Find a Structural Engineer near you
The average rating for Bark Structural Engineers is 4.8, based on 10,696 reviews
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Wondering how much a structural engineer will set you back? Read our handy guide to find out how much you’ll pay for a structural engineer in the US.
A structural engineer is responsible for the designing, planning, and construction of new infrastructural establishments such as buildings and bridges. They are also sometimes involved in alteration and extension work on existing structures and properties.
A structural engineer is responsible for the infrastructural growth of a town, city, or country, so it’s a skill set that shouldn’t be taken lightly!
They can also provide consultancy services to architects and contractors by calculating different types of loads and suggesting which materials and structural systems can be used in the construction process for a particular project.
If you plan on making home renovations or are looking to build a property, there is a strong chance that you will need the services of a structural engineer. If your home improvement project involves working with a structure that involves changing its stability, then you’ll need to consult the expertise of a structural engineer.
A structural engineer will make calculations to help define parameters that the architect and the contractor will have to adhere to. These calculations and analyses might also have to be shared with your building’s administration for you to get the clearance to go ahead with renovations. Here’s a quick look at a few examples of household projects that you will need to employ a structural engineer for:
Removal or renovation of any internal walls
Changing doors and windows
Building an extension for the house
Underpinning floors
Fitting solar panels
If you see any sort of cracked walls within your house, you should contact a structural engineer and schedule a structural inspection of the premises as soon as possible. The structural engineer would be able to investigate appropriately and alert you regarding the seriousness of the situation. They would also identify potential causes for this sort of damage, how to fix it, and guide you on what not to do to avoid such damage in the future.
Structural engineers choose to bill their clients in various ways ranging from hourly, to per project or a percentage of construction. You’ll find costs varying across the US, but here’s a quick and very basic look at how much you can expect to spend if you’re planning on hiring a structural engineer:
| Rate type | Average cost |
| Per project | $500 - $3,300 |
| Per hour | $100 - $200 |
| Percentage of construction | 1% - 4% |
No building project is the same, so the overall cost will vary depending on the project. Some factors influencing cost include but are not limited to:
Project complexity
Size of the project
Size of current property
Nature of job
Professional’s experience
Depending on what the technical requirements of the job are, structural engineer hiring costs can vary based on the level of complexity that is involved in finishing a job.
Naturally, more extensive projects such as house extensions will tend to run much higher than simple renovation jobs such as window removals and replacements. Depending on how much time the structural engineer will need to dedicate to a specific job, the hiring costs will fluctuate accordingly.
The overall fee of a structural engineer will also be determined by the size of the property. For example, simple routine jobs such as inspecting a small flat for its structural integrity will cost significantly less than doing the same job for a larger house.
| Property type | Average cost (per project) |
| Apartment | $800 |
| 3 bedroom house | $1,500 |
| 5 bedroom house | $3,000 |
Depending on how much you ask for a structural engineer to provide in terms of their services, each project will vary in cost. As structural engineers cover a wide variety of different jobs, they have set costs for different types of projects. For example, the inspection of a structure will likely be cheaper than planning and executing an extensive renovation plan.
The more experienced a structural engineer is, the more likely it will be that they will charge you higher rates than what most others would for the same job. This is because experienced structural engineers are much more likely to complete a job error-free, in a relatively short amount of time, compared to a relatively inexperienced structural engineer.
If the property in question has expensive fixtures and fittings, you should go for a more experienced structural engineer than opting for a slightly cheaper alternative.
When it comes to building a property or designing a renovation, hiring a structural engineer is a crucial part of the process. They can make the difference between a poorly constructed property that will require plenty of long-term maintenance and a building that truly stands the test of time. When it comes to getting a return on your investment, hiring a structural engineer will be worth every dollar!
Find the perfect Structural Engineer for your building project on Bark.
The average rating for Bark Structural Engineers is 4.8, based on 10,696 reviews
5/5
based on 10,696 reviews
