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