Structural Plans and Calculations Built for Plan Check.
Foundation and framing plans, lateral design, details and a bound calculation package — engineer reviewed and organized the way building departments expect to read them.
Upload plans, photos or permit comments. Get a defined scope and quote before any commitment.
A structural set is more than a beam schedule. Plan checkers look for a complete, traceable load path: gravity loads from the roof down to the soil, a lateral system that resolves wind and seismic forces through diaphragms, shear walls and hold-downs, and details that show how each connection actually gets built. We produce that set — structural sheets keyed to your architectural drawings, plus calculations organized so a reviewer can follow every number back to its source.
Whether you need a full package for a new custom home or a focused set for a defined scope, the process is the same. Upload what you have, receive a defined scope and quote, and follow the project through structural design, drafting and review by the licensed engineer responsible for the work. Signed and sealed documents are provided where the jurisdiction requires them.
Common projects
- New single-family homes and custom residences
- Duplexes, triplexes and small multi-unit buildings
- Whole-house remodels with extensive structural changes
- Detached garages, workshops and barns
- Decks, balconies and covered patios
- Steel moment frames at large openings
- Truss modifications and roof framing changes
- Structural evaluations of existing buildings
What to upload
Submit what you have — we'll tell you what else is needed before engineering begins.
- Architectural plans: floor plans, elevations, sections and roof plan
- Site plan with property lines, setbacks and grades
- Geotechnical or soils report, if one exists
- Existing structural drawings for remodels and evaluations
- Photos of existing framing, foundation and any areas of concern
- Truss layouts or manufacturer drawings for truss roofs
- Notes on preferred framing methods or materials
Deliverables
What you receive
Every set goes through structural design, drafting and review by the licensed engineer responsible for the work before it is released to your dashboard.
- Structural cover sheet with general notes and design criteria
- Foundation plan with footing, slab and anchorage details
- Floor and roof framing plans
- Shear wall schedule, hold-downs and diaphragm nailing
- Beam, header, post and connection schedules
- Structural details keyed to plan locations
- Bound calculation package: gravity, lateral and foundation
- Signed and sealed PDFs where required by the jurisdiction
- Plan-check correction responses as included in your proposal
Example project
New 2,400 sq ft two-story residence — Elk Grove
Complete structural package for a two-story wood-framed custom home with an attached garage on a slab-on-grade foundation, designed to the current California Residential Code and California Building Code.
Jurisdiction
City of Elk Grove
Turnaround
15–20 business days
Engineering scope
- Foundation plan and slab-on-grade details
- Floor and roof framing plans with beam schedule
- Wood shear wall lateral design with hold-downs
- Steel moment frame at the garage door opening
- Full gravity, lateral and foundation calculations
How it works
From Plans to Engineering in Four Steps
- 1
Submit Your Project
Tell us what you're building and upload whatever you already have. Plans, photos, sketches and permit comments can all be submitted.
- 2
Receive Your Scope & Quote
We review the project and send you a defined engineering scope, price and estimated turnaround.
- 3
Engineering Begins
Your project moves through structural design, calculations, drafting and engineer review.
- 4
Receive Your Documents
Final engineering documents are delivered through your project dashboard. Permit comments can be submitted back through the same project.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between structural plans and structural calculations?+
The plans are what gets built from: framing and foundation drawings, schedules and details. The calculations are the engineer's justification for what is on the plans — load derivations, member checks, lateral analysis and footing design. Most California jurisdictions require both for anything beyond the prescriptive provisions of the residential code, and reviewers cross-check one against the other.
My house is conventional wood framing. Do I still need an engineer?+
The California Residential Code allows conventional light-frame construction to be built prescriptively within limits on span, wall bracing, opening size, story height and seismic design category. Large openings, irregular floor plans, steel members, tall walls, hillside conditions and most jurisdictions' reading of the bracing rules push a project into engineered design. We tell you during scope review if a smaller scope will do.
Can you work from my architect's CAD files?+
Yes. DWG or DXF backgrounds speed up drafting and reduce coordination errors between the architectural and structural sheets. PDFs work too; we redraw what we need.
Which code do you design to?+
The current California Building Code and California Residential Code as adopted by your jurisdiction, with loads from ASCE 7 and material standards from NDS, ACI, AISC and TMS as applicable. We confirm the code cycle and any local amendments during scope review and list them on the cover sheet.
Are the final documents signed and sealed?+
Final documents are reviewed and approved by the licensed engineer responsible for the work and are signed and sealed where the jurisdiction requires it. They are released to your project dashboard once engineer review is complete and any remaining balance is settled.
What happens if the architectural design changes after engineering starts?+
Small changes — a window moved a foot, a door swapped — are usually absorbed within the project. Changes that alter the load path or the lateral layout are scoped as a revision so you know the impact before we proceed. Either way, upload the revised sheets to the same project and we will assess them.
Related services
Remodels & Load-Bearing Wall Removal
Beam, post and footing design with a complete load path — engineered from your plans or photos and delivered as permit-ready documents.
Room & Second-Story Additions
Foundation, framing and lateral design for room additions, second stories and bump-outs — coordinated with your architectural set and the existing structure.
Foundation Engineering & Repair
New foundations, underpinning, seismic retrofits and repair details — engineered from your plans, photos and inspection reports.
Have a project that needs engineering?
Upload what you have and we will define the engineering scope and send a quote.
No commitment required to submit a project for review.