I worked with HC Structural on a backyard project that involved complex retaining wall work. Lalit…read morewas amazing, providing plans and updating them many times as needed throughout the process. He was extremely responsive and quick to turn around anything we needed. I definitely recommend HC Structural for your project, and working with Lalit specifically was awesome!! We'll be using them again for any future plans we need.

We had a small project to remove a couple of walls and do a seismic retrofit. It was a pleasure to…read morework with the engineers and review the plans as many times as needed after reviewing with the city. We are very happy with the plans/calculations and hope to work with HC Structural in the future for other projects.

I hired SF Bay Engineering for seismic retrofit plans under the Earthquake Brace and Bolt program…read more I was told architectural drawings were required before they could proceed, so I hired and paid an architect to prepare them. After multiple back and forth and with SF Bay Engineering admitting they aren't familiar with the requirements, they terminated the contract. They refunded their engineering fee, but the architectural cost remained my responsibility. I brought the matter to small claims court, and the court ruled that because I retained the plans, reimbursement was not warranted. I recommend future clients clarify in writing how architectural costs will be handled if SF Bay Engineering terminates the contract. Happy to provide additional details upon request

Excellent service. Requested a structural evaluation for some cracks across areas of drywall at my…read moreresidential home. The onsite engineer walked my partner through the damage and inspected the foundation. Provided a thorough report with recommendations for structural improvements. Competitive rates. I appreciate their quality, service and price.

Calvin listened to my concerns carefully over the phone and shared his advice and told me when a…read moresite visit is necessary or not. He was very knowledgable of my neighborhood in San Mateo and common problems in the area. He suggested some options to deal with my problem as well. I really appreciated his honest and helpful input.

My wife and I are shocked by the lack of professionalism and greed Dominic showed us…read more Last year, Dominic came to inspect our recently acquired home to give us an assessment for a few structural changes we were interested in making. Specifically, we wanted to remove a wall in the kitchen. Dominic charged us $285 and produced a report stating we are ok to remove the wall in question since the joists run parallel to the wall and therefore the wall is not supporting. A few weeks ago, roughly a year after the original visit, we were finally ready to remove the wall and begun removing the dry-wall. We then found a large beam (header) at the top of the wall which got us concerned this may be a supporting wall after all. We took pictures and and sent them to Dominic, hoping he can easily clarify our inexperienced paranoia to which we got a shocking reply: "I won't answer the question without a visit which will be another $285". We insisted that we think he should stand behind his work, but he wouldn't budge and since we had no choice we agreed for him to visit again for a "discounted" price of $200. On the next visit, a small part of the ceiling was removed and made it possible to look into the ceiling. Dominic came, looked at the beam for a short time, peeked from the ground at the open ceiling area and claimed "The joists run perpendicular to the wall and therefore the beam is supporting, you can't remove it". While disappointed, we were happy we didn't risk the structural integrity of the house and we left it at that. A few days later, in a random thought, I decided to step and take a closer look at the ceiling, getting my head in the opening and looking at all the joists. To my amazement the wood visible just from looking from the ground, was not the joists at all.. The joists appeared to be parallel after all... So again, we reached out to Dominic and explained the situation, at this point we also had the entire ceiling removed so it was clear the joists are parallel but we wanted a professional opinion. Again.. Dominic wouldn't provide an opinion without a $200 charge! For literally 1 minute of looking at the open ceiling. This is a lack of professionalism at the first degree, what professional doesn't stand behind his work like this and squeezes a young couple without options for extra cash based on their own mistakes? Never work with him again.

Working with Irvin at Prostruct Engineering was a breath of fresh air. After purchasing a new home…read moreand enduring my first winter, I was incredibly nervous to find significant water in my crawl space and cracks along the raised foundation. I initially signed a contract with Prostruct, but after Irvin reviewed my photos, he demonstrated a level of integrity that is rare to find. Instead of taking the job, he honestly informed me that my specific issues fell outside their scope. He took the time to explain what I was seeing, referred me to a geotechnical engineer who could actually solve the problem, and issued me a full refund. I greatly appreciated his transparency and professional guidance. I highly recommend Prostruct Engineering to anyone looking for an honest assessment--they clearly prioritize the customer's needs over their own bottom line.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY -- terrible communication and shady tactics…read more I reached out to ProStruct Engineering for a simple onsite structural evaluation at my home in Danville. They sent a 10-page contract and demanded the full $1,100 upfront the same day, before any work was even scheduled. After I signed and inquired, I asked the project manager multiple times for a firm date when the engineer could come out for the survey. Instead of giving a straightforward answer, they used clear delay tactics and kept putting me off with vague responses. When I finally decided to cancel before any site visit or report was started, their own contract (Section 5.5) clearly states I should only owe a $500 "setup fee." Yet they are now treating it as if I owe the entire $1,100. This is a classic "pay us everything first, then we'll drag our feet" operation with a heavily one-sided contract designed to trap customers. Save yourself the stress, the risk of a lien on your house, and the endless runaround. There are plenty of other licensed structural engineers in the Bay Area who actually communicate and don't play games with scheduling. Would not recommend. Proceed with extreme caution.

I want to express our gratitude for Zenith Engineers Inc. prompt, professional, and outstanding…read moreservice throughout our remodeling project. From the very beginning, we were impressed with Senthil, Ryan and other members of Zenith team's level of professionalism, prompt response, architectural knowledge and effective communication.This level of service was seamless through our entire engagement with Zenith Engineers Inc., from obtaining the building permit to successfully passing all necessary inspections by the SF Building Department. No one questions their architectural work because they are so good at what they do. We had some initial concerns after reading negative reviews, but as the project progressed, it became clear that those comments were based on personal grievances, rather than valid concerns. The team at Zenith Engineers Inc. has a high level of professional ethics and integrity. Zenith's management team had explained to us early on in the project, the strict adherence to code and compliance was paramount throughout the project. If Zenith compromises to satisfy unsatisfied clients, the building will end up being non-compliant and more importantly unsafe. We truly appreciate Zenith's commitment to quality and integrity, even if it means earning a few negative reviews along the way, which seem rather unfair to them as they are simply doing their job. I am extremely satisfied with the professional and excellent work the team at Zenith Engineers Inc. provided us and will hire them in a heartbeat for all our future structural and/or seismic engineering needs. Thank you Senthil, Ryan and the Zenith engineering team for your professionalism and support. It was our best decision to work with you and experience such high standard of professionalism, work ethic, and integrity.

After having used Zenith for multiple projects in the last few years, looks like it's finally time…read moreto look for someone else for the next one. We started using Zenith because of its responsiveness and effectiveness when it came to structural design. With them as part of our team, we were able to keep up with the City submittal and response timelines we had set. Fast forward to today, and we can't get a hold of anyone. When we do, it's always an excuse for why they didn't respond, without a resolution. We sent them the last City comments 30 days ago and have yet to get anything viable to re-submit back to the city. Given that this is a 30-unit hotel project, going with a different firm now will mean a complete re-design of the project; an absolutely painful exercise that will set us back months. Zenith knows that. So it's absolutely shameful for them to act in a way that would even suggest that our only choice is to get the entire project re-designed by another firm just to have it keep moving forward. So much for "we respond to emails within 30 minutes and always answer phone calls" as outlined on one of their online profile. Knowing how we were treated on this round of City comments and the fact that the entire company seems complacent about what they try to embody in their rhetoric, I would stay away for any future project.

We live in Belmont and Arati helped us with the engineering for our backyard project. We are very…read moresatisified with her work. She is knowlegeable and familiar with the local requirements. She was responsive to our communications. Sometimes the city departments came to us with additional requirements or requests to provide supporting documentation, and Arati helped us with those too. We highly recommend her.

Truly amazing. I called to ask a second opinion on a project and she provided guidance that was…read moredetailed, knowledgeable, and pragmatic. Highly recommend

Vesna is fantastic. We needed a structural analysis of our attic floor in order to get our attic…read morepermitted by the city. She inspected our house as well as its architecture/design plans and then turned out a report in a few days. She then accompanied me to the city to present her findings and was instrumental in fast-tracking the whole process. The permit process is utterly new to me and one of my take-aways has been that it's critical to have a knowledgable expert who can do solid analysis and then communicate effectively with the city's Building and Planning departments -- I highly recommend her.

Vesna Obradovic did a great and affordable job reviewing our house's plans to answer some questions…read morewe had about structural walls, foundations, remodel possibilities, etc. I believe it was $200 to come by the house, where she took the time to inspect and answer all our many questions, and then after we'd gotten the house plans from the county, she also reviewed the old construction plans and made comments. Later we asked her to be the structural engineer reviewer on our house remodel, which she turned around in less than 24 hours, provided paperwork for filing for permits, etc., all for $230. Vesna was a big find -- I've been quoted structural engineering fees of $1000+ & taking weeks, for the kind of work she efficiently does in days for much less money. I'd recommend her for any residential construction reviews.

After a tree fell on my house due to recent storms, I contacted several structural engineering…read morefirms for a structural evaluation report to satisfy the Department of Building Inspection's Notice of Violation. Thankfully it was just cosmetic damage. Pateengineer responded very quickly and was able to write the report based on my detailed photos. The report was signed with a licensed structural engineer's wet seal. The report was of good quality and satisfied the Department of Building Inspection's Notice of Violation. They were very cost effective because they did not need to travel on-site. The only downside is they only accept payment via Moneygram.

From the owner: Fast Turnaround Time, Good Quality.read more

I have worked with Reza and his team on multiple projects. They always make sure to provide best…read moreoptions for each project and ready to go the extra mile to accomplish the goals.

I was looking for a while for a structural engineering firm to help me with a project. Other places…read morewould ask a high up front fee and already had a plan without even visiting the site or getting details from me. Nova Structures actually took the time to work with my specific needs. Reza came out to the site and was able to come up with a solution to my structural engineering problem. Whenever I had questions he would hop on a video call and provide me with the details I needed. The engineering plans potentially saved me several thousands of dollars versus what other firms said the build out could cost.

I've worked with many talented professionals, but Alex Tzang stands out as one of the best…read morearchitects I've collaborated with. He has an exceptional ability to translate vision into thoughtful, functional, and beautifully executed designs. Alex listens carefully, understands goals and constraints, and consistently delivers creative solutions that exceed expectations. His communication is clear, his process is organized, and he works seamlessly with contractors and stakeholders to keep projects on track. I highly recommend Alex Tzang to anyone seeking an architect who combines creativity, precision, and professionalism.

Alex did an amazing job for our ADU in Danville. Their team is very responsive, professional, and…read moreknowledgeable in the design of ADUs. They know the building codes and hence can anticipate issues that may come up during permitting, designing, and constructions. They are also very patient with our various demands and preference during the design phase, and was able to modify the design to suit our particular needs. We have used other architects before, but Alex Tzang Architects is amazing. I'd highly recommend them.