Engineering firms provide technical services that are invisible to most people but essential to modern life. Structural engineers ensure buildings stand. Civil engineers design the infrastructure we use daily. Mechanical and electrical engineers make systems work. This critical importance doesn't automatically translate to healthy margins—engineering remains a competitive profession where project selection and efficiency determine profitability.

Multi-discipline coordination is often where engineering projects exceed their budgets. A building project might require structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering. Each discipline must coordinate with others, respond to architect changes, and resolve conflicts. The time spent in coordination meetings, email exchanges, and design revisions can exceed the actual technical analysis work.

Client relationships in engineering follow patterns similar to architecture—once you've designed a client's facility, you become the logical choice for expansions, renovations, and new projects. But engineering services are often procured through competitive bidding, which pressures margins and rewards firms that can estimate accurately and execute efficiently.

Professional liability shapes how engineering firms operate. Every calculation, every drawing, every specification carries potential liability if something goes wrong. This creates pressure for thorough documentation, multiple review cycles, and careful quality control processes. Understanding how much time goes into these quality assurance activities helps firms price appropriately for the risk they assume.