Structural Engineer Costs

Structural engineers are required for a variety of building projects and inspections. Their fees and costs vary, depending on the type of inspection or work required, as well as your location and the scale of the project. For a residential construction project or inspection, fees will be quite different than the costs of commercial engineering fees, as well.

A structural engineer needs to be hired whenever there is new construction, a home addition, or any structural changes to the property. They will also be necessary to sign off on major damage repairs, such as fire or storm damage, foundation damage, roof damage, or chimney issues.

Structural engineer: list of average structural engineer fees.

Other considerations and costs

• Hourly rates are used for consulting and drawings because some projects require more work than others. The variable costs in other services are also related to the size and scope of the property or job in question.
• In general, you can usually expect to allocate about 8% of the total budget for structural engineering costs. Some projects may require more or less, but this is a safe estimate.
• Many times, a structural engineer will offer discounts or combined fees if you have multiple services performed. Be sure to inquire about all of the services that you may need and whether this is available.
• Building permits and occupancy permits will not be issued until a structure is signed off on by a structural engineer. Therefore, this is a necessary service that you cannot forego.
• A home inspector and a structural engineer are not the same. A home inspector will perform general inspections and recommend when homeowners should call a specialist. You can often start with a cheaper home inspection if you sense issues and save the expense of a structural engineer unless it is really needed.

DIY considerations

• Structural engineering is never a DIY project. This needs to be done by a certified, licensed professional for any type of project, no matter how small or simple.

References

• Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2015.
• Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
• Literature review of DIY Web sites.