Behind the scenes of every new construction or home renovation project is an entire group of professionals who each play an important role in the project’s success. Engineers are key contributors, but they don’t get much glory. We’re here to change that because their involvement is crucial, and frankly we just like them and want them to get some positive attention.

Structural and Civil Engineering For Homes

Different types of engineers address different aspects of each project. That doesn’t always mean a different person for each engineering task – many of them wear more than one kind of engineer’s hat. 

Structural integrity is obviously one of the most important issues to address, and for that you need a structural engineer. Their job – in the simplest terms – is to make sure that your home’s framework can withstand the forces you expect it to encounter. They take into account the weight of the structure as well as forces of nature. Foundation analysis is also a part of their purview. It’s important to assess the soil and conditions in order to know how to create a stable foundation. Structural engineers also deal with load bearing elements like beams and columns, and ensure that they comply with building codes and safety standards. 

Civil engineers deal with external infrastructure and design both of which make your property functional and safe. They handle site planning by looking at drainage patterns and environmental impact in order to create the best layout for your new construction. Civil engineers also design large scale systems like water, sewer, and stormwater to make them environmentally friendly and efficient.

Environmental and Geotechnical Engineering

There is more and more focus on being environmentally friendly, and working with an environmental engineer is helpful. They create strategies to make your project more eco-friendly, and ensure that your project is in compliance with environmental regulations. They also design energy-efficient systems such as HVAC systems, and work to reduce your home’s environmental footprint. 

You might never need to work with a geotechnical engineer, but what they do is pretty cool. They conduct soil testing to find their composition, density, and load-bearing capacity. This is critical data for foundation design in some areas. If your property is in an area with varying slopes this is who will assess the ground to make sure it is stable enough to avoid catastrophes like sinkholes and erosion.

You might never even see an engineer on your property even though you work closely with your architect and designer. Trust us though, your engineer is there doing the background work to make sure that your home is structurally safe and sound for many years to come. Have questions? We have answers!