Frequently Asked Questions About Structural Remodeling

The design fee depends on how much needs to be drawn and engineered, not on a percentage of your budget. A single beam with a stamped letter is a small fixed fee; a second-story addition with full construction documents is larger. You receive the fee in writing after the site visit, and it is credited toward construction if you build with us.

The first range is based on a site visit and a structural concept. The fixed contract is based on approved drawings, finish allowances you chose and any changes the city required in plan review. The range narrows as decisions are made; if a decision moves it outside the range, you see the reason before you approve that decision.

Permit fees are listed separately and passed through at the city's cost, with the receipt attached to your invoice. They vary by city and by project valuation, which is why we show them as their own line. The Permit Cost and Timeline Estimator gives a typical range before you commit.

Yes. Washington retail sales tax applies to construction work on existing homes and is charged at the rate for the project address, not the contractor's office. Our contracts show sales tax as its own line so the base price and the tax are easy to compare between bids.

ECD does not arrange loans. Clients typically fund structural remodels and additions with a home equity line of credit, a cash-out refinance or a renovation loan. We provide the drawings, budget and payment schedule a lender usually asks for, and structure milestone payments to match a draw schedule when needed.

An architect or residential designer decides the layout, appearance and how spaces work. A structural engineer decides how the building carries loads: beams, posts, foundations and resistance to wind and earthquakes. Many remodels need both. At ECD the designer and engineer work together from the first drawing, so layout choices are checked for structure as they are made.

Our engineer stamps only work they designed or fully checked. If you already have architectural drawings, we can perform the structural design for them and issue stamped structural sheets and calculations. We do not stamp another engineer's work, and we do not sign drawings for projects we have not reviewed on site.

Yes. When a home inspector flags a crack, a sagging beam or an altered wall, our engineer can visit, assess the condition and write a letter stating what was observed and what, if anything, needs repair. Buyers and sellers use these letters in negotiations; lenders and insurers sometimes require them.

Usually not for interior remodels. Additions and alterations that change the lateral system, such as removing shear walls or adding a story, require the engineer to show the house still resists earthquake and wind loads, which can mean new shear walls or hold-downs. A full retrofit is required only in limited cases, but many owners add one while walls are open.

Any structural change needs a permit: removing or altering a bearing wall, adding a beam, changing a foundation, adding floor area or a story. Moving plumbing, electrical or mechanical systems requires trade permits. Cosmetic work such as paint, flooring and like-for-like cabinet replacement generally does not. Each city's building department lists its exemptions on its website.

The property owner is ultimately responsible for permitted work on their property, but on ECD projects we apply for the permit, respond to plan review, schedule and attend inspections and close the permit at final. Ask any contractor whose name will be on the permit; if the answer is yours, you carry the inspection responsibility.

Often, yes. Cities generally allow unpermitted work to be legalized through a permit for the existing condition. Our engineer evaluates what was built, we open walls or ceilings where inspectors need to see framing or connections, and we draw what is there plus any corrections. Fees and process vary by city, and some work has to be rebuilt.

Under the International Residential Code as adopted in Washington, a permit generally expires if work does not start within 180 days of issuance or stops for 180 days after starting. Cities can grant extensions on request. Our schedules start work well inside that window, and inspections during construction keep the permit active.

For structural work that needs a permit, contact us at least three to six months before you want construction to start. Design, engineering and plan review take most of that time. A single beam with a simple permit can move faster; an addition or ADU with zoning review can take longer than six months before ground is broken.

Yes, with planning. Foundations are poured with drainage and pumping in place, and framing is sequenced so the structure is dried in with roofing underlayment and wrap as quickly as possible. Exposed framing is protected and checked for moisture content before insulation and drywall, which is part of our pre-cover inspection.

Inspections are scheduled online, usually for the next business day or within a few days. We plan the schedule around them so crews work in another area while an inspection is pending. Delays usually come from failed inspections, which our engineer's own pre-inspection is meant to prevent.

Our own crew handles demolition, framing, structural installation and much of the finish carpentry. Licensed electricians, plumbers, HVAC installers, drywall finishers and specialty trades are subcontractors we work with repeatedly. All are licensed in Washington and covered by our contract, so you deal only with ECD.

A lead carpenter is on site whenever work is happening and is the person to ask about the day's work. Your project lead visits regularly, runs the weekly update and handles anything involving cost or schedule. The engineer is on site for structural inspections and whenever something unexpected is uncovered.

ECD provides a written workmanship warranty of two years starting at the city's final inspection, covering defects in the work we performed. Manufacturer warranties on windows, roofing, fixtures and appliances pass to you, and we register them in your name. The warranty terms are part of the contract you sign.

You can supply finish items such as light fixtures, faucets, tile or appliances; we install them and coordinate delivery timing. Owner-supplied items are covered by their manufacturer's warranty rather than ours. Structural materials, framing and anything the engineer specifies are always supplied by ECD so we can guarantee the grade and the installation.

Yes. Many Eastside neighborhoods, especially in Sammamish, Issaquah and newer parts of Redmond, require HOA approval for exterior changes. We prepare the drawings, material samples and elevations the committee asks for and build its review time into the schedule, since approval is usually needed before the city permit is submitted.

Yes. A single beam, a sagging floor, a cracked footing or an engineering letter are all projects we take. Small structural jobs are often where homeowners need an engineer most, because a handyman cannot size a beam and a large firm may not return the call.

Yes. We review the drawings with our engineer, flag anything that is missing for permit or likely to change in the field, complete the structural design if it is not done, and price the project. Projects that start this way still benefit from having the engineer and builder in one company during construction.

We do, when the project is inside your unit and the association approves it. Structural changes in attached homes often involve shared walls, floor assemblies and fire separations, so association approval and engineering are both required before permitting. We prepare the documents the association's board or manager typically asks for.