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 our office is located 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, Oakland, Berkeley, 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.

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.

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.

For special inspections, please contact your local building department for a list of approved special inspection agencies. We can assist in coordinating these inspections as part of our comprehensive service offering​​.