When do you need a structural engineer in Texas?

Asking an engineer if you need their services is like asking a barber if you need a haircut – the answer is unsurprisingly always 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 much sleep are you willing to lose at night?

What does the law say?

In Texas, the Texas Engineering Practice Act sets the requirements for when a structural engineer needs to be involved with a project. These requirements depend on whether the project is private or public, and what the building size and use will be. For private projects, structural engineer’s seal is not necessary on a building’s framing plans if the building falls under the following categories:

· Private dwellings

· 1-story apartment building with a maximum of eight units

· 2-story apartment building with a maximum of four units

· A detached garage for each of the three categories above

· Agricultural buildings

· Buildings less than 5000 sq ft with clear spans less than 24 ft

So yes, you can get away with not having a structural engineer involved with your building’s framing design. But it’s a completely different story when it comes to foundations. Texas has a unique soil composition that makes foundation design intensive, especially within the Texas Triangle. This area of the state has expansive soils, which means that they swell during wet weather and dry out during dry weather, like a sponge.

The amount of shrinkage and swelling the soil will undergo in a year can range from 2-6 inches in the Houston area to as much as 10 inches in the DFW area if not properly mitigated. This seasonal swelling and shrinking will wreak havoc on your foundation (and consequently your framing and finishes, especially stucco,) if your foundation is not carefully designed based on your project location. Most building officials will require a foundation plan designed and sealed by a structural engineer if the area is known for having expansive soils.

For public projects, it comes down to the construction cost, and whether a mechanical/electrical engineer is involved. Thankfully, the Texas Board of Professional Engineers has created a handy flowchart to help you determine when you need to hire a structural engineer according to the Engineering Practice Act.

How complex is your project?

Some projects are four walls and a flat roof. Others might be a little more involved in the architecture, with complex roof shapes and cantilevers, two-story glass-covered atriums, or even the renovation of a historic structure. For the more involved projects, it is always a good idea to consult with a structural engineer, even if the project falls within the categories outlined in the section above.

Renovations, especially for historic structures, should always have a structural engineer involved if the changes include any of the following actions:

· placing heavy equipment on an existing building foundation or roof (500 lbs or more)

· changing the use/occupancy of the structure

· cutting holes through walls or beams

· removing columns

· changing the building cladding to something brittle, like stucco

· using construction methods nearby that could affect the existing structure’s foundation, like installing driven piles

Construction documents for existing buildings are rarely preserved through time, and even if they are preserved, might not be legible or accurately show what was actually built. It is important to have a structural engineer conduct a site visit to verify the structural systems and load paths, and to make sure the new design will perform as needed if any major renovations are planned.

How much sleep do you want to lose?

Constructing buildings is an expensive endeavor, and unfortunately, builders, architects, and engineers do not get to use prototypes to work out all the kinks before the dirt begins to move on-site. You get one chance to make sure your building has the necessary structural systems to preserve public safety. Structural engineers are trained to determine what to design for, how to design different materials, and how to make sure what has been designed is what is constructed. With a competent engineer, the seal is more than an administrative requirement for your plan set – it is also assurance that your building has been engineered safely and sufficiently for use by the general public.

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