# Questions for Next Week's Civil Engineer Meeting

> Peter's high-school friend at the county civil engineering office. **Revised 2026-05-15 PM** to reflect new info from Peter's site plan (FFE 252.4, pier foundation, above-floodplain, existing sanitary sewer lateral, FEMA Map 1800 dated Feb 2026, Delaware location).
>
> **Several Tier 1/2 questions are now answered.** The remaining unknowns shift toward Delaware-specific code, pier-foundation × radiant interaction, and stormwater permitting.

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## Tier 1 — must answer to unblock budget

1. **What's the realistic site prep cost range — low, likely, high?** This is the single biggest unknown in the budget.
2. **What does it include?** (clearing, grading, septic vs sewer, water source, electrical service drop, driveway, frost-depth foundations, drainage management). Each is a $5–40K line item.
3. **What's the soil bearing capacity at the planned footprint?** Affects foundation design + slab thickness + PEMB column footing spec.
4. **Is the site rocky or are we in cuttable soil?** Rock changes everything for trenching, foundation, and any future exterior conduit (LDD-16).
5. **What's the local frost depth?** Determines footing depth and foundation type.

## Tier 2 — affects design decisions still in flux

6. **What's the public sewer connection on the east side actually look like?** (gravity vs pressure, distance from building, depth). Affects under-slab main drain slope (LDD-10) and possibly requires a pump.
7. **Is septic an alternative?** If sewer connection is expensive, an engineered septic system on-site might be cheaper.
8. **What's the storm water management requirement?** A 7,200 sqft building footprint + driveway + apron is a lot of impermeable surface; some jurisdictions require detention/retention basins.
9. **What's the snow load + wind load + seismic for the site?** PEMB engineer needs these.
10. **What's typical winter temperature range?** Affects radiant operating curves (LDD-02), envelope condensation risk (LDD-11), and Korean BBQ vent make-up air tempering decisions (LDD-07).

## Tier 3 — practical / permitting

11. **What's the typical permit timeline in this county?** Sets the build schedule's earliest possible start.
12. **Are there any setback constraints we need to know about?** The 60'×120' footprint is fixed; setback might push the building location around the lot.
13. **Are sprinkler systems (NFPA 13/13R) required for a 7,200 sqft mixed-use building?** Big design decision for exposed ceilings.
14. **Is the building classifiable as residential or mixed-use given the workshop, lift, and gym?** Affects everything from energy code to fire separation.
15. **Are there county-specific energy code requirements?** (IECC 2021 vs 2024 vs IECC w/ local amendments). Affects insulation R, envelope airtightness, ventilation.
16. **Are EV charger requirements coming?** Some jurisdictions are moving toward "all new construction must be EV-ready." LDD-09 already plans for it; this confirms.
17. **Lightning protection** code for metal buildings in this region — required? Best practice?

## Tier 4 — networking

18. **Does the engineer know a good geotechnical engineer for the soil report?** (separate scope, usually $3–8K).
19. **Does the engineer know a good structural engineer experienced with PEMB residential?** (LDD-01 explicitly needs this).
20. **Does the engineer know a good mechanical designer who's done radiant + mini-split hybrid systems?** (LDD-02 + LDD-05).
21. **Has the engineer seen integrated kitchen exhaust systems like LDD-07?** Or know someone who has?
22. **Local utility lead times** for power upgrade to 400A and gas service (if generator is propane/NG).
23. **Local lift / elevator service companies** — vendor + maintenance contract for LDD-13.

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## Items to bring to the meeting

- 1-page summary of the building program (use the [program zoning diagram](../../diagrams/02-program-zoning.svg))
- Building footprint dimensions (120' × 60', four 30' bays)
- HVAC load envelope (estimated tonnage by zone, total ~10–13 tons)
- 400A service request
- Solar + generator + EV future capacity intent
- Korean BBQ vent CFM intent (~1,200 CFM mockup target)
- The $1.75M budget reality

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## After the meeting — what to update

- [Budget Analysis](budget-analysis.md) site prep line — fill in actual range
- [Risk Register](risk-register.md) R4 — close or downgrade
- [LDD-01 structural](../ldds/01-structural-pemb.md) Open items — close snow/seismic/wind
- [LDD-11 envelope](../ldds/11-exterior-envelope.md) Open items — add airtightness target from local code
- [LDD-16 exterior lighting](../ldds/16-exterior-lighting.md) — confirm conduit hub location vs utility entry
- [LDD-05 HVAC](../ldds/05-hvac-system.md) — confirm ERV requirement per local energy code