Structural engineering: understand the building before you intervene.
Cracks, settlement, an opening in a load-bearing wall, a change of use: our structural engineers, members of the OIQ, assess the condition of the structure, identify the probable causes and design the required intervention, from the technical opinion to the plans and specifications, through to construction supervision.
- Structural engineers (OIQ)
- Concrete, masonry, wood and steel
- From diagnosis to the certificate of completion
Structural engineers (OIQ)
Opinions, calculations and drawings: everything is signed and sealed by the engineer who answers for it.
Concrete, masonry, wood, steel
The materials of existing buildings, from every era.
From diagnosis to construction
The same team, from the first findings to the certificate of completion.
All types of buildings
Plexes, condominiums, rental, commercial, institutional and industrial.
When to call a structural engineer
Some signs warrant an engineer’s opinion before the situation gets worse. Other situations require one before work even begins.
Cracks in foundations or masonry
Stair-step, diagonal or widening cracks, recurring leaks: the engineer tells normal shrinkage apart from structural movement.
Sagging floors, settlement
Sloping floors, sticking doors, deformed joists or beams: signs of overloading, rot or settlement of the supports.
Opening or removing a load-bearing wall
Open-concept layout, a new door, a widened opening in a foundation wall: the beam or lintel must be designed, along with its supports.
Change of use or new loads
Adding a storey, rooftop equipment, pallet racking, converting a space: the existing structure must be checked for the new loads.
Damage after an impact or a loss
Vehicle impact, fire, prolonged water damage: the structure must be secured and the damage assessed before the repair is designed.
City notice or dangerous condition
Notice of violation, request for an engineer’s report, an element at risk of falling: a signed report is often required within a set deadline.
Good to know: as a rule, modifying a load-bearing element (wall, beam, column, foundation) requires drawings signed and sealed by an engineer to obtain the municipal permit. It is better to consult before starting the work than after.
From diagnosis to the design of the intervention
Whether the mandate stems from a concern, a project or a City requirement, the approach is the same: understand the building, assess its condition and determine the required intervention.
Inspection and technical opinion
Condition survey of the structure, investigation of the probable causes of the problems, risk assessment and prioritized recommendations.
Load capacity and structural reinforcement
Verification of the existing structure for new loads (added storey, equipment, racking, change of use) and design of the required reinforcement: steel, concrete or carbon fibre.
Openings and load-bearing walls
Removal of load-bearing walls, transfer beams, lintels and reinforcement of openings in cast-in-place concrete or block walls.
Foundations
Cracking, settlement, stabilization with piles, underpinning and retaining walls.
Concrete and masonry rehabilitation
Slabs, balconies, columns and walls: concrete repair, reinforcement corrosion, securing and rebuilding masonry.
Wood and steel framing
Assessment and reinforcement of joists, beams, columns and roof framing, including deteriorated members.
Shoring and temporary measures
Securing the structure after an impact or a dangerous condition, shoring of slabs for construction equipment.
Forensic engineering
Objective expert report on deficiencies, faulty workmanship and latent defects, in the context of a claim or a dispute.
Rehabilitating façades and parking structures: envelope and structure, together
The deficiencies found during the inspections required by Bill 122 are rarely purely structural or purely related to the envelope. Water that gets through failing cladding or a failing membrane often ends up reaching the anchors and the reinforcing steel. A repair that addresses only one of the two risks not lasting: our engineers design the work with both in mind.
Where is the water coming from?
Masonry cladding, joints, flashing, parking membranes and drainage: understand the path of the water to cut off the cause of the deterioration.
What is still carrying the load?
Anchors, shelf angles, lintels, balconies, slabs and columns: assess the residual capacity of the affected elements and design their repair or replacement.
Structural design of the work
Repair methods
Choice of intervention based on the extent and probable cause of the deterioration: partial-depth, deep or full-depth repair.
Concrete repair
Delineation of repair areas, demolition depth, treatment of corroded reinforcement and specification of the repair concrete.
Reinforcement drawings
Replacement or supplementary reinforcement, lap lengths, anchorage and dowels, detailed in accordance with CSA A23.3.
Strengthening and protection
Strengthening of slabs, beams and columns with reduced capacity, and corrosion protection of the reinforcement.
Replacement
Design of new slabs, beams, columns or balconies when repair is no longer viable, including temporary shoring and phasing.
From your request to the intervention, in 5 steps
A single point of contact, and conclusions that the owner, the manager or the board of directors can read and act on.
1. Preliminary analysis
You send us the address, a description and a few photos. We pin down the question and send you a quote.
2. Site visit and surveys
Inspection by the engineer, dimensional and photographic surveys, exploratory openings as needed.
3. Analysis and calculations
Investigation of the causes, verification of the elements under the Quebec Construction Code and the applicable CSA standards.
4. Signed deliverable
Technical opinion, report or plans and specifications, depending on the mandate. Signed and sealed by an engineer who is a member of the OIQ.
5. Construction
Tendering, answers to the contractor’s questions, construction supervision and certificate of completion.
Documents that help you decide, and build
Each document is designed for the next step: obtaining the permit, requesting prices or carrying out the work.
Observation report and recommendations
Findings photographed and located, probable causes, level of urgency and recommended interventions.
Calculation note
Assumptions, loads and verification of the elements, for a complete and verifiable file.
Plans and specifications for permit and construction
Structural drawings, details and technical specifications, ready for submission to the City and for tendering.
Certificate of completion
Following supervision, a signed and sealed letter confirms that the work was carried out in accordance with the plans.
Reference framework: Quebec Construction Code, Chapter I – Building (NBC, Quebec amendments) · CSA A23.3 (concrete) · CSA S304 (masonry) · CSA S16 (steel) · CSA O86 (wood).
What our clients count on, mandate after mandate
The design engineer is the one who visits
Inspection, analysis and design are carried out by structural engineers who are members of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec.
Practical solutions
Our interventions take into account the constraints of an occupied building: access, phasing, costs and contractors’ methods.
More than 2,350 projects
Century-old plexes, high-rise condominiums, underground parking structures, commercial and industrial buildings.
One partner, from diagnosis to construction
The same team establishes the diagnosis, designs the intervention, supervises the site and certifies completion of the work.
Structure, envelope and their maintenance
Our structural engineers also work on façades, parking structures and long-term maintenance planning. One team, no inconsistencies between professionals.
Structural engineering
Inspection, technical opinions, calculations, plans and specifications, construction supervision.
Renovation and rehabilitation projects
From defining the needs to the acceptance of the work.
Reserve fund study and maintenance log
Long-term planning of replacements and contributions.
What we are asked about structural engineering
Do I need an engineer to remove a load-bearing wall?
Yes. The replacement beam, its columns and their supports down to the foundations must be designed. Most municipalities require drawings signed and sealed by an engineer to issue the permit.
Is a crack in my foundation serious?
Not necessarily. Many cracks are caused by concrete shrinkage and have no structural consequence. Their shape, width, progression and the other signs observed allow the engineer to tell a shrinkage crack apart from movement that needs to be corrected.
What is the difference between a building inspector and a structural engineer?
A building inspector reports visible anomalies and often recommends consulting an engineer. A structural engineer assesses the cause and extent of the problem, performs the calculations, designs the correction and signs drawings that engage his or her professional liability.
I received a notice from the City. Can you help?
Yes. We inspect the building, produce the engineer’s report requested and, where applicable, the drawings for the corrective work, so that the notice can be lifted. Send us the notice as soon as you receive it: deadlines are often short.
Can you respond to emergencies?
A dangerous condition (a bulging wall, an element at risk of falling, damage after an impact) is handled as a priority. We recommend immediate measures (safety perimeter, shoring), then the permanent repair.
How much does a structural assessment cost?
The price depends on the nature of the mandate: an opinion on a crack does not have the same scope as reinforcement drawings. Based on your description and a few photos, we send you a detailed quote, with no obligation.
Do you also carry out the work?
We are not contractors. We prepare the plans and specifications, support the tendering process, answer the contractor’s questions, supervise the site and certify completion of the work.
Do you handle latent defect cases?
Yes. We produce expert reports on the condition of structural elements, the probable causes of the problems and the cost of the corrective work. These reports are written with the objectivity expected of an expert before the court.
Let’s talk about your structure
Describe the situation and attach a few photos. An engineer calls you back to clarify the mandate and send you a quote.
- No-charge, no-obligation preliminary analysis
- You speak directly with the engineer
- Service in English or French
Prefer to call?
514-929-8752 · info@groupedarheim.ca