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Should
you get a professional engineer stamp? According to the National
Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), government
agencies, educational institutions, and private industries are requiring
contract work with licensed professional engineers in greater numbers today. Not
only is a PE Stamp of higher demand, it also shows that you hold your work to a
higher standard. So, in other words, yes, you should.
A
2012 Complaint and Inquiring Statistics report from the Better Business Bureau
(BBB) shows there were 3,205,409 inquiries into the business practices of
roofing contractors, the highest number of all industries that year. With such
dissatisfaction in the industry, it’s important to show your dedication to the
quality of work—and a professional engineer stamp can do just that.
Here
are 5 reasons to get a PE Stamp:
1.
Ensure the System Will Perform
According
to NSPE, professional knowledge is best demonstrated when a PE has been retained
by the contractor, “and is personally aware of a project's scope, needs,
parameters, limitations and special requirements.” It takes many years of
education and experience to become an engineer—having that qualified person
back your work shows your dedication to its quality.
2.
Gain Government Approval
The
National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
explains, “Professional licensure protects the public by enforcing standards
that restrict practice to qualified individuals who have met specific
qualifications in education, work experience, and exams.” These qualifications
for licensure are regulated by state. When a PE backs your project, the state
will easily recognize its legitimacy and give approval.
3.
Shift Responsibility
A
PE Stamp carries the weight of a professional engineer’s approval. Along with
that, the engineer is stating that he or she will be responsible for the
integrity of the system. Let’s say you had a cold for a few weeks and were
positive it was a respiratory infection, so you go to your doctor. However, your
doctor says you have cancer and begins aggressive treatment. When you eventually
find out you only had an infection, the fault isn’t yours, it’s the
doctor’s. By placing your trust in a PE, they become responsible for your
project’s integrity. As they should—like a doctor, he is an expert in the
field.
4.
Gain Credibility
According
to the National Society of Professional Engineers, a PE Stamp demonstrates that
a professional engineer placed his or her “registration seal on any drawings,
designs, plans, descriptions and/or specifications that he or she did not author
or for which he or she did not have personal professional knowledge and direct
supervisory control and responsibility.” Project officials concerned with
structure integrity and state requirements will be impressed by a PE Stamp.
5.
Meet all Local and State Codes
Professional
engineers must go through a lengthy process while analyzing plans and submitting
approval to the state. PEs are more familiar with state codes and regulations
and will be able to guarantee your system meets all requirements. In the case
that it doesn’t, PEs will know how to bring your project
up to code and earn their stamp of approval.
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