What Is a Structural Engineer… and Why You Want a Good One

If there’s one place you really don’t want to cut corners on your next project, it’s your Structural Engineer.

Sure, the lowest bid might look tempting. But if that “bargain” engineer designs a foundation system that costs $100K more to build, or tosses in moment frames you don’t actually need at $50K a pop, that “savings” vanishes fast.

And that’s before you even get to potential construction delays. We’ve seen projects grind to a halt because an engineer didn’t show up to make the required site visits, delaying final inspections, approval, and move-ins. Not fun.

So When Do You Need a Structural Engineer?

Not every project requires one—but if you're moving load-bearing walls, excavating, or touching structural supports like beams or posts, it’s time to call in the pros.

If you’re working with an architect, they’ll usually bring you a shortlist of trusted engineers they’ve worked with before (and that’s ideal). But if you’re going it alone, here are some helpful hints.

First: What Kind of Engineer Are We Talking About?

There are three kinds of engineers licensed to perform structural work in California:

• CE (Civil Engineer): Most commonly used for structural work. While they’re often associated with land surveying, CEs are fully qualified to handle structural calculations and designs.

• PE (Professional Engineer): A step up in experience and testing.

• SE (Structural Engineer): The highest level of training and testing, best for complex structural jobs (think major additions or tall buildings).

All three types are licensed professionals who’ve completed years of training, passed multiple exams, and worked under another licensed engineer. You can (and should) verify their license status here: California License Lookup.

How Do You Know If They're Any Good?

The level of license is a starting point, but it’s not the whole picture. Just like with any contractor or design pro, the best way to vet an engineer is to meet them and see how they communicate, ask for referrals and examples of past work, and confirm they have active liability insurance (and ask about their limits).

Because structural drawings are so technical, it can be hard to tell whether they’re designing efficiently or overbuilding just to be safe. If you’re working with an architect, they can review the engineer’s past permit drawings to assess their skill and cost-efficiency.

Watch Out for One Big Bottleneck

Even great engineers can become a problem if they’re stretched too thin. One of the most common (and costly) issues we see is an engineer who’s too busy to make their required site visits during construction. That can delay your project weeks, or even months.

So when you’re interviewing engineers, don’t just ask about their fee. Ask about their current workload, how often they do on-site observations, and whether they’ve ever delayed a final inspection (they’ll say “never,” but you’ll learn a lot from how they answer).

Let us Help you Find a Terrific Engineer

A great Structural Engineer can save you money, time, and endless stress. A not-so-great one can do the opposite.

We’ve made it easy: check out our list of vetted structural engineers who design smart, show up when it counts, and help keep your project moving:

See Our Recommendations Here

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