We are Hellman & Lober

Who we are.

We are a family that works together in each project. We listen to our clients to develop the most reliable, cost conscience, and effective design recommendation. Learn more about our qualifications...

Stephen Hellman

President

Roger Shira

Associate / Lead Plumbing Designer

Roderick Gonzales, P.E.

Chief Engineer

Steven Phillips

Plumbing Designer

Alexander Shalygin

Mechanical Designer

How we work

1 What happens when we receive a request for a proposal? It is in the highest interest of our clients that a concerted effort is made to define the scope of the Project so that all parties have a clear understanding of the expectations of the services to be provided.

Each proposal is submitted to our client with a clear definition of the mechanical and plumbing engineering scope of the Project…as part of the RFP process we will try to extent possible to define with limited vagueness what the scope should capture. That may require discussions that are global but allow us to focus more clearly on the scope.

The proposal shall serve as the initial tool to forge a partnership for substantive dialog to refine the scope, expectations and in some cases the costs to move forward with the Project.

2What can be expected during the Schematic Phase of a Project? The initial phase of the Project is the most critical milestone of the Project as it is during this process that the fundamental mechanical and plumbing infrastructure is presented and discussed. The process will likely include Schematic level equipment recommendations, coordination with the Architect and Client for mechanical and plumbing infrastructure spaces that include equipment rooms, vertical shafts, and utility service decisions.

Not one design solution fits all projects…as part of the Schematic Phase we listen to our clients to develop the most reliable, cost conscience, and effective design recommendation…not necessarily based on the last similar project but focused to embrace the expectations of the Owner and the Architect.

3Moving on to the Design Development Phase… The trigger that allows us to advance to Design Development is approval from the Owner and the Architect to pursue the recommendations developed during the Schematic Phase. Coordination with the Architecture, Structural and other engineering consultants is pivotal as the mechanical and plumbing infrastructure spaces are developed including interstitial spaces to route duct and pipe, and wall cavities to accept multiple piping systems. By the conclusion of Design Development, the mechanical and plumbing equipment rooms are confirmed and coordinated with the design team and spaces for the duct and pipe infrastructure is confirmed.

Contract Documents

Hellman & Lober has a number of tools at their disposal to effectively prosecute the issue of the construction documents that will be used to acquire permits and for the contractor to construct the Project. The software we use for our projects include the following:

What role does the Engineer play during Construction?

Construction is the end product of the Architectural and Engineering services and is often viewed as chaotic to the casual observer. Owners must have representation during that process and their Engineers provide that focused attention to their Project. The construction process includes three often interconnected milestones during the construction process. Contractors are obligated to submit, prior to purchasing, product submittals. The Engineer reviews the products for compliance with the contract documents and specifications. The review process assures the Owner that the products that will be installed in his Project are consistent with the equipment that was selected and vetted by the Engineer.

Similarly during the construction process questions from the field will arise; Request for Information is the vehicle used by Contractor’s to raise coordination details of the installation and it’s the responsibility of the Engineer to adjudicate the resolution in cooperation with all the other trades on the Project. Finally, the Engineer will visit the construction site to observe the installation with the motive of confirming that the workmanship is consistent with the community practices.