Existing Building Engineering
Existing buildings are the majority of our work. We specialize in evaluating what's already there, engineering what needs to change, and producing the documentation to get it permitted and built.
A condition assessment documents the current state of a building's structural system or MEP systems — identifying deficiencies, pr…
A large percentage of existing building projects have no drawings on file. Engineers work through this all the time — using field …
Field verification collects the physical data about an existing building that engineering design depends on — member sizes, connec…
When contractors provide high-quality field documentation — photographs, measured dimensions, framing member sizes from exposed co…
Building cracks range from cosmetic shrinkage cracking to indicators of significant structural movement. A structural engineer eva…
Foundation movement — settlement, heave, lateral movement, or deterioration — can manifest as building distress symptoms well abov…
Building settlement — the gradual or sudden sinking of foundations into the soil — can cause structural damage, operational proble…
Modifying an existing roof — adding equipment, cutting new penetrations, installing solar, changing roofing systems, or adding a r…
Adding or replacing equipment on an existing roof imposes loads on the structural framing below. Engineering verification confirms…
Creating new openings or widening existing openings in load-bearing walls requires structural engineering — confirming the wall's …
Structural repairs in existing buildings require engineering design — not just contractor judgment. The repair must address the ac…
City and county building departments maintain permit records, plan sets, and inspection histories for buildings constructed under …
When contractors open walls, ceilings, or floors to expose existing framing during demolition or rough-in, the information documen…
A structural engineer site visit may be required when existing conditions are complex, when contractor documentation is insufficie…
When existing drawings are unavailable and visual observation from accessible areas is insufficient, exploratory openings — contra…
Existing roof framing must be evaluated before adding loads, cutting openings, or modifying the framing system. Engineering assess…
Before adding heavy equipment, mezzanines, elevated storage, or occupancy changes, existing floor framing must be evaluated for st…
Masonry walls — concrete masonry units (CMU), brick, and block — behave differently from wood and steel framing and require specif…
Before adding significant electrical loads — new equipment, EV charging, expanded tenant space, or system upgrades — the existing …
Understanding the existing HVAC system's capacity, condition, and limitations is essential before planning modifications, addition…
Modifying a commercial building's use, expanding the occupancy, or changing plumbing fixture counts requires evaluating whether th…
Seismic retrofit improves the earthquake resistance of existing buildings that were designed to earlier, less stringent seismic co…
No drawings? No problem. Send photos, measurements, and a project description. We'll review what you have and tell you what engineering is needed.
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