Engineering Consulting Business Plan

StructureAll Ltd. offers complete structural engineering services. We will focus on buildings with the following ‘Use and Occupancies’:

• Residential.
• Commercial.
• Industrial.

The company is ‘project’ oriented where each project involves:

• Renovations.
• Rehabilitation.
• Additions.
• New construction.

We offer innovative and economical design services, maintaining state-of-the-art design technology. We meet client needs on projects of all sizes and smaller, special design projects.

3.1 Competitive Comparison

StructureAll Ltd. offers their clients superior service accompanied with state-of-the-art analysis and design capabilities. We will offer three-dimensional visualization services to reduce the possibility of spatial conflicts with architectural elements and other engineering disciplines. In comparison, our competitors rely mostly on two-dimensional models.

We will implement a quality assurance and control program for all projects undertaken. This document will serve to focus on the standards which will be achieved and a means of measuring performance.

A systematic manner of sorting and retrieving a library of structural elements and assemblies will be implemented. Slide libraries will be available from a tool bar within AutoCADD for quick access. We will adopt the layering standards of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). In comparison, our competitors do not have an integrated database.

StructureAll Ltd. will adopt the filing systems developed by the AIA. All project information will be tracked using an integrated database management system. All of our business tools will be year 2000 compliant.

3.2 Sales Literature

A brochure system, which covers a broad spectrum of the target market segment will be developed during the initial year of operations. This system will be modular in nature and include many ‘boiler plate’ sections which may be edited to suit specific needs. Brochure inserts will be maintained as individual sheets to facilitate their assembly in any custom situation.

Our website will be developed the first year of operations and include a description of our services, the areas which we plan to serve, contact information, a list of representative projects, and a brief biography of Philip D. Nolan. An Internet domain name has already been reserved for this purpose … http://www.structureall.com

A series of templates will be developed for project proposals. The format for all proposals will include:

• Cover letter.
• Scope of services for each project.
• Fee (if requested).
• Firm’s qualifications to provide services (overview).
• Project Team (describes each person’s tasks and qualifications).
• Philosophy of design approach.
• Relevant experience.
• Schedule to provide services.

3.3 Service Description

Project Consulting: Proposed and billed on a per-project and per-milestone basis, project consulting offers a client company a way to harness our specific qualities and use our expertise to develop and/or implement plans, from conceptual planning to turnover. Proposal costs will be associated with each project.

Forensic Investigations: Proposed and billed on a per-project and per-milestone basis, our investigations will serve the public and private sector markets. We will focus on troubleshooting buildings where damage and or failure has occurred. Our reports will outline the description of the problem, the nature of the mechanism which has caused damage or failure, and a list of options for remedial action including estimated budget costs for implementation.

Project Management: Our project management services include defining client needs, preparing bid documents, tendering, bid analysis, construction review, payment certification, contract administration, and warranty inspections. Projects include new facilities, renovations, repairs, and remodeling.

Dispute Resolution: We draw upon our broad range of construction and contract administration experience to provide dispute resolution services, including arbitration, mediation and expert reports for litigation. This work is supported by forensic engineering services to identify the cause of failures.

Restoration Engineering: We provide condition survey, design, and construction review services for the repair of building structures.

Home Inspections: We will provide prospective homeowners with an assessment of the various systems in a residential home, including foundations, framing, building envelope and efficiency, mechanical systems, electrical systems, and general safety issues. We provide a photographic record along with a thorough written report.

3.4 Fulfillment

We will turn to qualified professionals to supplement computer aided design and drafting (CADD) services, specialty connection designs, and analysis support services which are areas that we can afford to contract out without risking the core values provided to the clients.

We have fostered several alliances with suppliers of structural elements, including glued laminated lumber, pre-engineered dimension lumber trusses, engineered lumber, and steel to facilitate this strategy.

In the second year of operations, we intend to secure a storefront presence in Yellowknife. At this stage, we will seek qualified northern engineering students to provide them with work experience in a structural engineering office environment.

3.5 Technology

StructureAll Ltd. will maintain complete and comprehensive Windows® based analysis tools for structural design. An integrated computer aided design and drafting tool permits several evaluations to be made on a structure at minimal cost.

StructureAll Ltd. will maintain an Internet website complete with file transfer protocol (ftp) capabilities.

3.6 Future Services

Quality Control and Assurance: Serving the needs of the welding industry, we will ensure that certified firms and their employee welders are qualified to perform specific welds in accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Welding Bureau (CWB) as a certified Welding Inspector. We are currently in the process of completing a comprehensive home study program offered through the CWB for this purpose.

There are four firms presently in the NWT which require these services in order to maintain their certification with the CWB. On-site inspections are required four times per year.

Fabrication and Detailing Drawings: Serving the special needs of steel and concrete construction, StructureAll Ltd. will be working toward offering these services to contractors in the future.

Toll-Free Communications: We will provide our clients a toll-free number to access 24 hours a day in the second year of operations.