Address: 5920 100th St SW Suite 25, Lakewood, WA 98499, USA
Phone: +12539842900
Sunday: Closed
Monday: 8AM–5PM
Tuesday: 8AM–5PM
Wednesday: 8AM–5PM
Thursday: 8AM–5PM
Friday: 8AM–5PM
Saturday: Closed
leandra darcy
Firstly, I respect this team as people and fellow humans. That said, I can't recommend this firm for several reasons. 1-The cost for the boundary survey was a lot given the output. They didn't even complete the full scope of work - not putting in a stake in one of the corners citing 'the terrain' - yet I could get there easily. I paid even more for the topo survey and received no documents or output for this - this was important to me so I would have it for future projects. After $3500 and multiple questions to a shared email thread, I never received one response, or a file. The data was represented in the drain designs but not in a technical way that could be re-used - so I'm not sure what I paid for here. And, again - I couldn't get an answer to that question. 2-The communication, project mgmt and billing was incredibly frustrating. Again, very difficult to get answers or have a dialogue with any of the team working on the civil project. I was never apprised of a schedule, I could not get questions answered, critical information, photos/videos, septic drawings, landscape plans etc had to be sent multiple times to each relevant party vs being shared with the group by the PM. The designer/engineer had started the designs without ever being shown all the documentation and important info I had provided the Director and Survey lead. Without it he was beginning to consider subpar solutions. In the end, the septic system wasn't included in the survey recorded with the county. And, I had to remind the engineer/designer of the septic, the conditions, etc. When they came out for a site visit, we discussed a solution that would work for the setting and the situation. When I received the plans (with no explanation or walk-through) they were completely different then what we had discussed including a major deviation that was the exact opposite of what was discussed and recommended by a geotech engineer. When I called this out, I was then charged for the time to correct their mistake ($1000 worth of paying for their mistake). 3-Then, every single invoice had a mistake. I was billed for the time spent training their new employee on software, and also for a site visit that I was explicitly told by the Director that I wouldn't be charged as they were training a new hire. I also was charged $1000 for mysterious 'permitting' project mgmt and meetings though nothing was permitted or submitted for permitting. When I tried to understand the charges, I was simply emailed the exact wording on the invoice which I had inquired to understand its meaning. When I didn't receive a reply, I figured it was moot, or I was still waiting, and then was charged a late fee for their lack of communication. I also charged for items that I had already prepaid for in advance. I had to scour the bills because there was always an error - by the end about $1000 worth of errors. I will say that my experience was positive working with a structural engineer on another project, but that involved one site visit and resulted in a "report" that was just some ideas and an overview of her visit in an email. Though, I had to request the photos, notes, and drawings that were part of the paid site visit. This was surprising - again - due to the rate and time I had paid for. I think in the end I have a solid solution to my drainage issues - though - the process to get there was entirely too painful, and in the end, I felt completely disrespected as a client and a human being. While they might be great engineers, they need to get their operations together - especially for the prices they charge. It doesn't get much more expensive. Additionally, all the unfettered billing for items that really. should be their responsibility (they made the mistake, why am i paying to fix it?) After, I had requested a refund for a mistaken charge ($645), I was then billed for their time getting me a refund check...45 minutes to cut and mail a check. One would hope that this would come with an exceptional experience, and fair practices - but sadly this wasn't my experience.
Dave Stevens
Since beginning here I've found the staff to be very friendly and focused on my needs. Started with a short plat and decided to stay for the works (utility/grading plans, house plans, etc). The original estimate was straightforward and fair and through the several months that I've worked with them, they have not deviated from it. Being a layman myself, I am appreciative to be able to associated with so many professionals that can get this project done correctly using my thoughts and feedback.
Chelle Swim
I would not recommend using this company. We hired them for site plan/survey. Their pricing was very high, but I thought I'd be paying for quality work. Unfortunately, their work was not quality. They took forever to schedule--blaming staffing shortages/turnover. It took them 3 times to even get the site plan to match architectual drawings, they showed drain fields running uphill. I'm not an engineer and even I as a"lay person," was able to see their mistakes. Then they up- charged and added in ridiculous fees that they label as "admin fees". When I questioned these fees I was told it was for calling and scheduling the work to be done. These were hundreds of dollars in fees for making phone calls?! Trust me, save the headache and use another company!
ROBERT GITONGA
I would like to thank your company personnel at the customer services division for their excellent support. Your personal project assistant, Christa Johnson took care of all my queries in a jiffy. She also provided timely and helpful advice regarding the time frame for my site visit. Christa was extremely attentive and she listened to all my concerns with a great deal of patience. She also ensured that I received all the information regarding the mode of payment to the company and the time by which I would expect the letter of recommendations from visiting engineer. As a first owner I was nervous but she was able to come me down by answering most of my question with a lot of confidence and hope. She also solved the problem regarding the service charges which I faced. She has a caring approach and she is a true professional. Please accept my gratitude towards her and your customer care staff for their speedy and efficient services. I was able to complete the transaction within 2 days thanks to their attentive and alert presence. I would especially like to commend Christa for her professionalism and superlative skill. Your customer, Robert Gitonga.
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Site Visits are usually needed for projects with an existing structure. The purpose of the site visit is to have the Engineer examine the existing conditions prior to performing engineering analysis and design. For the site visit, the Engineer will travel to the site and meet with the client. During the consultation, the client will discuss goals or concerns for their project. The Engineer may look in the roof, the attic, and foundation crawlspace if needed and take measurements. While on site, the Engineer records observations from the visit that is necessary to perform analysis and design or provide recommendations for repairs. Deliverables for site visits can be letters of findings, a repair detail, or an engineered plan set with calculations. The needs will vary from project to project and the Engineer on site will provide information on what deliverables will be required.
A crack in a foundation can be sign of foundation settlement. Cracks in concrete is normal but a foundation crack can be a sign of something more serious. If a crack has grown or recently opened up is an indication of a potentially serious issue and you should immediately have a structural engineer come to inspect it to determine the seriousness of the situation and provide you with the next steps.
A “stop work order” is when a permitting agency, such as a City or County, serves you with a letter to stop working on a building due to either working without a permit or working beyond the extents of an approved permit. There are many variables to what is needed to start work again, but most often what we experience is that we will need to prepare a set of as-built plans of existing structure, prepare plans and engineering of proposed construction, site plans, and sometimes land use applications that can be used to submit to the permitting agency. WE DON’T RECOMMEND THAT YOU WORK ON A PROJECT WITHOUT A PERMIT. It has been our experience that it will take twice as much money and time to deal with a stop work order or un-permitted work than to have started with preparing the correct plans, reports, engineering, and documentation upfront.
The basic things we would look at, pending additional specific site questions, are: 1. Locations of wetlands, streams, etc. 2. Locations of any steep slopes 3. House layout 4. Driveway and parking layout 5. Septic location (if needed) 6. Soils information: as available through NRCS, we will let you know if there is a potential need for a full geotechnical report. 7. Flood plane proximity Feasibility studies can be simple to complex. The simple study will include the items listed above. If you want a very specific direction and roadmap toward whether you can build/develop what you desire on a property, then we suggest the more complex study. The complex study includes more detailed research of the property based on your specific requests, costs, and meetings with the permitting agency. As the permitting processes can vary so highly, it is not possible to know all of the likely permitting challenges before an application is submitted to a permitting agency.
1. Transportation (roads, rails, paths, bridges, etc.) 2. Storm water collection, conveyance and treatment 3. Sewage collection conveyance and treatment 4. Drinking water supply So much more!
A site plan is a single drawing that shows where your property is on a map, show it in relation to the properties that surround it, the streets it connects to, what buildings are on it, how you get to those buildings and property line lengths.
A Boundary survey will determine the location of your property based on the legal description. The process of preparing a boundary survey entails: determining where on the ground a particular parcel of land is in relation to other parcels and the surrounding features. During the process, survey crews will use various surveying tools and techniques in their work. Stakes and or markers, sometimes called monuments, may be placed to indicate locations and or information. Only after proper evaluation and documentation by the Licensed Land Surveyor, can these markers be judged "boundary" items. After this, these markers should usually be preserved. The location of property corners will trigger a Record of Survey to be recorded with the governing county the property is located within.
It depends on the type of remodel but most of the time the answer is yes. It is important to contact the building department before doing any work to determine if permits are required. Every jurisdiction is different and will have different requirements.
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