"We've never done a remodel before. We live in a high-rise and needed to update our kitchen, put in some pocket doors, and a laundry closet. We thought we needed an architect to give us ideas and the structural parameters within which we needed to work. We bought the Big Deal for an architectural consult. Mr. Madeiros was very professional and offered us a few ideas. He is relatively new to the Denver area and wasn't sure if we needed permits for the work we wanted to do. He called the city for us, which was helpful. He gave us drawings of what we had described and his added idea. It ended up that we didn't need his services as we discovered that general contractor could do what we needed. We had the building and unit floor plans and lots of our own ideas, having done a lot of research. I think if you were going to create something out of nothing, his services would be more helpful. "
"From the start I knew Ryan was the right person, because he called me, the only one of the engineers that actually called me. He communicated regularly, let me know straight up the results and explained it all to me. Is also willing to answer questions from my contractor."
"We had a great experience working with Vital Architecture and highly recommend her.
For Little Village Childcare, she helped us save money by confirming certain landlord requests were not required by code and securing a waiver that saved space and costs.
She also reduced civil engineering expenses by preparing the playground drainage plan herself.
During construction, she provided extra support at no cost and helped us handle contractor changes wisely.
For another church childcare project, she identified zoning issues early so everyone understood the risks.
In Colorado Springs, she warned a tenant about higher plumbing costs required by childcare regulations, helping them avoid a bad lease.
For an adult care project, she reviewed the food area and explained new kitchen and ventilation requirements.
Carmen is knowledgeable, thorough, and truly looks out for her clients’ best interests."
"Marc was attentive, understanding and really a good point of contact through our build process giving us the information we needed to accomplish our goals in our pre build process. He remains a point of contact for all future questions and concerns!"
"Sam is a great guy. He's always on time and punctual on the scope of the project. We are basically happy from the start to finish and he's willing to help us out. It was a pleasant experience and he is super professional."
Structural Engineering questions, answered by experts
You should avoid drilling or cutting into load-bearing beams because removing material will weaken it and increase the risk of structural damage or even collapse. If you do need to drill into a load-bearing beam, speak with a structural engineer first to discuss where it’s safest to drill and the width and depth of the bit that’s safe to use.
The depth of any foundation style depends on your climate and how deep the frost line is, as building code requires that the footers of a foundation—which are built into a monolithic slab—sit at least a foot below the frost line. At the southern tip of Florida, for example, a monolithic slab foundation would only need to sit 12 inches under the soil at the widest parts. On some parts of the Canadian border, the frost line is 100 inches, which would mean a minimum of 112 inches, which is prohibitively deep for a monolithic slab.
The National Association of Home Builders requires repair of any foundation crack of more than one quarter of an inch, although local regulations may vary. In general, any visible crack that is growing in size, allowing water through, or that you have just noticed, is a good reason to call a structural engineer. Cracks can be a sign of a sinking foundation, so an inspection is a good idea for your peace of mind.
A construction manager is particularly useful in the case of a large-scale build with custom design elements, so it’s usually worth it to hire one. They can help manage your budget, maintain quality control, oversee timelines, and navigate unexpected hurdles. While construction managers are pricey, they can actually save money in the long run by identifying cost-saving opportunities and ensuring the project stays within budget.
Costs depend on furniture type, size, complexity, and whether additional modifications are needed.
The Niwot, CO homeowners’ guide to structural engineering services
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
The cost of a structural engineer is easily justifiable given the value they bring to the table. Use this guide to see what hiring your professional will total in Denver, CO.
The cost of a structural engineer is easily justifiable given the value they bring to the table. Use this guide to see what hiring your professional will total.
Beam installation costs are an important consideration if you’re building a home or doing renovations. Learn about average costs and factors in this guide.
It can be hard to choose the right pro for any job, but it matters. Learn how to hire a structural engineer who'll get the job done right from start to finish.