Engineer or Special Inspector

[ICE]

Also keep in mind that special inspections is different from structural observations

If performed by the same engineer, the result is the same albeit on a different form under a different format. In my limited experience, I have found engineer's efforts at inspection seriously lacking.

 

[steveray]

After discussing it with respected members of my state's professional engineering society, I reversed my thinking. Their point was that (1) nobody knows the design better than the guy who designed it; and (2) it's their professional liability that's on the line, so they don't have any incentive to cover up mistakes.

Kind of where I ended up....gets weird when they are also the contractor and owner......

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Kind of where I ended up....gets weird when they are also the contractor and owner......

That gets even more weird since the code specifies that the special inspector(s) shall be hired and paid for by the owner, not the contractor.

 

[steveray]

1. The contractor is permitted to employ the approved agencies where the contractor is also the owner.

Slippery slope

 

[ICE]

nobody knows the design better than the guy who designed it

Peer review exists because the author is not trusted to find their own mistakes. I have recounted several instances where the structural observation performed by the engineer of record was so bad as to be worthless.