You are right, want to do do it properly, but hiring  an engineer is only partly correct and may be a waste of money as nobody is checking on the work of the engineer. There is no check and balance. The major part of it is construct it correctly.

Cracks. When we talk about crack, where the crack is? Crack is not always due to subsidence. The most common problem with crack is Cold Joint and shrinkage of new concrete. What appear of a crack between the existing main building and the new extension usually is due to poor joint. As concrete cure (especially the first year) is shrink alot. As it shrink it is pulling themselves together, as such it is pulling away from the existing new building and so cracks appear there. This is only one of the reason concrete crack there due to poor cold joints. It has nothing to do with subsidence. The proper way to prevent such crack is to dig out the existing main building rebar from its beams and columns and hook join to the new concrete rebar then pour concrete. When concrete set or cure over the years as it shrink, due to the hooking of the rebar the existing building is holding the new extension from pulling away and therefore no crack at the cold joints.

There are other types of crack which also got nothing to do with subsidence or due to new extension foundation sinking/subsidence. The foundation, footing and column and beams are hook together in concrete as one piece but not the brick walls and if cracks appear between this one piece and the walls then it is due to, again, poor cold joint between them. such cracks usually appear at the top of the brick walls and beam due to wall concrete shrinkage and gravitational pull. Less obvious is the crack along the column and brick wall, and again this got nothing to do with sinking.

Why spend your money on a "suspicious" engineer (suspicious because no check and balance) when it is so much cheaper to build a slab (called slab foundation) reinforced with the footing as one single piece and yet much secure foundation

See pic of a slab foundation
[attachmentid=3726697]

If the extension is not a big area, on top of the footing, reinforced concrete the whole extension area like a slab. As such when the extended structure were to sink or subside it has to sink the whole reinforced area.

Just visualise yourself. A table with 4 feet on a sandy area, at a beach. You sit on top and another man also go on top. All the 4 feet sink into the sand. When you put the table upside down you and one other man stand on the upside down table, what happen? The table will not sink into sand as it now has big big surface area on the sand. Another 2 men go stand together or even 6 men altogther, no problem!!!! Make the reinforced concrete normally 6 inches thick, make it 8 if you want to.

Here we talk so that people can understand the logic. There is no need for an engineer trying to frighten others. Even with engineer calculation still many buildings (not extension,OK!) has more than 2 inches crack and some of it you can put your hand in. There is major problem with soil and the engineers failed to notice that. Do you also know that our twin towers is now not at its original site due to extended studies of the soil deep underneath that were not suitable?

Never mind, bro. Am not here to show off my knowledge. Am just wanting to help.

Here you go. For those who over worry too much and wanting to hire engineer and no such budget do a slab foundation. (I prefer to use the word slab) Your pilling or column no need to be big and deep hitting hard ground.

Again, if the sand is 10 feet deep and your table is 3 feet high, 2 men keep jumping on top of the table the 4 legs will go deep into the sand until it hit the top of the table. When you put the table upside down, 6 men keep jumping until the cow comes home, not an inch of the table face will sink into the sand! That is slap foundation.

Cheers

Are you? if not shut up. Otherwise, answer my question. Did you or your parent did any house reno calling or paying a civil engineer???

That's is interesting. So did the son did the load bearing and bring in equipment and load?

Chill guys, everybody have their own view and experience. For instance, the indonesian wak kang have done all sort of construction (focus on housing ok).. they dont need laser kinda thiggy, the dont need calculator but yet they knw how to do it as experience play the main role..

for civil engineer, yes, it is undeniable their role to assist in designing the solid structure of the building or any other construction. Architect dreams, Engineer nightmare.

In a nut shell, both of u got the point....both of u r right.

So, you do not want to answer my question, right? no load test no telling what kind of test, so you are lying. What kind of engineer are you? Dont mind show a copy of photo the cert or ass? And so how your brother use what to see 10 feet under the ground? Your bro got the equipment? The one empty talk is you that is why you are so defensive otherwise the conversation should have ended long before. What have you commented? Nothing but get an engineer, get an engineer....engineer...engineer, we are engineers... I have so many engineers surrounding me and none show off, hardware, IT, software, civil, mechanic, telecommunication, electronics. None says we engineers... something like that to push for a point.

Cert pls or ass

OMG dont know there were "suspicious Engineers" lurking around Malaysia to attack their helpless victims.

Please also look out for and avoid all the "Suspicious Doctors", Suspicious Pharmacists", "Suspicious Accountants"

PMSL

Seriously, Engineers have studied their profession for a minimum of 4 yrs and are accountable and liable for the technical advice they give. eg if the house collapses due to their negligence or incompetence they are held personally liable for the material damages and they can be found guilty of manslaughter if there are any casualties.

An Engineer acting in the capacity of a consultant must be Chartered/registered with the Board of Engineers Malaysia or an equivalent such Engineering Society/Association that regulates its members (eg Institute of Engineers Australia).

Chartered Engineers must maintain their rating by completing a prescribed amount of Professional Development each year.

Engineering is serious business conducted by trained serious professionals that are held accountable for their advice by their Professional Body, the Govt and the Courts. Engineering is not something to be performed by a bunch of "Indon labourers" that don't know the folly of their half-baked "engineering advice".

Also AFAIK it is not expensive to engage an appropriate Structural/Civil Engineer to do the necessary minor calcs of footing, column, beam and slab specs that you would need for a 2nd storey extension. In any case I believe you can't/shouldn't get local authority approval for such an extesion without such Engineers calcs and drawings.

BTW I am hold the appropriate Engineer qualifications and Chartered status in Mechanical, Industrial, Structural and Aerospace Engineering. Though not holding any formal qualifications in Civil Engineering, I have also studied enough of Civil engineering to know what I'm talking about on the subject of footings.
Cheers

Thanks for the trophy, not throphy, mr proud engineer.

Haha...Teacher teaches you learn, ok. If not when you do your spec and if you accidentally wrote an extra digit "0" it is 10X more.

i wonder why Majlis does not required structural drawings if u just reno 1 storey only. Majlis only require structure drawings if u do 2 storey and above.

Is Majlis not concern on the safety for 1 storey extension works? i dont think so as the renovation drawings will be approved by their Unit Bangunan.

Yup,i guess best time is after CNY.base on the drawing,the smallest footing is 500mmX500mm.quite small i think