When is Value Engineering of No Value? Answer: when it results in inferior, possibly dangerous, material substitution.
I specified lighting fixtures as well as dimming controls for over twenty years on hundreds of projects. It is a standard procedure for doing a take off for a job- if you have a product that is “same as or better” that you wish to quote in place of the listed specification, you may quote it.
Why would we do this? It’s simple. If Manufacturer A is on the original spec, but my company buys Manufacturer B- a “same as or better ” product- at a fabulous inside price, I may well have a pricing edge that will get me the job! If I am truly supplying an excellent product, everybody wins.
However, if I supply a lesser product, everybody loses. Especially the end user.
Our friends and Associate Partners at Western Tube (Zekelman) are reminding us that not all rigid conduit is made the same- and if, in particular, you are working on a project that requires domestic product. Western Tube is “100% domestic, 100% of the time.”
Other suppliers will use imported couplings on domestic product, or import conduit made offshore- not Western Tube.
Jobs such as:
- Federal projects
- State projects
- Roads
- Bridges, ship channels, storm water infrastructure
Since 1964, your resource for conduit, steel, and aluminum product. Visit Western
*Zekelman Industries is a proud supporter of IEC Chesapeake and its Apprenticeship Programs. Zekelman was our 2019 Journeyman Graduation Sponsor, and has stepped up to sponsor the 2020 Journeyman Graduation as well!
Jenny Boone
Business Development, IEC Chesapeake/IECC
#qualitymatters
