Ever wonder why homeowners need engineers? Thinking of building your dream home and don’t know where to start?

You might want to consider more than the help of your friends, family members, or that guy you always see at the coffee shop. Deciding to build can come with a lot of what-ifs, and if you don’t have an expert helping you each step of the way, you can end up with more than you bargained for. 

Civil, structural, or residential engineers are similar in providing their expertise from slope stabilization to drainage and water management, from remodels and renovations to custom builds and additions. They are typically the project supervisor or manager who is on-site aiding in the design, construction leads, and basically the homeowners representative.

Most homeowners have their own lives to fulfill with work and such, so being on-site, checking progress, or answering questions isn’t as much of an option as many think when they begin the process. A homeowner needs an engineer to be their right-hand person to make sure their home goals are accomplished correctly. 

With an engineer on your side, mission-to-ground can go smoothly.

When homeowners are looking for property, they often are unsure of where to begin and what might need to be assessed. A residential engineer can suggest a pre-design feasibility study, which includes reviewing property records, zoning regulations, and land features such as critical waterways, slope problems, and anything that could potentially cause structural and foundation problems. After this process, the surveyor will assess and map out the property. The surveyor will create a plan showing the topography, boundaries, and any utilities making sure the homeowner knows their property before they start building. Often, a soil report is necessary to make sure the ground can support a structure. The civil engineer can identify if there will be slope instability or other issues preventing the building process.

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