Get matched with top structural engineers in Whitingham, VT

Stone, marble, and brick are common building materials of Neoclassical architecture, though you will also find wood flooring and a range of natural stone tiles. Since several home styles fall under Neoclassical architects' umbrella, a range of building materials—including traditional wood framing—will make an appearance.

A structural engineer evaluates any structural components, like floors, foundations, walls, and roofs, to ensure they can support the structure. They also consider the soil quality in your area, potentially extreme weather conditions, and proximity to bodies of water and groundwater to ensure your building can withstand any stresses placed on it by the surrounding environment. Structural engineers work on both new and existing buildings.

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. 

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.