What should I ask about an engineering firm’s open projects and unfinished drawings?

Request a project list that shows each job’s stage, the next milestone, the people assigned and the budget against actual hours. Ask which jobs are behind and why. Then pick a few and read the contracts. What does the client expect to receive, and what happens if the firm changes hands?

Unfinished drawings need particular care. Ask who reviewed them, who is entitled to stamp or sign them, and where the working files sit. If the engineer who started a drawing is leaving, find out who will take responsibility for completing it. Ask your lawyer who stays responsible for work already sealed, and who takes on the rest.

Ask what happens to work that is half billed. Does the buyer collect the rest, does the seller keep it, or is it split? Who covers a claim that arises from earlier work? Insurance may respond differently once the firm changes hands, so ask your insurance adviser. Put the answers into the purchase terms, not into a handshake. Also ask whether any project has a dispute, a late penalty or a client who has stopped responding, since those are the jobs that tend to consume time after closing. Keep a dated list of what you were told, so later differences are easy to spot.

Key takeaways

• Get a project list with stage, budget, hours and responsible engineer for each job.
• Confirm who owns and who must finish the unfinished drawings.
• Settle billing, claims and insurance for earlier work in writing.