Why We're Not the Cheapest Engineers (and why that's a good thing)

Marlo Bromley - Director

Let's talk about price.

We know it's tempting to go with the cheapest quote when you're picking a structural engineer. After all, if one option is $3,000 and another is $5,000—how different can they really be?

Short answer: very different

We’ve been doing this since 1987. That’s almost four decades of engineering everything from small renovations to complex seismic retrofits. But experience isn’t just about age. It’s about knowing where things typically go wrong, and designing smart enough so they don’t.

Here’s why we charge what we charge, and what you might be missing if you go with a budget option.

We don't just design for code. We design for overall cost

We’ve spent years building internal tools and systems that help us give you the most economical design, not just the most conservative one.

Let me explain the difference.

A conservative design might tick all the boxes for compliance, but it often plays it too safe: like specifying a 360x90 beam (more expensive) where a 240x63 (cheaper) would do just fine. It’s quick to design, so the engineer's invoice might be smaller, but the cost to build? That's where things can balloon. An economical design, by contrast, is considered and efficient. It’s built around the specifics of your project, not just a one-size-fits-all approach. It takes a few more calculations and a bit more checking, but it can shave thousands off your build cost without compromising safety or code compliance. In our beam specifying example above, say a typical new residential house has 10-15 beams. If an engineer can economize the design and specify a smaller/cheaper beam, even if it is only $30-$50 cheaper per beam, over the whole house that can be a $750 saving in materials alone.

Even saving $50 in material costs per beam can add up when multiplied over a whole building

Our price tells the whole story

When you get a quote from us, we’re usually able to fix it right through to the point you receive your building consent. That means if the council comes back with questions or requests (and they usually do), we don’t need to charge extra to respond.

Cheaper engineers often don't include that in their scope.

They give you a quote for the drawings , and calculations only. Then when a council asks for clarification or changes, the budget engineer starts the clock. If they've got a weaker QA process, that can mean more RFIs, and more hours billed to you not just from the engineer but from the council as well. Suddenly your cheap $3,000 quote has crept up to $5,500 total spend and you still don't have a consent.

We have systems that catch mistakes before they cost you

 We've got proper quality assurance systems in place. No matter the size, every project gets:

• actually reviewed by a senior CPEng engineer

• custom spreadsheets built from years of experience

• actual time spent thinking about your project instead of pushing it out the door as fast as possible.

That means fewer surprises on site, fewer changes during construction, and fewer headaches for you or your architect.

Each project has one of our CPEng Engineers reviewing it

We offer flexible services levels. Others usually don't

We don't believe in one-size-fits-all. Some clients want a basic set of sketches. Others need 3D lidar scans, on-site coordination, and more value added consulting.

Sketches by our engineer cost less upfront

Full 3D lidar scan and BIM 3D design merges what's there with what we've designed

We'll tailor your quote based on what level of service you need. That keeps things fair.

Most budget engineers don't offer that flexibility. They keep their quote low by excluding anything that isn't absolutely required. Things like liaising with your architect, answering builder's questions, or helping you respond to council often aren't included.

We can price match (Yes, really!)

If you’ve got a lower quote and you want to stick with us, just send it through. We’re happy to take a look, and if the scope matches up, we’ll price match.

Most of the time though, the scopes don’t match. Ours includes all the tricky bits. Theirs, not so much.

We’ll be honest with you if we think the other quote is missing something important. And if it's truly comparable, we’ll sharpen our pencil.

In the end, it's about value. Not just the cheapest engineer

We get it. Engineering design feels like just another line item in your budget. But it's one of the few items that can either save or cost you tens of thousands down the line.

We design smart, clear, economical solutions. We offer flexible service options. And we are transparent about our pricing from day one.

So if you're comparing a quote, make sure you're comparing everything that actually matters.

And lastly, cheap design can cost a fortune!

About the Author

Marlo Bromley is a senior chartered professional engineer with over 15 years of experience in the New Zealand construction industry. He has collaborated with architects on numerous low and high-profile projects, specializing in structural engineering solutions that marry aesthetic ambition with practical execution.