Services
SCHEMATIC PHASE
- Confer with Prime Consultant to define the nature and scope of project.
- Assist in preparation of preliminary cost studies to assure economics of project.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT PHASE
- Prepare studies and analyses to make recommendations to Prime Consultant regarding the most economical and feasible structure utilizing choice of materials and availability of construction materials to be used to meet the Client’s needs.
- Prepare outline specifications, if required.
CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENT PHASE
- Cooperate with Prime Professional to determine final design fundamentals and budgetary limitations.
- Prepare Working Drawings and Specifications which establish the extent, quantity and quality of work to be done, material requirements for the structural portion of the work to be done.
- Provide proper coordination of structural plans with Prime Professional and other engineering disciplines.
- All design work shall be based on the requirements of codes and agencies having jurisdiction over the work.
- Assist Prime Professional with final design construction estimates. However, Nannis & Associates, Inc. does not guarantee the accuracy of construction cost estimates since he does not control the relative competency and eagerness of bidders.
BIDDING OR NEGOTIATION PHASE
- Assist Prime Professional as needed during this Phase.
CONSTRUCTION ADMINISTRATION PHASE
- Consult with Prime Professional to resolve construction and interference problems.
- Review shop drawings relative to structural elements.
- Visit to site to assure compliance with structural contract documents.
Structural Engineering Services
These services include:
- The design and specifications for foundations, structural framing, and other portions of the structure that require strength or stability calculations.
- Interpretations of recommendations furnished by a registered engineer qualified in the soil mechanics.
Investigative/Forensic Engineering Service
Investigative/Forensic Engineering Services is a specialized practice of Nannis & Associates, Inc., whose experienced professional engineers apply their analytical skills to unravel the technical mysteries of failures and apply their practical skills to mitigate their consequences. Over the past 20 years, Nannis & Associates has performed more than 800 Investigative Engineering Services ranging from minor hairline cracks to the total collapse of a structure.
The following areas are included in Investigative/Forensic Engineering Services:
- Natural Disaster and Fire Losses
Nannis & Associates has investigated losses due to tornados, hurricanes, floods, lightening damage as well as damages caused by fire. - Pre/Post Construction Surveys
Nannis & Associates has surveyed and documented existing conditions of buildings both prior to and after the completion of adjacent construction projects to protect the interest of both the insurer and the insured. - Defective Construction
Numerous problems and losses occur in part or in whole by defective construction. Nannis & Associates is highly experienced in evaluating whether the actual construction is in compliance with the design drawings and specifications. - Faulty Design
Faulty design can only be determined by another professional of the same discipline. As a professional structural engineering firm with 50+ years of experience, Nannis & Associates is highly qualified in discovering faulty design problems in all types of structures and building materials. - Durability
A building, over time, is subjected to deterioration induced by pollution, wind, temperature variations, rains, and other natural forces, but it also can be greatly affected by changes in the constructed environment surrounding it and by additions to its own structure. Nannis & Associates is well experienced in recognizing problems of this nature. - Scope of Repairs
Nannis & Associates is frequently called upon to prepare a scope of repairs for property loss claims. This generally includes surveys, inspections, material testing, engineering analysis, drawings and/or specifications and cost estimates of the work. - Quantum of Damages
Providing quantum of damage estimates for the client helps him/her in evaluating the reasonableness of repair quotations submitted for the work. - Upcoding and Betterment
Betterment and upcoding is carried out on most building losses of significant size. Nannis & Associates may be retained to identify and prepare cost estimates for upcoding and betterment that is incorporated into the repair of any building loss. - Corrective Measures
After investigating and determining a structural problem or failure, Nannis & Associates has, on numerous occasions, been retained to provide corrective measures to bring the building to a safe condition and/or to meet current codes. This may include structural analysis, preparation of plans and specifications. With the aid of Nannis & Associates's in-house computer analysis programs, the 3 dimensional simulated behavior of the deflected structure under any loading condition can be analyzed. - Overview of Repairs
Nannis & Associates can provide on site observations of construction at certain stages of the repair work to verify its adequacy when completed. - Risk Management
Both Insurers and Insured have a stake in reducing their exposure to claims and losses thru the implementation of Risk Management. Nannis & Associates can help in reducing their exposure by performing a "Construction Survey" to determine if the facility is structurally sound, meets current codes, and document any existing structural deficiencies. - Expert Witness
Drawing on their technical expertise and extensive experience, Nannis & Associates professionals have been retained as expert witnesses to assist the court as an interpreter of technical matters and to render expert opinions.
Nannis & Associates, Inc. has extensive experience in renovation and rehabilitation work. In the past 20 years, we have been involved in more than 67 major renovations and rehabilitations throughout the Southeast U.S. and in many historic districts such as Charleston, SC, Greenville, SC, Columbus, GA, Savannah, GA and Atlanta, GA. As a precondition to renovation or rehabilitation of any structure, one must establish the structural integrity of the frame, its components and its foundation. A building, over time, is subjected to deterioration induced by pollution, wind, temperature variations, rains, and other natural forces, but it also can be greatly affected by changes in the constructed environment surrounding it and by additions to its own structure. In evaluating the integrity of the structure,
Nannis & Associates may be required to perform the following:
- Study the history of the structure.
- Perform a condition survey to identify defects such as excessive deflections, cracking, fracture, spalls, or corrosion of metals.
- Establish or verify with field measurements "as-built" conditions which may vary from that shown on any existing drawings (if available).
- Establish strength of building materials by reviewing construction documents supplemented by laboratory tests.
- Calculate the present structural capacity of the structural frame, its components and its foundation.
- In the event questions or doubts still persist regarding the strength and load-carrying capacity, perform a full-scale load test of elements or an entire structural section.
- Study and design the repair of all existing defects and/or the upgrading and upcoding of building.
It is quite common when working with a major renovation and/or new construction in a historic area to perform pre & post construction surveys. This entails conducting structural surveys and documenting existing conditions of adjacent buildings both prior to and after the completion of the construction project to protect the owner from claims and losses. For example, prior to the construction of the Charleston Federal Courthouse Annex (corner of Broad and Meeting), Nannis and Associates performed pre construction surveys on all existing buildings and residential homes within 500 feet radius around the proposed new addition. This was done to evaluate the possible damage of these structures that would be caused by the vibrations of the pile driving operation. To reduce the possibility of damage to other historic buildings such as St. Michaels Church, Nannis and Associates recommended the use of auger cast piles (caissons) to be installed by the slurry method (a technique never used in the Charleston area). This method negated the vibration of pile driving thus minimized possible damage to adjacent structures. Also, the Courthouse Annex was analyzed and designed for Seismic Zone 3.
In the past 20 years, Nannis & Associates has won 8 "Engineering Excellence Awards" for major renovations and expansions.