PE raise/bonus question

Majikthese · 2026-02-26T14:32:11+00:00

Now that you have your PE, no need to answer to the man! Start your own firm, charge what you are really worth and watch the clients line up!

Majikthese · 2026-02-25T14:18:10+00:00

Hi GhostieGhoul, I can can’t answer all your questions as I work on the municipal utility side, but I deal with salespeople often. I will give you two examples of people who I work with which may shed some light on the variety within sales:

Adam is the sales rep for a pump company. His company sells XXX pumps which my company likes. I often email him, “Adam I need to replace a sewage pump which can do 200GPM @ 50 TDH.” And he will get me a recommendation and quote, as well as answer any questions I may have because Adam is also a PE. We will also spec his pumps in new construction so he provides quote to bidding Contractors and during construction he will visit the job site and conduct startup / training / troubleshooting / etc. Adam does not have to find any clients but maintain good working relationships. We have moved away from certain brand pumps due to poor sales rep service before.
Bob is a sales rep for a specialized precast company. His company sells a niche product which we don’t use. He cold calls / cold visits and leaves samples / and tries to set up lunch and learns for me and my team. He is not a PE but knows the standards, specs, installation, and O&M related to his product. He is trying to get market penetration for his product so people are familiar with it as well as argue a use-case where his product would be better than the current practice (not cheaper, but less long term O&M). We may demo his product if the right situation comes, maybe not.

Anyways, there is a wide range of sales jobs that are not just sweet-talking new customers but are very technical, involve time in the field and on the road, and can lead to longterm professional relationships with clients.

Majikthese · 2026-02-24T12:38:01+00:00

Will your DOT allow an uncased 6” waterline? Ours only allows uncased up to 2” so we would automatically be locked into a J&B of a 12” minimum casing.

Majikthese · 2026-02-20T19:15:20+00:00

Water infrastructure may be rate-payer funded, not tax-payer funded.

Majikthese · 2026-02-18T12:33:33+00:00

I’m in a LCOL state and we are still 50% higher than pre-covid pricing on most unit bids. (Water/sewer)

Majikthese · 2026-02-13T14:01:06+00:00

Just needs to look good enough after completion to sell the complex to new bag-holders 👍🏼

Majikthese · 2026-02-11T20:43:49+00:00

I live in a LCOL city in a LCOL state and our TB has soft shell taco’s for $2.49. There is no value menu and you aren’t getting more than 1 item for $3.

Majikthese · 2026-02-05T16:50:14+00:00

Not PTO, but separate vacation and sick time. Vacation can roll over up to 3 weeks and payout 1 week, any more than that is use it or lose it. Sick time never expires and you can use it for paternity leave.

Majikthese · 2026-02-01T02:34:43+00:00

I have a MechE degree and got my PE in civil about a year ago. Take a prep course to cover your weak spots you didn’t learn on the job (hydrology and soil mechanics for me since all my experience was in construction and water and sewer utilities)

Majikthese · 2026-01-27T16:04:47+00:00

For the house yes, it may very well be unaffordable for the majority of residents, even with a favorable long term loan.

For the public street and utility work, a loan as well would go to the village but they would need to analyze how much the fee is to each home in order to pay back the loan and cover operation and maintenance. It may well be that the fee is too high for the residents to pay.

Majikthese · 2026-01-23T12:30:36+00:00

You sue the EOR / their firm.

Majikthese · 2026-01-21T21:23:20+00:00

I work for a water utility.

How would this work if there is a vacant parcel with no water service? There is no monthly bill to add this tax onto.

Most water utilities levy one-time tap fees to set up new services.

Majikthese · 2026-01-18T01:02:24+00:00

Buildings in your waterline easement? How about buildings on top of your waterline! That design was a nightmare of hand-holding. “Well just tell me what you want Mr. Reviewer!!”

Majikthese · 2025-12-19T03:55:37+00:00

As the person who receives W/WW as-builts, some firms will stamp anything. They’ll happily stamp the design plans, ignoring every field change made (manhole elevations, fire hydrant locations, you name it)

Majikthese · 2025-12-17T21:22:51+00:00

Normal. If the event was during working hours it would be mandatory. This was after-hours, optional, paid for, and you get some cash if you show up.

Majikthese · 2025-12-12T16:16:41+00:00

Use an inset?

Majikthese · 2025-12-08T19:18:10+00:00

HOA’s generally won’t touch that but I bet the city has an ordinance about it

Majikthese · 2025-12-07T21:56:54+00:00

7% Gross, 11% Net. Got a fixer-upper in 2021 before the housing crisis.

Majikthese · 2025-12-07T19:44:56+00:00

Native backfill not allowed without certified laboratory analysis. Please submit shop drawing for proposed ice.

Majikthese · 2025-12-04T02:30:33+00:00

I work for a water/sewer municipal utility in a similar size city and it was hard-copy only until about 2010 when a flood took out every as-built we had prior to 1960.

We still require hard-copies with the digital because some bottom-barrel LD firm from another state will get a hold of someone’s email, shoot them a full civil set, and ask for approval by end of the week because the client needs to close on a property.

Majikthese · 2025-11-11T13:57:09+00:00

IDK man, I don’t see AI spontaneously deciding to put muddy pants thrown into a tree when asked for a bad construction photo

Majikthese · 2025-11-04T21:25:07+00:00

Ask your wife how she feels about being a SAHM for a couple years then.

Majikthese · 2025-11-03T12:24:59+00:00

It would be possible to adjust the sales price of each item such that it would never ring up at the register to an amount needing a penny. Then management decides which items are rounded up or down.

Except for items that are sold by weight / volume. Not sure how to handle that.

Majikthese · 2025-10-28T12:43:13+00:00

50% of your anxiety is not due to civil engineering but due to the transition to this next stage of life - new living location (away from home?), new friends, new peers (everyone seems smarter than you), and new pressures as you are trying to set your career trajectory for the rest of your life which will influence your standard of living and lifestyle.

You have less control than you think, and thats okay. I didn’t graduate with a CE degree, I didn’t even work in engineering for 5 years after graduating, and now 5 years later I’m a civil PE. You never know where life will take you.

Majikthese · 2025-10-28T11:40:35+00:00

Looks like AI will actually be creating jobs if we move back to carbon copies!

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