Hiring Structural Engineer cost?

thesoulpatch · Apr 23, 2023

Any ideas how much it would cost (or who to contact) to hire one to check out if the floor would be able to hold the weight of an aquarium? It would be in Wisconsin.

Basically moving up there and need to make sure the spot I want is able to hold it, there is a metal I-beam next to where I would like to place the tank and the beams underneath it would run parallel to the tank, along with a support holding the metal beam. I'd rather not bust a tank or ruin the floor...

TIA

RedoubtReef · Apr 23, 2023

how big a tank are we talking here and what kind of structure?

mnl119 · Apr 23, 2023

I can't help you with the costs for hiring an engineer, but there are tables online that can tell you the weight per area that can be supported for various joist spacings and thicknesses which could get you started. When building decks for hot tubs, I've shot for 100 lb/ft2.

Maximum Floor Joist Span

No. 1 and No. 2 Grade of Douglas fir and maximum span floor joists - imperial units

www.engineeringtoolbox.com

thesoulpatch · Apr 23, 2023

it's just a 140, but with everything it's close 2000lbs. It's in a house, the tank would sit on the outside wall. I have attached the picture above where it would sit. Right above the window is where I would like it but it can be more or less centered on the I-beam if needed.

mnl119 · Apr 23, 2023

thesoulpatch said:
it's just a 140, but with everything it's close 2000lbs. It's in a house, the tank would sit on the outside wall. I have attached the picture above where it would sit. Right above the window is where I would like it but it can be more or less centered on the I-beam if needed.

As long as you are close to the load I-beam, I'd think you'd be fine. I had 180 long, on a personally-built stand (that weighed about 200+ pounds) on 10" engineered Joists for years and it was fine. It was located "nearly" above the load bearing cinder block wall in the crawl space, similarly to what you are planning.

RedoubtReef · Apr 23, 2023

if it's centered on that I-beam I wouldn't even worry about it.

thesoulpatch · Apr 23, 2023

mnl119 said:
As long as you are close to the load I-beam, I'd think you'd be fine. I had 180 long, on a personally-built stand (that weighed about 200+ pounds) on 10" engineered Joists for years and it was fine. It was located "nearly" above the load bearing cinder block wall in the crawl space, similarly to what you are planning.

RedoubtReef said:
if it's centered on that I-beam I wouldn't even worry about it.

Awesome thanks! That's a huge relief off my mind.

mnl119 · Apr 23, 2023

thesoulpatch said:
Awesome thanks! That's a huge relief off my mind.

For a 140 gallon, that's 1,200 lbs of water. Add a few hundred pounds for rock, the aquarium, stand etc., and you're not that far from 3 fat guys on a couch watching the big game!

ca1ore · Apr 23, 2023

Depending on your plan for the basement, you could always put in another jack post.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 24, 2023

I was personally disappointed in the info I got from a very pricey structural engineer to assess a roofing situation of a very old house (not standard construction).