What Is a Structural Engineer and Do You Need One?
Crucial experts for any structural home projects
Structural engineers are responsible for ensuring a home or building design is structurally sound.
You’ll likely hire a structural engineer if you’re building new construction or making major renovations to your home.
Hiring a structural engineer costs around $550, on average, or between $70 and $250 per hour.
If you’re planning a home renovation or new construction build, you’ve probably heard of structural engineers, alongside countless other professional titles, like architects, draftspeople, and general contractors. Knowing who to hire starts by understanding what a structural engineer is and what services they can provide.
What Is a Structural Engineer?
A structural engineer is a highly skilled professional who focuses their efforts on ensuring a building is structurally sound. Some structural engineers offer actual construction services if they have contractors on staff, but many just offer design services and consultations to confirm if a building or plans for a building are safe. They typically need at least a bachelor’s degree, although a master’s degree is common, and they need to be licensed by the state in which they operate.
What Does a Structural Engineer Do?
The primary job of a structural engineer is to determine if and when a structure is structurally sound if it’s built already or will be structurally sound in the case of new construction.
They consider many factors that can affect structural stability, including the weight and strength of the materials you’re using for construction, the soil conditions beneath and around your foundation, the climate and weather in your area that can put added strain on your structure, and more.
The most common job you’d hire a local structural engineer for would be to design safe building plans for new construction, but any job that requires changes to your structural components, including beams, floor joists, rafters, and load-bearing walls, may require help from a structural engineer. They can also help determine if walls are load-bearing or safe for removal.
When to Hire a Structural Engineer
You may want or need to hire a structural engineer if you’re planning any of the following projects:
Building new construction
Expanding your home with a home addition
Major renovations to your existing home
Removing load-bearing walls
Changing your floor plan
Adding a dormer
Building a second-story deck
Widening openings for new windows or doors
Installing windows or doors in exterior walls
Upgrading to a heavier roof material
Installing solar panels
Assessing foundation cracks or foundational stability
Investigating signs of structural damage
Some warning signs of structural damage in your home include curving interior walls, horizontal cracks in the foundation, and sagging floors or roofs. Calling in a structural engineer to take a look as soon as you notice these signs can save you from a bigger problem later on.
How Much Does a Structural Engineer Cost?
Structural engineers cost around $550, on average, but your total could fall anywhere between $200 and $1,500, depending on the scope of the work. Most homeowners pay between $340 and $780, or between $70 and $250 per hour.
Structural engineers draw structural plans, which include detailed drawings of the structural components of a home only. Complete house plans will require additional work from an architect or draftsperson, whose drawings will take the structural drawings into account. They’ll also include more details about the finishing materials and layout of a home, including everything from roofing and flooring materials to the position of furniture, light fixtures, switches, and plumbing fixtures.
If you’re building new construction or adding onto your existing home, hiring a structural engineer is not only worth it but it’s probably required by your local building department. Structural engineers will ensure you aren’t making your home unsafe in the building process, which is crucial from a safety perspective but also a legal one. It’s also worth hiring a structural engineer if you’re making changes to structural components, like removing a load-bearing wall.
No, a structural engineer is not the same as a builder. A structural engineer is an expert in all things related to the structural integrity of a building. The structural engineer is responsible for calculating the correct materials in terms of load-bearing capacity and overall structural safety. Structural engineers do not perform the actual building of the house or other structures. Rather, the builder executes the plans and designs specified by the structural engineer.
