All Forum Posts by: Khaled Seirafi

Hi. Would anyone recommend a structural engineer or architect they've worked with in the Bay Area? Thanks in advance. 

Hi. I'm looking for a licensed contractor in the San Mateo area to bring an exterior wooden staircase or build a new one entirely. Does anyone recommend a contractor they've worked with who's local to the area? Thanks.

Hi everyone. I'm looking for recommendations for reputable property management firms in the San Mateo/Peninsula area whose rates are reasonable. My family owns 2 properties in San Mateo (a triplex, and a mixed use residential/commercial building). Thank you in advance!

Hi all. I have a vacant commercial space in a building my family owns in San Mateo on El Camino between 20th and 25th streets. It's an old space and might need some work. But I'm thinking of asking for $3 / sq ft. It used to be a deli/liquor store prior. Does that amount sound reasonable for the area? 

Hi all. I have a vacant commercial space in a building my family owns in San Mateo on El Camino between 20th and 25th streets. It's an old space and might need some work. But I'm thinking of asking for $3 / sq ft. It used to be a deli/liquor store prior. Does that amount sound reasonable for the area? 

Hi. 

I'm planning to have a structural engineer to create architectural as-built floor plans for a 2 story mixed use building I own in California. These plans will be used to create specific structural plans for a large plumbing, electrical, and remodeling job in all the residential units. I have an issue with one of the terms in the proposal regarding limiting liability: 

"Owner agrees to limit the liability of --------------. and its employees and agents to the Owner and to contractors and subcontractors on the project, for claims in contract, tort or warranty to the sum of the amount paid for services or $ 20,000.00 which ever is higher. Under no circumstances shall --------------- or its employees and agents be liable to owner for direct, special or consequential damages, including but not limited to loss of use, loss of profit or claims for delay damages made by contractors or subcontractors."

I want to make sure that the engineer's company has Errors & Omissions/Professional Liability insurance. However, if there any problems with any future work based on these plans that require legal action and if a court rules against the engineer, the above term would remove any liability of his to pay my legal costs. Am I wrong in thinking this? I've asked engineers about this and they said that this is pretty standard language, but that it's common to see clients ask to have such language removed. 

My only issue with the above mentioned clause is that, in the event of a future problem with the repair/construction work to be done, the engineer has removed any liability of himself to pay for any legal fees if a court rules against him. If a problem does arise in the future, is it common to have to take the matter to court? And if that's the case, then my hesitation lies in knowing that I'd have to pay a high amount in legal fees. Is it fair to ask the language to be amended to include that if any matters were taken to court, the losing party would pay for legal fees? 

Hi all. Posted a different question about the same project earlier. It's a plumbing/electrical/remodeling project for a mixed use building in CA. The structural engineer is saying that the building's original architectural plans only show the first floor (it's a very old 2 story building and its the 2nd floor where we'll be doing most of the work), they're hand drawings with no dimension nor on correct scale. I personally haven't seen the microfiche film that these images are on. The engineer is proposing that we should have an as-built floor plan drawn up first and then he'll generate another proposal for the remodeling work as per our direction. I understand that the contractor can't put together a proposal without this. Does anyone suggest I go back to the City and complain that the plans weren't sufficient? Although, I have a feeling that that won't lead anywhere?

Never really had to do any work like this before on our building. Can anyone with experience doing this (engineer or contractor) confirm that this process sounds about right? Trying not to get ripped off.

Great advice. I'm going to see if we can get that clause removed. 

Hi. Planning on doing a massive plumbing, electrical, and remodeling job for a 2 story mixed use building my family owns. My question is that is it an industry standard for structural engineering firms who draw up the architectural plans for the work to require clients to agree to limit the firm's liability to $20,000? Does this mean that they won't even be liable for any potential issues with the plans they put together ("direct, special or consequential damages")?

"Owner agrees to limit the liability of ------------- and its employees and agents to the Owner and to contractors and subcontractors on the project, for claims in contract, tort or warranty to the sum of the amount paid for services or $ 20,000.00 which ever is higher. Under no circumstances shall ---------------- or its employees and agents be liable to owner for direct, special or consequential damages, including but not limited to loss of use, loss of profit or claims for delay damages made by contractors or subcontractors."