due to these mistakes.
To encourage success, here are some valuable tips to help you achieve, or look for, efficient and effective structural drawings:
- Reduce Wordiness: Avoid using overly complicated or technical language when creating structural drawings. Instead, use plain, simple language that promotes clarity and understanding. This approach helps all of the design and construction team members understand the drawings so that time is spent working together to build the project rather than asking for explanations.
- Streamline Processes: A streamlined process is essential. Identify areas where you can eliminate unnecessary steps, such as reducing the number of pages or consolidating information into a single page. This approach helps reduce confusion and improves overall project efficiency.
- Minimize Page Turns: A simple but effective way to improve the clarity of your structural drawings is to minimize the number of page turns required. This also allows your drawings to flow logically, with information organized in a way that makes sense and is easy to follow.
By implementing these strategies, you can create, or look for, structural drawings that are efficient, precise, and easily understandable, ultimately leading to a streamlined project delivery process.
The Benefits of Working with a Collaborative Structural Engineer.
Partnering with a structural engineer means tapping into their knowledge and expertise. When the engineer also brings a collaborative approach to the project, the quality and efficiency of the design can be enhanced by understanding critical design limitations and priorities. Collaboration also improves the quality of the documents by having well-coordinated documents among the entire design team. It can also provide value to the overall project outcome by having an open mind with the construction partners to leverage their expertise on material availability, constructability, and efficiency.
The knowledge of this blog article has been provided by BKBM’s Project Manager Linda Peters, PE. Linda brings nearly two decades of experience in Colorado structural design. She is well-versed in the state's building codes, regulations, and construction practices. This local knowledge helps to streamline the design and construction process and minimize errors and rework.
Linda brings an ethic of hard work and discipline to all projects with a steadfast commitment to making the project a success. Linda has had the privilege of designing numerous notable projects across the area, including the Coors Field Rooftop Renovation, multiple renovation projects at the Molson Coors Brewery, NIST, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratories. Linda Peters is shaping the engineering industry with her work and accomplishments and creating a path for future generations of female engineers and trailblazers to follow!
Partner with a Proven Structural Engineer. Get Expert Solutions from BKBM and Take Your Engineering Project to the Next Level.
With a local team dedicated to the market, our team values that the best engineering happens when our structural engineers converse with our clients, listening to and understanding their project needs and requirements. That's why we work hard to build strong relationships that will enhance our understanding of how our work fits into the broader context of your project so that we maximize our value to you in selecting us as your project partner. BKBM has offices located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Denver, Colorado and has been serving our client’s projects throughout the nation for over 50 years.
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