Frequently Asked Questions - Structural & Civil Engineering Services in the San Francisco Bay Area

Massoudi Consulting Engineers provides structural engineering, civil engineering, and architectural design for residential and commercial projects throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Structural engineering services include: framing design for new construction, bearing wall removal, seismic and soft-story retrofits, foundation engineering, home additions, and ADU structural engineering. Civil engineering services include: drainage design, retaining wall engineering, grading plans, and utility coordination. Architectural design services include: home remodel design, home addition design, ADU architectural design, and new construction design. All three disciplines are provided in-house by one coordinated team.

Yes. While headquartered in San Francisco, Massoudi Consulting Engineers actively serves clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Service area includes San Francisco (all neighborhoods and districts), San Jose, Marin County (San Rafael, Mill Valley, Tiburon, Sausalito), and San Mateo County (Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, Colma, Daly City, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, South San Francisco, Woodside). For project inquiries outside these areas, contact us at (415) 702-6462.

The process begins with a free initial consultation - by phone or in person at our San Francisco office - to discuss scope, goals, and timeline. Following the consultation, we conduct a site visit to assess existing conditions. Based on the assessment, we provide a written proposal outlining the scope of engineering services, deliverables, and fees. Once accepted, a dedicated licensed engineer and designer are assigned to your project and remain with it through permit approval. We also offer permit submittal assistance and construction administration services upon request.

Project timelines vary by scope and complexity. For straightforward residential remodels or bearing wall removal, engineering drawings are typically produced within two to four weeks after the site visit and design approval. Seismic retrofits and ADU projects may take four to eight weeks for engineering and architectural drawings depending on complexity. Permit review times are set by the building department and vary by jurisdiction. Massoudi Consulting Engineers coordinates closely with clients on scheduling and provides regular updates throughout the project.

Every project at Massoudi Consulting Engineers is assigned a dedicated licensed engineer and a designer who remain with the project from the first consultation through permit-approved drawings. Clients have direct access to the professionals responsible for their drawings throughout the process - not to project coordinators or rotating staff. Our engineers and designers work collaboratively with clients - including the option to review designs in person at our San Francisco office - ensuring the project aligns with the client's vision, timeline, and budget while meeting all applicable building code requirements.

Yes. Massoudi Consulting Engineers offers construction administration services - including responding to contractor RFIs (requests for information), reviewing contractor submittals, conducting site observations, and providing supplemental sketches or calculations as needed during construction. Construction administration is available upon request and can be included as part of your project scope.

Yes. Massoudi Consulting Engineers is led by Rod Massoudi, a California-licensed Professional Engineer (P.E. License No. C81412). All structural and civil engineering drawings are signed and stamped by a licensed P.E. in the State of California, as required by California Business and Professions Code Section 6735.

A seismic retrofit is a structural engineering modification to an existing building that improves its ability to withstand earthquake forces. Common seismic retrofits include foundation anchor bolting, cripple wall bracing, and soft-story structural reinforcement. In San Francisco, seismic retrofits may be required under the city's Mandatory Soft-Story Retrofit Program for multi-family wood-frame buildings, or recommended voluntarily for single-family homes that predate modern seismic codes. Massoudi Consulting Engineers assesses existing conditions and designs seismic retrofit systems that comply with San Francisco's retrofit program requirements and the California Existing Building Code.

Engineering fees vary by project type and scope. Massoudi Consulting Engineers provides a free initial consultation and a written project-specific proposal before any fees are incurred. We encourage clients to contact us at (415) 702-6462 or info@mcengrs.com to discuss their specific project - proposals are provided at no cost and without obligation.

ADU projects in San Francisco typically require structural engineering drawings (framing plans, foundation design, shear wall layout), and may also require civil engineering drawings (grading plans, drainage design) depending on site conditions. If the ADU involves architectural design - which most do - those drawings must also be coordinated with the structural and civil documents. Massoudi Consulting Engineers provides structural engineering, civil engineering, and architectural design for ADU projects in-house, producing a fully coordinated permit set that meets the requirements of San Francisco DBI.