Do you suspect you have foundation issues? Here are some telltale signs that you might have a problem on your hands and may need a second set of eyes: Exterior diagonal cracks in your brick veneer Look for diagonal cracks in your masonry or brick veneer around the exterior of your house. Pay attention to the areas above doors and windows*. Also look for cracks in the middle of your home, especially if your home is narrow in one direction. *Horizontal cracks, especially above

A geotechnical report is filled with crucial information acquired from a site-specific soil study, and is used to properly design your building’s foundation. The requirements, content, and composition of the geotechnical report are governed by the building code adopted by most municipalities in Texas – the  International Building Code (IBC) . Why should you get a geotechnical report? O3 Structural Studio insists on working with a geotechnical report because of the prevalence

One of the first questions I ask when I get a request for a foundation design is – "do you have a geotechnical report?" People unfamiliar with the soils in the Brazos Valley usually respond – "do I need that?" YES YOU DO. Below are four (4) reasons why you need a site-specific geotechnical report before starting a foundation design: 1.      To find out if you have expansive soils Expansive soil is prevalent in the Brazos Valley, Houston, and in the DFW area. These clay soils

A first timer's guide to the design team So you’ve decided you want to build a house. Or a commercial building. Or anything larger than a shed, really. You probably began by typing “contractor near me” into Google or your favorite search engine/AI. The contractor is very important, as they coordinate the subcontractors to perform the hammer swinging that makes your project a reality. But how do the contractors know where to apply the proverbial hammer? You need some design pr

Most low-rise (5 stories or less) residential and small commercial buildings in the United States are constructed using light-framed wood construction. Below are the top 7 resources for building a fundamental foundation of knowledge in structural design and detailing for these buildings that are so ubiquitous in our built environment. International Residential Code (IRC) The IRC is a model code that has been adopted as the building code governing residential construction in m

Asking an engineer if you need their services is like asking a barber if you need a haircut – the answer is probably a yes. But there are certain projects where you might not need a structural engineer if you’re working with an experienced general contractor. When starting a new project, you’ll want to think about three things when trying to decide if you need to hire a structural engineer: · What does the law say? · How complex is your project? · How muc