Every project we work on moves through the same four phases. They're sequential, transparent, and built around the question that matters most to our clients: where are we, and what happens next?
Every engagement starts with a conversation. Sometimes it's a homeowner with architectural plans in hand. Sometimes it's an architect bringing us in early to figure out if their concept is even structurally viable. Sometimes it's a developer asking whether a hillside lot can support what their pro forma needs it to.
Whatever the starting point, the consultation phase is about getting clear on scope, goals, constraints, and timeline — before we propose anything. We'd rather decline a project we're not the right fit for than over-promise our way into a bad outcome.
The site tells us things the documents can't. We visit, we measure, we walk the slope, we look at the neighbors, we check the drainage. For renovation and retrofit projects, this is where we document the existing structure — framing, foundation, lateral system, prior modifications.
We also coordinate with the other consultants on the project — geotechnical engineer, civil engineer, surveyor, architect, MEP. By the end of site review, we know what the site is doing, what the existing structure can handle, and what design moves are realistic given the conditions.
This is the heart of the work. Gravity analysis, lateral analysis, foundation design, framing design, connections, details. We engineer the structural systems and then translate them into a clean, organized plan set — the kind plan checkers approve on the first round and framers can build from without calling for clarifications.
Throughout this phase we stay in regular contact with the architect and any other consultants. Structural decisions affect mechanical chases, ceiling heights, window sizes, and budget. Coordinating those decisions as we go — rather than dropping a finished set on the architect's desk — is how the project stays on schedule.
A stamped set isn't the finish line. Plan check brings comments — sometimes many. The contractor hits field conditions the plans didn't anticipate. The inspector requests additional documentation. The owner changes a window size. All of it is normal, and all of it requires the structural engineer to stay engaged.
We respond to plan-check corrections within days, not weeks. We answer field RFIs same-day when we can. We support the build phase as part of the original engagement — not as a separate billable scope that punishes the client for asking questions. By the time the project hits final inspection, we've stayed alongside it the whole way.