Awful experience from Siavash (owner)
Awful experience from Siavash (owner) - after weeks of me calling and chasing on progress, only to hear on Friday 17 April @ 18:06 he phoned me to say wouldn't taking the job as he didn't need the money (told me he already owns a Porsche). Real time waster and charges you for onsite visits only to pull out of the job.
AVOID this company as there are many other reputable and ethical structural engineers out there who want to help clients (even if they don't or do own Porsches)
Reply from Laytoe
The client wanted to remove a wall and hold the house up with one steel beam. When we checked the numbers, that beam would have rested on a weak internal wall and a post with nothing proven underneath it to carry the weight. We could not confirm it would be safe, so we could not approve it.
We explained this in writing, offered a safer design, and offered to talk through other options.
Our job is to keep people safe: the family living there, their neighbours, and anyone who lives in the house in future. When we sign off a design, we are responsible for it. We won't approve something just because it is cheaper, quicker, or because a neighbour did it.
It would have been easy to take the fee and do what was asked. We said no because a wall or ceiling giving way can put lives at risk. In over 10 years, we have never had a claim against our designs, and this is why.
We're sorry we couldn't give the answer that was hoped for, but we stand by our advice.