Before You Renovate or Buy: Why a Structural Engineer Should Check the Building
Whether you are buying a home, commercial property, or older building—or planning a major renovation—one of the smartest investments you can make is having a licensed structural engineer evaluate the existing structure before work begins.
Many structural problems aren't visible during a standard property inspection. Foundation settlement, deteriorated wood framing, overloaded beams, corrosion, damaged masonry, inadequate connections, previous structural modifications, water damage, and improperly removed walls can remain hidden until a renovation exposes the problem—or, in the worst case, until a structural failure occurs. Last year, we had a client in Saddle River who built a garage extension, but the foundation wasn't deep enough. The town inspectors came, measured the depth, and issued a violation and an order to tear down the structure. I inspected the structure, created a new code-compliant drawing, spoke with the town, and the structure was fixed instead of destroyed.
A structural engineer can evaluate the condition of the foundation, columns, beams, floor and roof framing, load-bearing walls, connections, and other important structural components and determine whether the existing structure can safely support its current use and the proposed renovation. This is particularly important when an owner plans to remove or relocate walls, enlarge windows or doors, add a floor, finish an attic, construct an addition, install heavy equipment, or make other changes that could affect the building's load path.
A structural evaluation can also provide significant financial protection. I had a client who was about to purchase a beautiful mid-century home in Monmouth County. He had fallen in love with it, and so did we because it was so unique. Unfortunately, a major plumbing issue wasn't obvious to the home inspector. Even though my client wanted the house, we determined that fixing it would require another $100k investment, which he wasn't prepared to absorb. In the end, he had to let go of the house, but he did so empowered with all the information he needed to not end up in a bad financial situation.
If deficiencies are discovered before purchasing a property or beginning construction, the engineer can recommend appropriate repairs or strengthening and develop a preliminary cost estimate for correcting the identified structural issues. This information can help a buyer negotiate the purchase price, help an owner establish a realistic renovation budget, and prevent expensive surprises after construction has already started.
What Codes and Standards Apply to Existing Buildings?
Exact requirements depend on the state and local jurisdiction, the building's occupancy and construction type, the scope of work, and the code edition adopted by the authority having jurisdiction. This is why having a trusted local engineer matters. MGK doesn't send work abroad to be done cheaply—our value is making sure the work is done correctly and in accordance with all local laws. Often, a call to the town is all it takes to assure local officials that a competent engineer is overseeing the project, which helps the permit and approval process run more smoothly. New legislation is being passed all the time.
One common task we handle in Rockland and Bergen Counties, in particular, is updating deck drawings to meet new requirements for secure fastening to the main structure. People living in these homes often don't know they need to update the deck until they are ready to close on a sale and discover the violation. Only an engineer can resolve the violation by submitting a stamped drawing to the town. The process goes much more smoothly when an engineer handles it because the town knows we understand the rules and how to follow them.
A Structural Engineer's Evaluation Is an Investment in Safety
The cost of a structural evaluation is small compared with the potential cost of a major structural repair, construction delay, property loss, or injury. More importantly, a professional evaluation provides the owner with information needed to make an informed decision.
Before you buy it. Before you renovate it. Before you remove that wall—have the structure checked.
MGK Engineering provides structural evaluations, renovation engineering, structural repair recommendations, calculations, and permit-ready structural design services for residential and commercial properties in New York and New Jersey. We're local, know many of the town officials, understand and respect the local laws, and make it easy for you to get approvals and resolve violations so you can focus on enjoying your home, not fixing it.
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