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Sized to Real Loads
Member sizing from actual tributary loads, not tables or rules of thumb.
California PE-Licensed · Structural Design
Foundation & Framing Design
From the Ground Up
Footings, slabs, stem walls, floor and roof framing, and the lateral system that ties them together — designed to current code, sized to real loads, and stamped by a licensed California PE.
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Soils Report Coordinated
Foundation design keyed to your geotechnical recommendations.
03
Detailed for the Field
Connection details a framer can build without a string of RFIs.
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Clear, Scoped Fees
Written scope and fee before we start — no hourly surprises.
What We Design
Everything between the soil and the roof.
Foundation and framing design is the core of every new structure we stamp — whether it stands alone or supports an ADU, an addition, or a full new build.
01 · Substructure
Footings & Stem Walls
Continuous and pad footings, stem walls, and grade beams designed to your soils report and site conditions.
02 · Substructure
Slabs on Grade
Slab thickness, reinforcement, and control jointing for the loads and soil the slab actually sits on.
03 · Gravity
Floor & Roof Framing
Joists, rafters, trusses, beams, and posts sized and detailed as a complete gravity load path.
04 · Gravity
Beams, Posts & Headers
Wood, steel, and engineered-lumber members sized for span and load, with bearing and connection detail.
05 · Lateral
Shear Walls & Diaphragms
Lateral resisting system layout, shear wall schedules, and diaphragm design per ASCE 7.
06 · Lateral
Hold-Downs & Connections
Hold-downs, straps, anchor bolts, and connection detailing that completes the load path to the foundation.
How It Works
A complete, buildable load path — drawn, calculated, and stamped.
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01
Consultation
Free 15-minute call. We scope the work and confirm what the jurisdiction will require.
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02
Site & Plan Review
We review your site, architectural plans, and any existing drawings or soils report.
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03
Structural Design
Gravity and lateral design, member sizing, connections, and supporting calculations.
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PE-Stamped Package
Permit-ready structural drawings and calculations, stamped by a licensed California PE.
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Plan-Check Support
We respond to plan-check comments and issue revisions through approval.
Code Basis
Designed to current code. PE-stamped.
Designed to the current California Building Code and IBC, with loads and seismic design per ASCE 7. Every drawing set and calculation package is stamped by a licensed California PE — one responsible PE from design to stamp.
Scope
What we provide — and what we don’t.
We provide structural engineering only. Architectural design, Title 24 energy, and MEP are handled by your architect or designer — we coordinate with them. We do not perform general contracting and we do not build the work.
More in Structural Design
Related design services
Foundation & framing design
What foundation and framing design covers.
When an owner needs it
Any new building, addition, or ADU in the Bay Area needs a structural design that carries gravity loads down to the soil and resists earthquake and wind forces. Owners need an engineer for foundation and framing when the design goes beyond conventional light-frame construction limits, which is common here: high seismic design categories, expansive clay, hillside lots, large openings, long spans, and second-story additions over existing walls. Architects and designers bring us in to produce the structural sheets and calculations that sit alongside their architectural set.
Typical scope
- Footings, grade beams, slabs on grade, and raised floors
- Hillside and expansive-soil foundations per the geotechnical report
- Floor and roof framing: joists, beams, headers, posts, and connections
- Lateral system: shear walls, hold-downs, diaphragms, and collectors
Typical deliverables
- Structural plans and details coordinated with the architectural set
- Gravity and lateral calculations to the current California Building and Residential Codes
- Foundation plan matched to the soils report recommendations
- Plan check responses through permit issuance
- Construction support: RFIs, field changes, and site observation
Process
- 01Send the architectural plans and soils report, if one exists.
- 02We review the layout and flag structural constraints early.
- 03Engineer designs foundation, framing, and lateral system.
- 04Stamped structural set and calculations go to plan check.
- 05We support the contractor through framing and foundation inspections.
Related: ADU structural design, home addition and remodel engineering, and foundation retrofits for existing homes.
FAQ
Common questions.
Do I need a soils report for foundation design?
Many Bay Area cities require a geotechnical report for new homes, hillside lots, and large additions, and expansive clay is common in the region. Where a report exists, the foundation is designed to its recommendations. We can tell you early whether your city is likely to ask for one.
Can you work from my architect’s or designer’s plans?
Yes. Most of our foundation and framing work starts from an architectural set. We produce the structural sheets and calculations that are submitted with it and coordinate changes with the designer.
What codes govern foundation and framing design in California?
The California Building Code and California Residential Code, which adopt ASCE 7 loads, along with local amendments. Bay Area sites typically fall in high seismic design categories, which drives shear wall and hold-down design.
Do you provide construction support?
Yes. We answer contractor RFIs, review field changes, and visit the site at key stages, such as before the foundation pour and during framing, so the building matches the design.