The issue here is you still don’t know what you don’t know. But you think you do.

The reason you hire a structural engineer is because they do - and they are on the hook if it goes wrong. Which is also why they have to stamp drawings, etc.

Because the next person who owns the house should have some idea who was screwing with the structure of it.

You might be 100% on top of it - in which case that structural engineer should have no problem stamping your calcs eh?

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harmmonica a day ago | parent [-]

Ah, nice, thanks so much for actually sticking around to reply. I mean, I get what you're saying, and I know I won't be able to convince you otherwise, but I'll repeat that structural engineering can be complex, but it's not always and a lot of it is prescriptive.

The only other thing I'll add is the ideal vs. the reality. What percent of structural projects done to single-family construction, in particular, do you think is done by engineers? I would guess it's far less than 50%. That's based on my own experience working in the industry, which I know you won't trust (why would you? Random internet guy after all). But for conversation's sake suffice it to say that I believe every time you walk into a house that's several decades old or older you're likely walking into a place that has been manipulated structurally without an engineer's stamp. And the vast majority (99%+ of the time) it's perfectly safe to be in that space.

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lazide a day ago | parent [-]

Of course - but if you’ve gone behind 99% of people doing their own electrical, you’ll also understand why I’m saying what I’m saying.

Everyone thinks they are the exception. Occasionally, one of them is even right, eh?

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harmmonica a day ago | parent [-]

Think I've done that and I'll raise you an "and yet barely any houses burn down due to their electrical!" I actually jest. But electrical is one of those things that anyone can do, but ought to be done with the utmost care (and in the US many jurisdictions allow DIY electrical if you're doing the work for your own place).

And just to clarify I don't think I'm the exception. I was actually making the opposite argument. Almost anyone can and should attempt to deconstruct complexity because doing things is not always as difficult as it would seem (or as difficult as we've been told).

Appreciate the dialogue, lazide!

	▲	lazide a day ago \| parent [-]
		Eh, I’ve dealt with enough people to say nah - people really should not be doing their own structural engineering, or electrical. It isn’t due to ‘complexity’ either - rather indifference, laziness, or just plain stupidity. I’ve seen people almost burn down their places multiple times - and at least one family actually die from an electrical fire. Also, partial building collapses. The reason you don’t see it more often is because people generally don’t actually try.