Get matched with top structural engineers in Harpers Ferry, WV

Hiring a structural engineer costs about $550 on average. However, prices range from as low as $200 up to $1,500. Structural engineers may charge by project, hourly, or by the square footage, making it important to understand how your chosen engineer structures their estimates. Additional cost factors include project type, the scope of work, the size of the project, and your geographic location.

Structural engineers typically charge between $100 and $250 per hour, but many jobs won’t be based on a per-hour fee. Instead, the structural engineer will offer a flat rate for the inspection and structural calculations. The flat rate for a structural engineer costs an average of around $550, but you could see prices ranging from $300 to $800, depending on the complexity of your project and how easy it is to access certain parts of your home for the inspection.

Whether you’re building a new home or building an extension on your existing property, you will likely need both a structural engineer and an architect. A structural engineer will determine what loads your foundation and framing can safely handle, and an architect will draw plans according to those structural calculations to simplify the building process. You can start by contacting a structural engineer near you, as many work alongside architects and can get all of the prep work done at once.

You need to hire a structural engineer when building or modifying any component with a structural load in your home. Common situations where you would need a structural engineer include home inspections when buying or selling a home, investigating possible issues with your foundation, beams, load-bearing walls, or chimneys, breaking ground on a new home or structure on your property, and renovating an old part of your home that could threaten any structural integrity. Home additions and bump-outs also require an engineer.