Stamping plans and Engineering

[mwalker]

I am a professional Draftsman here in San Diego, www.plansandpermit.com here in CA the requirements for calculations and stamp are determined by the Building Code, variations from the prescribed guidelines of "conventional design" outlined in the Code require Lic Arch or Eng. I have spoken to unlicensed designers in Maui and they told me any project valued over 50k requires an Arch stamp in HI. In actuality HI uses the same code as CA and the conventional requirements ( sec 23) for a single story wood framed structure eliminate the need for calculations and stamp. 95% of my single story projects never see an Arch or Engineers stamp.

Now to my question -- are the building depts in HI accepting "anything" if it has a stamp without calculations? As I read these forums it seems that way!! This is confusing as most Architects don't do calcs, at least here in CA. If anyone has info on the process and requirements in HI for light frame design I am interested as I hope to move there and draw plans. I am also looking for referals to Archs or Engineers that do structural calcs, will review and stamp plans for private parties. I will say, based upon my preliminary research HI seems to vary from all the other States by making an arbitrary requirement at 50k valuation regardless of what the Building Code says to require a stamp.
m http://www.plansandpermit.com

[Hotzcatz]

Not a lot of work over here right now for draftspeople and it isn't likely to get busy until after 2010 or so. Can you bring your work with you and email it back to your clients?

[mwalker]

I figured work would be real slow especially with the increased vog and gas prices. "Can you bring your work with you and email it back to your clients" very little telecommuting for the kind of work I am doing now. I could change the scope of what I do and do more telecommuting, online title 24 reports would be more than ample but that really sucks gawd awful boring.

[Hotzcatz]

Sounds about as much fun as drawing parking lots but it also sounds like it might pay the bills. If you can bring it along it will help tide you over until you find more interesting things to.

If you run standard framing the building department doesn't usually ask for calculations. They change their requirements periodically, I think at the moment there is a size, value and foundation specifications which will determine if it needs a stamp. A single story on concrete slab standard construction of under a certain amount with eaves less than 36" and with specific roof framing doesn't require a stamp to get the permit but the inspectors can later require one. A stamp isn't that expensive that it should limit the design to the extent that it can so generally just figuring it will require a stamp will save the homeowner being surprised when the inspector requires it after the permit has been pulled and the house can be designed the way it should be to be a nice comfortable and liveable house.

The building departments are different for each island. Each one has different amendments to the code and slightly different requirements.

Actually, the codes and requirements I'd like to see would be more about how the house interacts with the community and neighborhood. If you drive past all these new houses anymore all you see are huge garage doors. Sometimes it is impossible to even find the front door. What kind of friendly neighborly house can that be? Be nice to see sidewalks, too. But I suppose that would be more than something just a draftsperson can fix.