Foundation Question

[DC7Designs]

I was hired to design a remodel.  In the process of creating the design/construction documents, I was asked to create a foundation plan.  I am an interior designer.  I have no training for construction, and I've informed my client of this many times.  Yet, they keep asking me to do the work of a professional draftsman.  How do I complete this project and how do I never get this kind of surprise ever again?  I design spaces, not structures, and it is causing me a great deal of stress because I have no idea what I should do.

 

Help.  Attached is my pdf and the requested type of foundation as well as the file.

 

Thanks, guys.

2018 06 WIDRIG CONSTRUCTION DOCS 2018 07 23.pdf

02.pdf

WIDRIG CONSTRUCTION DOCS_2018_07_05.layout

[DC7Designs]

WIDRIG_ADDITION_One_Level_Smaller_old_entry.plan

[Chief16Designer]

User center  and sample gallery  CA sample plans 

[Richard_Morrison]

I think you need to be assertive and explain that structural design wasn't in the agreement, you don't do structural design/drafting, and you will be happy to refer them to a structural engineer who does. The client is sucking you into enormous liability if you don't say no to this. 

[robdyck]

Richard makes a great point. You'd probably be better off removing all drawings that indicate structural elements and outsourcing that work (which you can add a markup to) to the either a draftsperson or engineer, as required by the appropriate jurisdiction. Indicate in your general notes the engineer of record for the project and that those drawings shall accompany your drawings and that either set is incomplete without the other. 

Sometimes looking after the engineering yourself is beneficial and profitable, other times, best to let the client do it. 

[HumbleChief]

This is a very simple problem to solve, sitting on the outside of the relationship like all of the rest of us are and Richard's advice is the only real way to solve the current misunderstanding and prevent this from happening in the future. Sitting in your shoes however it might require a little more concrete allegiance to your relationship, what you agreed to do,  or best of all your agreement/contract and what it specifically states.

 

If your contract (assuming you have one which is another must have item in your business life) doesn't state that you don't do structural stuff then why wouldn't a client try and get you to do it or expect that it's included? If it does, then you simply refer to your agreement and there's no real argument. If your client still insists on you creating those foundation docs then that's another part of a business person's life which is qualifying your clients and then knowing which ones to let go and which ones to keep. 

[Richard_Morrison]

4 hours ago, robdyck said:

You'd probably be better off removing all drawings that indicate structural elements and outsourcing that work (which you can add a markup to) to the either a draftsperson or engineer, as required by the appropriate jurisdiction.

I would not recommend this approach, especially for someone who has no way of checking the engineer's work. When you contract an engineer yourself, you have the opportunity to make additional profit, but you also take on liability for any mistakes that your subcontracted engineer makes. Many architects insist that engineering be subcontracted directly with the client for this reason. 

[AvoyeDesign]

Ask your client if he doesn't mind a nurse performing his open heart surgery...

[DC7Designs]

I agree.  It is very stressful to think that I would have to do anything above my training.