Get matched with top structural engineers in New Canton, VA

Most lenders and homeowner’s insurance companies don’t mandate a structural engineer’s inspection, so in most cases, it’s not required. However, it’s a good idea to have one done anyway to ensure you know what you’re buying. You can use the report to carry out repairs after closing or even to negotiate the sale price before closing.

All foundations have footers, including monolithic slabs. In some cases, the foundation itself acts as the footer, as in the case of a floating slab and a monolithic slab. With a monolithic slab, the footers—which are just the bottom-most portion of the foundation that distributes loads down to stable soil—are a part of the main slab and are constructed with a single pour.

Structural engineers can perform various inspections on different structures in your home. These inspections usually include a report detailing the engineer’s findings and recommendations for repairs so you can determine your next course of action for repairs, replacements, or new builds. Some of the most common structural engineering reports include:

• Full home inspection: $350–$1,000

• Foundation: $300–$800

• Load-bearing walls: $300–$1,000

• Roof: $150–$600

• Chimney: $200–$500

First, most contractors will have a structural engineer create a report and plan for your project to ensure it’s safe to cut into the load-bearing wall. The contractor will then excavate around the wall, if necessary, measure the opening—allowing for additional space to fit and level the door, and then cut the doorway out. They will likely install a steel lintel as a header over the door for support. Once the doorway is cut out, they’ll demolish the concrete using sledge hammers and masonry chisels, clean up the surrounding concrete, and seal around the door with masonry mortar.