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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Structural Engineer in Austin? [2025 Data]
Normal Range: $399 - $655
Hiring a structural engineer in Austin, TX costs $527 on average, or between $399 and $655, depending on the exact services you need from a pro.
How we get this data
Cost Insights
Structural engineer costs in Austin, TX, increase with hourly rates of $100 to $140 and complex calculations.
Foundation movement on Central Texas clay soils raises costs due to added inspections and $1,000 or more in evaluations.
Projects needing stamped plans or load-bearing wall changes cost more, often adding $150 to $500 in fees.
As one of the fastest-growing metro areas in Texas, homeowners in Austin, TX, are facing rising costs across construction and engineering services. In Austin, structural engineering work averages $527 per hour, with a range from $399 to $655 depending on project complexity and location. Local factors like Hill Country terrain, high permitting volumes, and dense-infill construction all influence pricing. Whether you’re planning a remodel, addition, or full foundation evaluation, here’s what you’ll want to know about budgeting for a structural engineer in Austin.
Structural Engineer Cost Factors
Structural engineering costs in Austin, TX vary based on fee structure, project complexity, inspection type, and whether full plans are required—especially when evaluating signs of structural damage, permitting needs, or tight-lot infill construction common across the city.
Fee Structure
When hiring a structural engineer in Austin, you will pay per project, per hour, or per square foot. If your engineer charges by the project, they may either charge a flat fee or a percentage of the entire renovation cost or the cost to build a house. The type of billing depends on the professional and the exact scope of work requested.
| Price Structure | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Per project (fee) | $1,500–$6,000 |
| Per project (%) | 1%–10% |
| Per hour | $100–$140 |
| Per square foot | $2–$8 |
Project Complexity
The cost of a structural engineer for a home inspection will also vary based on the complexity of your project. If you’re just building an add-on to your existing home, your engineer will have minimal work to do to ensure the addition is safe.
If you’re instead altering your roof structure, replacing standard beams with more supportive steel I-beams to open up your space, or removing load-bearing walls, your engineer will have more work to do and will charge more accordingly. Custom new construction projects are the most involved and will be the most expensive.
Type of Inspection
When working with a structural engineer, an inspection is the first step—and may also be the only step, depending on why you’re hiring them. A structural engineer charges a flat fee for inspections, including checks during the sale of a home. The cost of a structural report sits at $600, but prices can range from $450 to $850, depending on the size and complexity of your home.
Your structural engineer inspection cost will likely reach $1,000 or more if you’re having your professional perform a foundation inspection for foundational cracks, bowing foundation walls, wavy rooflines, or sagging or squeaky floors.
| Type of Inspection | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Beams/joists/trusses | $400–$600 |
| Buying or selling a home | $550–$800 |
| Foundation damage | $700–$1,200 |
| Home remodel | $800–$1,500 |
| Load-bearing walls | $400–$650 |
| New construction | $500–$900 |
| Storm damage | $700–$1,200 |
Engineer Plans
Engineer plans are the drawings that detail the construction project, and in the case of new construction, they’re the plans that an architect and builder will work off of to construct your home safely.
The engineer plans themselves, and the process to produce them, will cost you anywhere from $800 to $2,500, depending on the scope of the project. The cost can be much higher for more complex, large-scale projects, sometimes as high as 45% of the engineering budget. It’s a good idea to budget an additional $300 to $700 for revisions in case you want to make changes after the first round of drafting. Additional revisions after that point will cost the same amount.
Below, we've included some average pricing for standard drawings you might request from a structural engineer:
| Drawing Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Commercial construction | $8,000–$120,000 |
| Home add-on or bump-out | $3,000–$6,000 |
| Major home renovation | $3,000–$6,000 |
| New construction | $3,000–$12,000 |
| Outbuilding construction | $800–$10,000 |
Additional Structural Engineer Costs
Homeowners in Austin, TX, may encounter several add-on fees beyond standard inspection or plan costs. Local permitting rules, soil conditions, and project complexity can all influence what you ultimately pay a structural engineer.
Labor
Labor rates for a professional structural engineer inspection in Austin range from $100 to $140 per hour, with total labor charges reaching $400 to $850 for most residential evaluations. Rates trend higher in Central Austin or for inspections requiring crawl-space access, attic entry, or travel to outer metros like Lakeway or Dripping Springs.
PE Stamps
A PE stamp in Austin, TX costs $150 to $400, but fees may reach $500 or more when engineers must perform added calculations for slope-grade lots, foundation modifications, or structural changes requiring city permitting. West Austin hillside properties often fall at the higher end due to soil, wind-load, and stability requirements.
Permits
Structural engineer work itself doesn’t require a permit, but the construction work their plans support often does. In Austin, building permits range from $120 to $600 for small structural changes, and $1,000 or more for major remodels or additions, depending on project valuation. These fees are paid by homeowners, not the engineer.
Taxes
Texas does not charge sales tax on professional engineering services, so homeowners do not pay tax on structural engineering labor or drawings in Austin. However, any related construction work—such as materials purchased for framing or foundation repair—is subject to Austin’s 8.25% sales tax, which affects your overall project cost but not the engineer’s fee.
Tipping
Tipping isn’t expected for structural engineers in Austin, but some homeowners offer $20 to $50 when an engineer provides additional on-site review, returns for follow-up measurements, or assists with city permitting questions beyond the contracted scope. This is entirely optional and rarely factored into official project costs.
Can a Structural Engineer Add Value to Your Home?
Hiring a structural engineer doesn’t offer a direct return on investment (ROI); instead, the value comes from the project you complete after their assessment. For example, if you hire a structural engineer in Austin because you’re planning a home addition, you could see an ROI of 20% to 50%, depending on size and finishes.
If you’re hiring an engineer for a pre-purchase structural inspection or to evaluate post-storm soil movement common in Central Texas clay soils, the ROI is less direct but still adds value by preventing high-cost issues down the line.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to [email protected]. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
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