Rene is very detailed, informative and highly knowledgeable about structural engineering. I have used Mungier associates twice and recommended any in need of structural engineering assessments. read more

We hired Mugnier & Associates to provide structural analysis on a specific portion of our house that we were concerned with. We discussed our concern over the phone, received a quote to come by our house, write up a detailed report/analysis and provide a few Contractors who may be able to assist in resolving the issue. Mr. Mugnier came by our house and looked at the issue. He answered our questions and, in addition, he insisted on inspecting our basement (which was unrelated to the issue). When we received his report one week later, we were quite surprised to read just three sentences with general comments about the issue we hired him for. We reached out to request a more detailed report and received a few lines back which simply stated the area in question was "presently dangerous and cannot be used". Yeah we knew that) In addition, we requested the names of Contractors, and as of yet (we are just over a month out from his visit) we have not received any. Since Mr. Mugnier insisted on payment after his visit/before the report the written we have little recourse but to share our experience with the hope that others will take note. read more

Rene Mugnier is one of the most experienced structural engineer in the Boston area. His team accomplished a lot of projects around New England. Rene even appeared on Bob Vila TV show. read more

Very professional and knowledgeable. I've had some bad experiences with contractors, and I was guarded going into the structural visit that Rene provided; I was concerned that he would exaggerate the urgency of certain issues, or be unprepared to address other concerns. I had a "okay, what are you going to try to sell me, and what's the damage?" attitude. Rene arrived on time and was very professional and polite. Ultimately, the specific issue I scheduled the appointment for was deemed to be of little concern, and no fix was necessary. After letting out a massive sigh of relief, the peace of mind provided was well worth the fee for the visit. He asked me if I had any concerns, which he patiently addressed individually, and then asked to examine other areas in the house so that he could provide as complete a report as possible. Along the way, a few items of concern were identified, which were assigned a level of urgency, along with a description of the proper respective fixes. At the end of the visit, I felt like I had the information that I needed and paid for (and some that I didn't expect to get,) with none of the upselling or unexpected fees that I was dreading. read more

I had been considering buying a property that had been flagged by my home inspector for some potential structural issues. I loved the look and feel of the home so instead of immediately throwing in the towel, I decided to bring in a structural engineer for further assessment. Rene Mugnier was one of the several recommendations made by my realtor. I called and first connected with Josephine, who was polite, warm, and helpful. She talked me through what an appointment would include and basic pricing structures, and I decided to take the plunge. I then connected with Rene himself directly to make an appointment. This was a few hundred dollars well spent as Rene took the time as we walked through my potential home to point out small and large concerns alike. My major issues were a re-patched but still bulging stone wall on the ground level and a sloped kitchen floor. As we went through the property, Rene even identified a few areas of the home that I hadn't considered to be of major importance (some crumbly mortar and a set of stair and porch supports which hadn't been flagged by my home inspector). Rene shared that he typically does a voice recording of his assessments as he walks around a property and then follows up with a written report documenting his findings. His tape recorder was having issues during my appointment, and I feared that my written report would be a little skimpy as a result. Not the case! I had a clear understanding when leaving the property of his findings (he has a great way of explaining issues to someone who doesn't understand anything about structural engineering - he's also got some subtle humor which just added enjoyment to the process). Rene also shared potential next steps of how these issues could be further assessed and remedied through further professional care. I also received a detailed report within a week or so after my appointment. I ultimately decided not to purchase the property due to the thoughtful assessments Rene provided and after doing some soul-searching of "Is this really what I want to get in to?" Despite not purchasing this property, I felt it was money well spent as I had the peace of mind in knowing what I could be getting in to. Bottom line: If you're looking for a structural engineer, definitely give Rene Mugnier a call. He's a gem and really knows his business! read more

Had a walk-through with Rene, he saw some things that needed work. He emailed me a report, I asked a couple follow up questions and he responded with a partial-answer to one of the questions. I replied asking him to answer the second question, it's been over a week and he hasn't responded. Seems like a nice enough guy but c'mon. read more

Home inspector pointed out several structural problems so I asked Rene to come take a look. Very professional from initial call, to confirming and arriving early to the appointment. Rene looked outside and inside the basement thoroughly, examined the cracks, pillars, foundation, and took the time to explain everything in detail. Was upfront about what was done right, what wasn't, future potential issues, etc. Because of his advice, I felt confident in making the right decision. I initially thought hiring a structural engineer might be throwing money away, but looking back, comparatively to the amount of risk I would have assumed, it was a bargain. read more

Mr. Mugnier is outstanding. Knowledgeable, thorough, thoughtful, and very, very good at what he does. I was so impressed! Quite personable, a pleasure to work with. read more

I've had several experiences with Rene Mugnier. Once on a friends house, a listing I was putting on the market. Although the issue looked to be a grave situation, Rene determined it was nonconsequential - a pleasant surprise! Just recently, I had Rene look at an issue on one of my own properties. Not so fortunate, this time. I'll definitely need to address it in a permanent fashion. Rene has been a good resource and well known locally for decades. He is responsive, both in scheduling and returning a detailed report shortly following his site visit. I intend to hire him to assess and outline an engineering solution for permitting and to permanently address the structural deficiency. As a realtor and a homeowner, I trust Rene and wouldn't hesitant to hire him knowing his reliability and especially his wealth of experience. He speaks 3 languages, is a member of ASHI, and past president of Boston Assn of Structural Engineers. read more

Inspected our fire escape 5 years ago and here we are again as Rene was fair and reasonable! read more

Not sure about Rene. On the plus side he was professional, showing up on time. He did take very good photos. And he quickly provided me with a report. But make no mistake if you get a walk- through, your not going to get a lot of information. For $500 he spent about 1 hour and his report was in structural engineer speak. He had a lot of thoughts but until you take apart a wall and look at things he could not say anything for sure. I did it to reassure myself but in the end it just made more anxious because he pointed out many places which could have been damage covered up - or not. His suggestion was just to keep the status quo and only take apart a wall if I saw concerning cracks. That kind of feels like a cloud over my head as walls can crack for non structurally related reasons. He did mention that he has been an expert in law suits so that made me feel like if I ever need to sue I might have someone skilled at the process. Also I called back later to ask if they could refer me to contractors that did the work and his assistant promptly sent me a few names. One of them was a company I have worked with before that was a quality company so that was nice. read more

Our structural engineer was Gennady who has worked with Rene for 10 years. He was meticulous, knowledgeable, and straightforward. He detected thousands of dollars in repairs needed to an "under designed" 1890 home from the basement all the way to the roof. We're so glad we understood what was needed in the home before we could set out on our renovation plans. read more