A civil engineer notices a required culvert due to regrading and also a buried electrical line. What is the engineer's obligation?

• A. Ignore issues outside her scope to avoid liability.
• B. Point out relevant issues and set a written extra-fee agreement to perform the extra work.
• C. Redesign the entire site at no cost.
• D. Defer to the architect’s judgment and do nothing.

Answer: (B)

When you encounter requirements or hazards that aren’t covered by your signed scope of services, the obligation is to promptly inform the client and obtain written authorization for any additional work before proceeding. In this scenario, both the culvert needed because of regrading and the buried electrical line introduce issues that go beyond routine scope and can affect safety, compliance, and project cost.

The best course is to point out these relevant issues and set up a written extra-fee agreement to perform the additional work. This approach protects the client by ensuring they’re aware of the implications and costs, and it protects you by documenting authorized changes to the scope. It also keeps projects on a professional track, with clear expectations, schedules, and compensation for any extra services.

Choosing to ignore issues outside the scope, redesign everything at no cost, or defer to another party and do nothing would be inappropriate. Those paths risk liability, breaches of contract, and ethical concerns.