Extreme Project Overload
At Archline.com, we often face challenging demands from our architect, engineer, and contractor clients. Recently, we
encountered a principal from an MEP engineering firm with a small staff of 8 and an astonishing workload of 400 projects.
This connection was established through one of our new architect clients, with whom we were collaborating on a large
multi-use multi-family project. The MEP engineer served as the architect’s MEP consultant.
Addressing Engineer Workload Issues
During our initial discussions with the architect, I expressed our observation that many architectural firms were experiencing
frustration with their consulting engineers. These engineers were consistently missing deadlines and making numerous
errors and omissions. We attributed these issues to overwhelming workloads and insufficient resources. Recognizing the need to
enhance our support for architect clients, we embarked on expanding our engineering offerings.
Partnering with Colombian Engineers
To bolster our engineering capabilities, we established affiliations with a group of engineers in Bogota, Colombia. These engineers
cover various disciplines crucial to building construction, including mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural, civil, waste water,
and environmental engineering. They have extensive networks of Colombian engineering colleagues and are positioned to assist
troubled engineers in the United States. Detailed information about these engineers can be found on the Archline website.
Testing and Expanding Collaboration
While working on a large project in April involving architectural working drawings, clash detection, and conflict resolution using
Navisworks Manage, we decided to assess the performance of our new Colombian engineering colleagues. Although they were
not initially involved in the project, we allocated a small portion of the engineering work to them for a trial run. Their exceptional
performance during this test prompted us to offer their services on our next real project, which coincidentally involves the MEP
firm mentioned earlier. The architect is the same for both projects, one being a large multi-family multi-use development and the other
consisting of a school and a retail shopping village on the same site. We have submitted proposed Agreements and are awaiting
authorization from the MEP engineer to proceed.
Preparing for Future Challenges
While we have sufficient production capacity with our Colombian partners to handle these two projects, our primary concern lies
in the potential influx of the other 398 projects from the MEP engineer. Addressing this challenge will require careful organization
and management. We plan to create a multi-tiered structure where groups of a dozen or so individuals, supervised by a manager,
work on multiple projects simultaneously. The specific composition of these groups will depend on project size and complexity.
Through gradual synchronization and experimentation, we aim to optimize our workflow and ensure efficient project delivery.
Compensation and Negotiation
In a recent telephone conversation with the MEP engineer regarding our proposed Agreements, we discovered that our proposed
compensation amounted to approximately 90% of his own proposed compensation for the two projects. This revelation caught us off
guard. Considering the architect’s referral, we had already commenced work on the multi-use multi-family development and
were awaiting execution of the Agreement for the second project. It seems that the MEP engineer may either be unaware of appropriate
compensation levels or is working with engineering resources that receive lower rates of compensation than our South American teams.
Alternatively, he may be operating on lower profit margins. Given the architect’s pre-established overall compensation with the owner,
increasing the MEP engineer’s compensation might prove challenging, potentially impacting the Agreements and introducing uncertainty
into the ongoing projects.
Speculating on Alternative Resources
If the MEP engineer is utilizing resources with significantly lower rates of compensation than our South American teams, it raises
questions about the origin of those resources. Considering the competitive compensation levels of our Colombian partners, the
only region known to offer similarly low rates is India. However, our previous attempts at outsourcing production to India have
been consistently disappointing. Contractors would agree to low compensation, deliver subpar work, request forgiveness, promise
better performance in the future, and repeat the cycle with each subsequent opportunity. Consequently, we made the decision to
cease business dealings with individuals from that region.
Potential Outcomes and Updates
The circumstances surrounding our business relationship with the architect and the MEP engineer could lead to various outcomes.
The scale and direction of these developments remain uncertain. Moreover, considering the MEP engineer’s claim of having 400
projects, it is possible that he secured them by significantly underbidding. If he fails to deliver on these projects or under-
performs due to dealings with Indian contractors, he risks losing all the work he has obtained. We will provide updates as the
situation unfolds.
Seeking Solutions
If you are currently experiencing a situation similar to that of our engineering colleague—overburdened with work and lacking
adequate resources—please reach out to us. We are confident that engaging in a conversation with us will prove beneficial to
your situation.
Charles Traylor, Architect, NCARB
CEO and Founder, Archline.com, LLC
5050 Quorum Drive, Suite 700
Dallas, Texas 75254
Telephone: (214) 304-2850 | Cell: (808) 747-4460
Charles Traylor Linkedin Profile
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