Yes, in many cases you can. You will need some kind of document to send our engineering team first (such as a photograph, or plans of your project) – and then you can schedule a phone call with our engineers at no charge. Just click “schedule inspection now” above.

According to this link, a structural engineer analyzes and designs the gravity support and lateral force resistance of buildings, bridges, and other structures. Structural Engineering is a specialty within Civil Engineering. Structural Engineers create drawings and specifications, perform calculations, review the work of other engineers, write reports and evaluations, and observe construction sites. A Professional Engineer’s license is required in order to practice Structural Engineering.

We focus our expertise on structural engineering inspections, plans, and calculation documents. A “permit expeditor” company, or your licensed contractor, is best suited for the type of coordination required to obtain a permit, as they will have access to more information than the engineering team. As such, we do not perform any permitting services such as permit retrieval or submittal. We provide signed and sealed structural plans and documentation for contractors and homeowners to submit to their respective authorities for approval as required by law.

For a typical project you will have various Building Department reviewers. Besides zoning and landscaping, each project must also get through two very particular phases: the structural review and the electrical review.

The first review we’ll discuss is the structural review. The City Structural Reviewer will review the structural set which includes demolition, wall retrofits, foundations, framing and attachments, wind loads and other loads. Items of a generic nature that are non-structural may be listed on the sheet.

The second review we’ll discuss is the electrical review. The City Electrical Reviewer will require a separate sheet specifically for the electrical circuitry. They will want to see electrical layout, load calculations, wiring diagrams, voltage drops locations of junction boxes, conduit sizes, wire sizes, fuses, ampere specifics, and emergency disconnects. Per the Florida Electrical Code, this drawing must be accompanied by a signed and sealed calculation which verifies power needs, where the power is coming from, safe load ratings, and that all additional circuitry requirements are satisfied. Given the life safety matter if a circuit were to have a fault, this is not a copy and paste procedure. In our experience typically the electrician provides his own engineer at the time of the submission of the permit architectural or structural drawings.

Therefore, it is our company policy to separate structural and electrical sheet sets. We traditionally provide the structural sheet sets, and we refer the electrical engineering to a qualified electrical engineer.

We do not curently provide testing, but we do provide contact information for some local test agencies that you may procure bids from. Selection of a testing agency is the sole responsibility of the client.

According to the Florida Building Code, a true home addition is “habitable space” which  means adding that room (and bedrooms) to the real-estate record as part of the home. It becomes completely hurricane certified, and the interior doors can freely be removed. A sunroom, however, is typically “non-habitable space” and  would require hurricane certified interior doors to remain in place. The non-habitable space is not permitted to contain bedrooms and appears on the real-estate record as a sunroom.

Obtaining these plans is not included in the inspection fee. Our office does not handle permit processing of this nature. While the plans can be helpful for assessing the structure, and are welcome, they are not necessary for the homeowner to provide for most simple inspections. Our inspection fee includes only a visual assessment of what we can readily see, at the time we see it, and with the access we are given. We then base our conclusions on our extensive experience with similar structures.

To be able to assist in supplying appropriate structural recommendations for any structure, a physical inspection of the property is always necessary.  Only after the inspection is complete can we then outline in writing the appropriate code requirements relevant to the solution in a way that a contractor can understand and perform from. Typically the inspection is the first step before you would receive a signed and sealed engineer’s document. 

The inspection will help our engineers assess the layout of the house, foundation type if accessible, what pre-existing conditions the structure already has, and determine dimensions. However, a secondary step of determining if the house can sustain a second floor will also be required. This is a more in-depth process than what a preliminary inspection will be able to provide. This includes wind pressure calculations customized for the address, load “take down” calculations to determine the forces involved from the second story roof to the earth below, and precise calculations to give a final answer. It is a process that spans over a few weeks. 

Structurally speaking, home inspectors are typically certified only to identify issues. For example, they might be able to point out where there is termite damage. But some common questions then arise. Is the damage somewhere structural? Is it decorative? Is it dangerous to the integrity of the structure? Does the structure still meet code requirements per the damage? These questions are typically directed towards a licensed professional engineer. We are a structural engineering company and offer focused structural assessments. So in that inspection, the main focus is the integrity of the building. The report will be able to outline the potential causes of any damage observed, what the repair measures will look like, and a rough estimate on the repairs. None of this will include roof analysis, plumbing, soil testing, or electrical investigation.

The prices for a focused structural assessment are listed on our “book inspection” page. This appointment is necessary for the engineer to make field observations, take measurements, and assess damage. We then report back to you via phone or in person with our findings. The signed and sealed engineer’s report is an additional fee and is not included in the inspection. The report typically outlines what was observed during the inspection, an assessment rating of the structure, possible causation (to prevent further damage), and how to correct the observed damage for a single solution. This report can be used in the transaction of buying or selling the structure with the engineering conclusions in clear, concise language. If multiple solutions are needed based on the inspector’s experience, or repair documents must be drafted for a contractor to understand the repair methods, these drawings may also be needed which typically start at $1000.

All Professional Engineers on staff at Axiom Structures are licensed and credentialed per Florida Statues 471, and all documents produced by our firm are signed and sealed by a Professional Engineer. The inspection itself may be handled by the Professional Engineer or his authorized and trained representative, depending on the complexity of the project and if we are well informed in advance of any specialized conditions where the Professional Engineer would be preferred. 

To be able to assist in applying the appropriate code requirements to any particular property, an inspection of the property would be necessary. We offer this service at the cost listed on our inspection scheduling page.

Typically these repairs must be performed by a licensed contractor. While we are licensed contractors, we only provide structural engineering services at this time.

For certain types of work, we may refer the contact information for contractors that may be able to provide a bid. However, the selection of the contractor is the sole responsibility of yourself as the client.

We can assist with locating the severity of structural damage from water leaks in many cases, if we are provided the access. However, locating actual leak sources is a specialized task that we typically do not provide. 

It is best to allow the enginer access to the property before fumigating so that the undisturbed nature of the structure can be viewed.

• Scope: A complete structural inspection involves a comprehensive examination of the entire structure, including its foundation, framing, roofing, walls, and other components. It aims to assess the overall integrity and safety of the building. In contrast, a focused, strictly visual, and non-destructive inspection targets specific areas or components of concern, often identified by the homeowner or during a preliminary inspection.

• Methodology: A complete structural inspection typically employs a combination of visual examination, testing methods (such as moisture meters, thermal imaging, and sometimes specialized equipment like ground-penetrating radar), and possibly destructive testing (if permitted and necessary). It may also involve documentation review, code compliance checks, and consultations with other structural engineers or specialists. On the other hand, a focused, strictly visual, and non-destructive inspection relies primarily on visual observation and non-invasive techniques to assess the condition of the targeted areas or components.

• Findings and Conclusions: A complete structural inspection provides a detailed report that outlines the overall condition of the structure, identifies any existing issues, evaluates their severity, and may offer recommendations for repairs or maintenance. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the entire building’s structural health and potential risks. In comparison, a focused, strictly visual, and non-destructive inspection may uncover surface-level defects or visible issues in the targeted areas but may not provide insights into underlying or concealed problems that could affect the entire structure. Consequently, its conclusions and recommendations may be limited in scope.