Cost of E & O insurance

[WendyWelton]

Heloise here...

Since most E&O premiums are based in large part on your gross billings, some thoughts:

If the questionaire doesn't ask what percentage of your gross is then paid to consultants who have their own insurance, keep looking.

Or - if your options are few - consider having the structural engineer paid directly by the client.

Bryce is giving you solid advise. Pay very careful attention to your thermal and moisture details. One of our NE group is being sued for allegedly specificying defective patio doors (and I'm told they were one of the mainstream major player brands). That means the builder put them in wrong, everybody know its, but the builder hasn't got any money and they think the designer does.

Particularly if you're a non-registrant, don't be afraid to send your clients shopping and have them pick out some of the high ticket (and high risk) items. Anybody who can buy a car and is willing to take the time, can decide what window brand is right for them - ditto with toilets, faucets, floor tile, etc. More cost usually gets better quality. Let them decide whether they need (and want to pay for) the coastal windows or not.