Structural Engineering Services in California
Are you a homeowner in California looking forward to the construction of a house? Will you run a business from a brick-and-mortar location in the state?
Either way, the construction of your building or home requires the expertise of a structural engineer. Our structural engineering services in California ensure that your home or building stays intact. More importantly, we ensure that your structure stays resilient amidst California’s earthquake-prone topography and legal amidst California’s changing zoning laws.
You might be wondering what structural engineering service firms in California offer. Read on to learn more about what our structural engineering services in California are.
Seismic Evaluations You Cannot Do Without
The San Andreas Fault crosses California, stretching 750 miles from the northwest to the southern part of the state. For this reason, much of California is earthquake-prone, with most residents living about 30 miles from an active fault.
Building and housing legislation in the state has been enacted given the state’s earthquake risk. One of them is the necessity for an area’s seismic risk assessment. Seismic risk assessments enable homeowners and business owners to plan their structural designs in a way that considers earthquakes.
Our engineering services do more than assess your property’s seismic risk. Our structural designs are also adaptable, ready for imaginable contingencies including earthquakes.
Building and Home Designs in Compliance with California’s Laws
Contractors and developers need to follow California’s complex building codes and zoning legislation. In fact, as of September 2020, California signed into law three new real estate senate bills. These will affect construction developments — especially those in single-family zones.
These new bills are complex in their verbiage. Adding to the labyrinthine nature of real estate laws are other California building codes like:
● The Coastal Act (for properties along the coast)
● Title 24 (Building Efficiency Standards)
● The California Green Building Standards Code
Structural engineers need to sign off on the designs of buildings and ensure that the designs follow the above-mentioned codes and statutes.
With us, you get more than structural support systems for your home or building. You get designs that are within the standards of the state.
Accurate and Comprehensive Structural Assessments
Certain projects will require structural assessments. If you are building a house or building, you may be required to have these assessments depending on your property’s location. The purpose you have for the building development project will also determine your need for structural assessments.
Structural assessments are inspections, and not all assessments will be accurate and comprehensive. Adding to this problem is the fact that a lot of inspections take place after a structure’s completion.
If there are any issues with a building’s structural support system, it will already be too late. This is why we conduct structural assessments at various points of a development project. We even inspect and grade projects before their completion.
Expert Guidance and Collaboration with Architects
Architects, developers, and contractors benefit from the expertise of structural engineers. Good structural engineering firms in California have engineers who can synergize architectural design and structural integrity.
For the most part, architects focus on the aesthetic side of building and home design. Architects fine-tune characteristics like space, lighting, symmetry, and other aesthetic aspects of a home.
Structural engineers bring their knowledge of structural systems to the table. The structural support systems of a home or building are weight-bearing structures. Examples of structural support systems are beams, slabs, and, most importantly, foundations.
Structural engineers guide architects towards the right balance between aesthetics and structural integrity. Many structural engineering firms in California provide collaboration as a service. We, on the other hand, provide this as well and have an in-house architect and development crew.
Because of our team of engineers, architects, inspectors, and electricians, collaboration is seamless.
Solid ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) Construction
As of September 2021, California signed SB 9 into law. It’s a senate bill involving single-house zoning of the newly passed legislation. One of the provisions of SB 9 is the construction of ADUs or accessory dwelling units.
Accessory dwelling units are additional residential structures built within a property owner’s single-family lot. Because California signed SB 9 into law, ADUs can now be easily built on lots within single-family zones.
ADUs need to comply with SB 9 and other associated senate bills. More importantly, ADUs should be safe, functional, and aesthetically pleasing.
One of our structural engineering services in California is our ADU construction service. Our ADU construction services are some of the best in the state. With us, you can have an ADU that profits you and keeps your long-term tenants safe and happy.
In Need of Structural Engineering Services in California? Give Us a Call
When you need the added expertise in your home and building development projects, feel free to reach out. At The Sterling-Watson Collective, we have specialized in structural engineering and building construction for years.
Whether you are in California to build your dream home or want renovations, we can help. Choose a structural engineering firm in California that places client satisfaction, sustainability, and innovation first. Choose The Sterling-Watson Collective.