When does a residential project need an engineer?

When do you need an engineer for your residential project? That's a question that I come across with every project. Well... we have to go back to what exactly the client wants to make out of the space. Does the client want a design that involves more open spans of 20 feet or anything that involves engineering material such as LVL(Laminated Veneer Lumber) or TJI (Truss Joist I‑Joist), or to build out a whole retention wall to support a building? Well, that's when you will need a Structural Engineer for your project. LVL is not prescriptive but performative.

What drawings do you need for a house permit?

What most jurisdictions require for a building permit is a site plan showing where the house sits on the property. Floor plans: room layouts, dimensions, doors, and windows.Elevations: what the outside of the house looks like. Foundation Plan: where footings and floor joists will go; it’s the foundation of the project. So far in the residential side of designing, most of those are the top four pages that need to pull a permit. The most difficult part of permitting is not the building permit but the zoning permit. Every jurisdiction has special rules of what you can build. So if you are planning to pull a permit, those are the most commonly required plans, but always reach out to your jurisdiction to see what other items they will need.