Get matched with top structural engineers in Ashford, CT

Q: How do you know if a wall is load-bearing?

• <div><p>The easiest way to <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/load-bearing-wall.htm">tell if a wall is load bearing</a> is to check if it&rsquo;s an exterior wall or if it runs perpendicular to the joists above and below it (or parallel to beams). Exterior walls are almost always load-bearing, and walls that run under beams or parallel to them are also usually load-bearing. There are exceptions to these rules, and walls that don&rsquo;t fit into these categories can still be load-bearing. If you&rsquo;re unsure, hire a structural engineer to look at your home to assess whether or not the wall is structural.</p></div>

Q: Can you put a doorway in a structural wall?

• <div><p>Yes, you can put a doorway in a structural wall; in fact, most exterior doors are set into structural walls. The project is a little more challenging than installing a door in a non-load-bearing wall because you need a structural engineer to assess the wall and make sure it&rsquo;s safe to create a wall opening. Your engineer&rsquo;s report will include instructions for your contractor on how and where to install additional supports, like steel headers above the door, to distribute the weight above to the wall on either side of the door.</p></div>

Q: Should I hire a construction manager for new construction?

• <div><p>A construction manager is particularly useful in the case of a large-scale build with custom design elements, so it&rsquo;s usually worth it to hire one. They can help manage your budget, maintain quality control, oversee timelines, and navigate unexpected hurdles. While <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/construction-management-fees.htm">construction managers are pricey</a>, they can actually save money in the long run by identifying cost-saving opportunities and ensuring the project stays within budget.</p></div>

Q: How do professionals incorporate framing into existing structures?

• <div><p>By careful planning and reinforcement to maintain structural integrity.</p></div>

Q: Is it okay to drill into a load-bearing beam?

• <div><p>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&rsquo;s safest to drill and the width and depth of the bit that&rsquo;s safe to use.</p></div>

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Verified Reviews for Structural Engineering pros in Ashford, CT

*The Angi rating for Structural Engineering companies in Ashford, CT is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Structural Engineering needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Structural Engineering companies in Ashford, CT is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Structural Engineering needs.

Last update on November 09, 2025

Reviewed in November 2025
I couldn’t be happier with the work done by Edjs Mobile Welding. Eddy completed our project quickly and with incredible quality. He removed an existing railing and replaced it with a beautiful new wrought iron railing, then added a matching one on another set of steps. The craftsmanship is...
EDJ's Mobile Welding
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Reviewed in August 2024
Creative exteriors constructed stone walls to flank the entry of our driveway and repaired a section in another area. The work was done in a professional and efficient manner and we couldn’t be happier with the results. The crew led by Alan was prompt and respectful and worked hard to be sure we...
Creative Exteriors LLC
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Reviewed in April 2024
Lewis Home Inspection was on time. My inspector was very thorough in his inspection; he explained every observation both the good and bad in detail to me directly. I came away knowing much more about the structure and as a result gained confidence in my position as buyer for this specific...
Lewis Home Inspection, LLC
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Reviewed in March 2024
We needed a completely re-engineered septic system at our house in Wales, and Ron helped us with every aspect of the project. From his initial recommendation of an engineer who custom designed our system, to the installation of our holding tank, pump tank, and leaching field, Ron exceeded our...
R Cox Enterprises
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Reviewed in September 2022
Very professional and takes care to drop branches and/or trees to avoid damage to nearby structures. Cleans up debris when finished. We are happy to pay the professional to know the job gets done right.
Sweet's Scapes
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Reviewed in June 2021
Iâ ve had Tim do 2 projects at our house over the past few months, deck repair and then strengthening the deck, given poor initial construction when deck first built maybe 10 years ago by another contractor. Tim quickly diagnosed the problem each time, did very high quality work to fix the...
Donnelly's Old House
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Reviewed in October 2019
Understood the scope of the work that needed to be completed and understood our wishes. Even with the unexpected discoveries of working on and in an old structure!.
North American Building, Inc.
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Reviewed in August 2019
Very professional, honest, responsive, helpful, quality work. I am an engineer and know and require quality work. I am also a project manager and know costs. I usually find things wrong with how things are being done on a project. I did not find anything to criticize in their work. I got to know...
PerfectView Remodeling LLC
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Reviewed in June 2019
Adam walked through with me to review several projects we were considering. He was very informative in helping determine what was required for each project and even looked over other aspects of the house to verify previous construction was done correctly. We will be returning to him for our...
Taddonio Engineering, LLC
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Reviewed in June 2016
The Decksperts took on the complicated project of building a deck on top of our porch over-looking the water on Hamilton Reservoir. This project was complicated because they had to partner with our roofer to remove the existing roof on the porch and then sister the ceiling joists to add...
The Decksperts
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Find Structural engineers in Ashford

Taddonio Engineering, LLC

4.8(

346

)

Engineer - Structural

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

Super Service Award Winner

In business since 2016

Small jobs welcome

Credit card accepted

"In renovating our beach cottage in Warwick, RI we found the roof needed structural work. Building inspector required a structural engineered plan. Adam was easy to communicate with. He was timely with his plan and follow up inspection. He was also available by text and phone for questions during the project. He was great to work with!"

Response time1 day

Response rate86%

319 neighbors recently requested a quote

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K.O. Home Design, LLC.

4.7(

)

Draftsperson/CADD

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2017

Free estimates

Customers say: Quick response

"He was excellent and the town hall people said the plans were the best they ever saw."

Response time2 days

3 neighbors recently requested a quote

Recommended by100%of homeowners

ArchitectDraftsperson/CADDArchitect - For Business

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2018

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"They were excellent. They quickly made a draft that only needed 3 minor adjustments. The final product was exactly what I needed. They referred me to a structural engineer for review. The whole process took half of the time that they initially estimated. I would definitely use them again."

+23

Response time1 day

Response rate100%

55 neighbors recently requested a quote

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Roger Greenwald Architect

4.0(

)

ArchitectArchitect - For Business

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1987

Offers commercial services

Customers say: True professional

"great working relationship great quality of work"

+10

Response time1 day

23 neighbors recently requested a quote

Recommended by41%of homeowners

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Lasse Aspelin & Associates

3.7(

)

Architect

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1987

"we decided not to build at this time"

New 6 car garage with car lift and apartment above

Coventry Barn transformation into asian residence

Addition to 1785 colonial in Glastonbury

+15

Response time11 hrs

Response rate92%

4 neighbors recently requested a quote

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VOMA Design Consulting

5.0(

)

Draftsperson/CADD

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

Free estimates

Small jobs welcome

Offers commercial services

"He did a great job Thanks"

1 neighbors recently requested a quote

ArchitectArchitect - For Business

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1978

Free estimates

Offers commercial services

"Dave was awesome. He worked thru the changes we requested in no time. During the initial design he explained why he chose to design and construct our new home with specific materials. He explained all the design criteria in words we understood and spent countless hours discussing windows. His recommendations were spot on!"

Response time8 hrs

Response rate100%

Recommended by40%of homeowners

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2024

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

Were a locally owned and operated company that values honesty and integrity and treats your home as if it were our own. Our services are customized to the individual project, paying close attention to the details of each project that we're involved with. We pride ourselves on the quality of our work as well as our commitment to outstanding results. We look forward to building lasting relationships and guaranteeing your satisfaction!

Response time11 hrs

Response rate88%

4 neighbors recently requested a quote

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2017

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

Simply snap a few pictures using your own phone, and email them to us!! We turn your pictures and ideas into construction documents. Virtually walk through your addition before its even started, just like on your favorite TV shows! \n\nWe are currently serving CT, MA, NH, NY, VT, NJ, PA, TX and TN. \n\nALL GREAT PROJECTS START WITH GREAT PLANS

Response time2 hrs

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A men home improvement and construction company

New to Angi

Draftsperson/CADD

Serving Ashford, CT and surrounding areas

Approved

I am well experienced in what I do and always do the best when doing my work.\nI love working with people and also creative when doing my job \nI love carpentry with all my life to see new things from scratch like basement improvements,extensions of rooms, creating space for new windows.\n

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Showing 1-10 of 38

Structural Engineering questions, answered by experts

The easiest way to tell if a wall is load bearing is to check if it’s an exterior wall or if it runs perpendicular to the joists above and below it (or parallel to beams). Exterior walls are almost always load-bearing, and walls that run under beams or parallel to them are also usually load-bearing. There are exceptions to these rules, and walls that don’t fit into these categories can still be load-bearing. If you’re unsure, hire a structural engineer to look at your home to assess whether or not the wall is structural.

Yes, you can put a doorway in a structural wall; in fact, most exterior doors are set into structural walls. The project is a little more challenging than installing a door in a non-load-bearing wall because you need a structural engineer to assess the wall and make sure it’s safe to create a wall opening. Your engineer’s report will include instructions for your contractor on how and where to install additional supports, like steel headers above the door, to distribute the weight above to the wall on either side of the door.

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.

By careful planning and reinforcement to maintain structural integrity.

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.

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