How do you choose a residential structural engineer?

• <div><p>The process of hiring a structural engineer starts by finding reliable professionals in your area and comparing quotes from at least three of them. From there, you can narrow down your selection by asking some leading questions:</p><ul><li><p>Do you have experience working in my specific area?</p></li><li><p>Do you have professional indemnity insurance?</p></li><li><p>What will your structural report cover?</p></li><li><p>Do you charge a flat fee for a structural report or by the hour?</p></li><li><p>How long have you been in business?</p></li><li><p>Do you have a list of customer references?</p></li></ul><p></p></div>

Get matched with top structural engineers in Belle Vernon, PA

Q: What are the disadvantages of a cathedral ceiling?

• <div><p>Cathedral ceilings make a statement in your home, but at the cost of your attic space. Normal attics are wide open, which allows warm air to move around and exit your home. Because of this, cathedral ceilings make your home less energy efficient and put your ceiling at risk of venting issues if you&rsquo;re not careful. They also reduce your attic storage space, potentially cause an echo, and even make it harder to change a light bulb. </p></div>

Q: Are all exterior walls load-bearing?

• <div><p>It's safe to assume that all exterior walls are load-bearing, or at least have load-bearing characteristics. Some older homes feature porches or bump-outs that don't rest on the home's foundation. However, they still must carry the weight of the roof section they support. Walls containing floor-to-ceiling glass or other non-structural elements must use post and beam configurations to meet load-bearing criteria. </p></div>

Q: Why are houses built with crawl spaces?

• <div><p>The primary reason homes have crawl spaces is so the foundation can reach down below the frost line to avoid dangerous soil movement and structural damage when the ground freezes. They&rsquo;re more popular in colder climates where the ground freezes down to a few feet, and slabs are most popular in warmer areas where there is no frost line. Crawl spaces also provide a space for utility lines to run where they&rsquo;re at less of a risk of freezing.</p></div>

Q: Are horizontal cracks structural?

• <div><p>Many horizontal cracks in home foundations result from water and soil pressure from outside of the building or from a footing that is shifting. Under those circumstances, horizontal cracks are a structural problem that requires repair before they become worse and more difficult to fix. However, in very specific cases, thin horizontal cracks may simply be a cosmetic blemish due to concrete shrinkage. </p></div>

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Verified Reviews for Structural Engineering pros in Belle Vernon, PA

*The Angi rating for Structural Engineering companies in Belle Vernon, PA 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 Belle Vernon, PA 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 June 09, 2024

Reviewed in June 2024
I highly recommend Mitchell Masonry. Brent is very knowledgeable and does excellent work. Had new flashing installed as well as tuck pointing on my chimney. The concrete crown he installed on the chimney is a huge improvement over the original and looks great.
Mitchell Masonry and Restoration
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Reviewed in April 2022
Great company to work with. I had seamless gutters and all the fascia boards and trim, capped. The project manager, Devan, answered all my questions and let me know what to expect. Aaron, who lead the crew doing the work, was very professional. Other than how wonderful my house looks now, they...
Home Genius Exteriors
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Reviewed in November 2020
The guy did not check all the water lines which caused extensive water damage after the house was purchased and flew a drone to check the roof without actually checking or testing the structural integrity at all. Complete waste of time and money.
Pillar To Post Zamiska Team
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Reviewed in July 2017
They were very responsive to my initial inquiry and were prompt to the appointment to look at the work I wanted done. I ended up not hiring them since they wouldn't give me a set price for anything and wanted to add a 30% surcharge to any materials that needed to be purchased for the jobs. While...
Ace Handyman Services South Pittsburgh
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Reviewed in November 2015
Excellent! Our house was built 50 years ago and this company built the new garage with a style and materials that made the new construction look as if it had been built when the house was. They took time to build a quality structure with no short cuts. We are VERY pleased! <br />
D&R Quality Builders Inc
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Reviewed in July 2014
<p>Can broke down and had it towed to Barts in the middle of May. Requested a quote 1st to see if it was worth putting the money into the car (it is a 2000 Jaguar with 149,000 miles.) They had the car for over 2 months. Kept calling for the estimate, but was told they were busy and short...
Bart's Tire & Auto Service
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Reviewed in May 2014
Exceptional. Mr. Wattelet and his staff provided quality work and service in a timely manner. They cleaned up at the end of each day. There was no damage to any of our items or property. Mr. Wattelet was even willing to assist us in a few addtional requests while he was here which we very...
M L Wattelet Landscaping & Contracting
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Reviewed in February 2014
I had a problem with my engine. They diagnosed it as a leaky cylinder. They come back and told me I need another engine. They wanted to sell me an engine with 190,000 fpr $3.000 or a new one for $1,000 more. They are a schyster. I can pick that same engine up for $7-800. They wanted to sell...
C HARPER Honda
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Find Structural engineers in Belle Vernon

Serving Belle Vernon, PA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2015

Emergency services offered

Small jobs welcome

"First time Iâ d ever hired a structural engineer, so canâ t say."

Response time9 hrs

6 neighbors recently requested a quote

Recommended by93%of homeowners

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JL & A Structural Engineers

4.0(

)

Serving Belle Vernon, PA and surrounding areas

In business since 1970

Emergency services offered

"John has a heart and enjoys his work and it shows. Everything that job required john was always 1 step ahead of project fast and efficient"

Response time2 days

Recommended by85%of homeowners

Serving Belle Vernon, PA and surrounding areas

In business since 2015

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Dee is a solid guy and excellent engineer. My project required him to design and create the engineering specs to navigate our town's permitting process. His thoroughness exceeded my expectations. I recommend and trust Dee on any future project."

+10

Response time7 hrs

Recommended by54%of homeowners

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Gerhart Engineering Company

4.0(

222

)

Serving Belle Vernon, PA and surrounding areas

In business since 1988

Free estimates

"First time using Gerhart Engineering. Will use again."

Response time1 day

Recommended by92%of homeowners

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Gerhart Engineering Company

4.0(

162

)

Serving Belle Vernon, PA and surrounding areas

In business since 1988

Free estimates

"Tim, is extremely Knowledgeable in his field. He showed up on time and he was pleasant and nice to work with. Tim put together drawings for a retainer wall I had built. I was very pleased with the drawing. He certified the drawing and signed off. Tim, thanks a lot. I highly recommend Tim if you need an experience Engineer that deals with retainer walls. Wanda. Langhorne, PA -Residence Customer."

Tolans drill rig for extinguishing mine fire

+23

Recommended by91%of homeowners

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Eco Builder Services Co

3.9(

)

Serving Belle Vernon, PA and surrounding areas

In business since 2006

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Gino's crew did a great job with the new siding and other features. His employees work well together and were very helpful with suggestions. The siding looks great and I am quite happy with the job performed.
"

Recommended by64%of homeowners

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Structural Engineering questions, answered by experts

Cathedral ceilings make a statement in your home, but at the cost of your attic space. Normal attics are wide open, which allows warm air to move around and exit your home. Because of this, cathedral ceilings make your home less energy efficient and put your ceiling at risk of venting issues if you’re not careful. They also reduce your attic storage space, potentially cause an echo, and even make it harder to change a light bulb.

The process of hiring a structural engineer starts by finding reliable professionals in your area and comparing quotes from at least three of them. From there, you can narrow down your selection by asking some leading questions:

Do you have experience working in my specific area?
Do you have professional indemnity insurance?
What will your structural report cover?
Do you charge a flat fee for a structural report or by the hour?
How long have you been in business?
Do you have a list of customer references?

It's safe to assume that all exterior walls are load-bearing, or at least have load-bearing characteristics. Some older homes feature porches or bump-outs that don't rest on the home's foundation. However, they still must carry the weight of the roof section they support. Walls containing floor-to-ceiling glass or other non-structural elements must use post and beam configurations to meet load-bearing criteria.

The primary reason homes have crawl spaces is so the foundation can reach down below the frost line to avoid dangerous soil movement and structural damage when the ground freezes. They’re more popular in colder climates where the ground freezes down to a few feet, and slabs are most popular in warmer areas where there is no frost line. Crawl spaces also provide a space for utility lines to run where they’re at less of a risk of freezing.

Many horizontal cracks in home foundations result from water and soil pressure from outside of the building or from a footing that is shifting. Under those circumstances, horizontal cracks are a structural problem that requires repair before they become worse and more difficult to fix. However, in very specific cases, thin horizontal cracks may simply be a cosmetic blemish due to concrete shrinkage.

The Belle Vernon, PA homeowners’ guide to structural engineering services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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Apr 4, 2026Apr 4, 2026
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