I am an apartment owner/investor and want to let other apartment owners know about my experience…read morewith Reverence Engineering. Last year, I obtained an inspection of the deck and balcony at my family's 10 unit apartment complex in order to comply with Senate Bill 721. After learning that our cantilevered balcony needed structural work, I began calling engineering firms. I chose Reverence Engineering because I wanted to work with a smaller firm and I was impressed with my initial call with principal engineer Brett Sauers. During that conversation, he explained in simple terms how he would approach creating plans and seeking permits for a major retrofit of our balcony walkway. From there, I was kept well informed by email at every step of the way. Because I live out of state and was not able to be present for any site visits, Brett prepared an explanatory video for me so that I could see exactly what he was seeing and understand how we could solve the structural challenges. The draft plans were ready more quickly than I expected and Brett personally addressed all my questions with patience and precision. The City took longer than I had hoped to do its plan review, but Brett's staff sent me weekly updates. In addition, they walked me through all the forms that I needed to sign so it ended up being a pain-free process from start to finish. I really couldn't be happier with the attentiveness of Brett and his team, as well as the outcome. They deserve accolades for exceptional structural engineering work, at a very reasonable cost.

I submitted a request to Reverence for an Architect in early January 2026, I received a call back…read morefrom Brett to go over the services Reverence provides and their approach to support the clients. At the end of the call, Brett stated he would work on the contract and send over for review. The following week, I called Reverence to better understand the timeline for contract creation so I could maintain realistic expectations; I was told I should have the contract that day (January 13) or the following day (January 14). I contacted Reverence on January 20, after not receiving a response and was advised a message would be sent to Brett for an update. I again did not receive a response (no callback nor email) and contacted Reverence on January 22 and again on February 2, and was provided a similar response (that I should receive the contract soon if not today or the next). I subsequently left a message on February 4, indicating that I no longer wished to proceed with their services and would look elsewhere. I have no doubt that Reverence provides customers with solid service once contracted, however, I find it is equally important to effectively communicate with prospective clients to ensure transparency. I would have gladly waited a few more weeks if that was the standard and was communicated to me. Hopefully future clients will have a better experience.

We worked with Trent to get a full inspection on the foundation for a home we were buying. We were…read moreable to schedule him to come onsite with about a week's notice. His pricing was fair, he showed up on time, and he did a thorough evaluation. We had a complete, detailed report in our inbox the next morning. Overall great experience. Thanks!

Trent was very quick to respond and answer any questions i had. He was accommodating on getting out…read moreto the property in a timely manner. I would highly recommend him if you are in need of a report to evaluate your foundation issues and someone who knows how to interpret those findings.

We have worked with Amgad for several years on many different projects, and he has consistently…read morebeen an absolute pleasure to work with. He is professional, thorough, knowledgeable, and extremely detail-oriented in everything he does. One of the things we appreciate most is that he not only provides excellent structural engineering solutions, but he also brings thoughtful ideas and practical problem-solving to projects. He works collaboratively with the entire team and always takes the time to make sure every detail is properly considered. His plans are clear, well thought out, and reliable, and we have always felt confident recommending him to our clients. We truly value the working relationship we have built with him over the years and look forward to continuing to work together on many more projects. We have worked on projects throughout Orange County. Have done work with him in Newport Beach and many other coastal communities. Highly recommend.

Professional, courteous, and thorough. I needed a soil memo which was required by the county…read morebuilding department for a home remodel project. Emad was able to make his assessment quickly and provided the documents with all the required permit information. Will definitely use Emad's services again in the future.

I had the pleasure of working with an exceptional engineer Hamid who drafted the plans to convert…read moreour kitchen into an open-concept layout, which required removing a previously load-bearing wall. From start to finish, the level of professionalism, expertise, and attention to detail was truly outstanding. The engineer demonstrated a deep understanding of structural integrity while also respecting the design vision for the space. He carefully evaluated the existing structure and developed precise plans to safely support the load while allowing us to achieve the open, modern kitchen we wanted. His calculations and documentation were thorough and well-organized, which made the permitting and construction process much smoother. What impressed me most was his ability to balance technical precision with practical solutions. He communicated clearly, answered all questions patiently, and ensured the plans were easy for the contractor to follow. The result was a seamless transformation--our kitchen now feels bright, spacious, and beautifully integrated with the rest of the home. If you need an engineer for structural modifications, especially for projects involving load-bearing walls, I highly recommend his services. His expertise, reliability, and commitment to quality truly set him apart.

I had a roofer tell me that my entire roof support structure was in danger of failing and they had…read moretheir structural engineer come out. The estimate was astronomical and would take months to complete. I brought in Distinguished Structural Engineers to give me a second opinion. They give me a written analysis with lots of pictures pointing out some issues, but they gave us peace of mind that the structure was fundamentally sound and only needed attention in a few areas. We used one of their recommended roofers and spent a tiny fraction of the first roofer's estimate to correct the issues. I highly recommend Distinguished Structural Engineers for any work you're considering.

David Thomas is an incredible engineer. I've been working with him (I am a designer) for about 3…read moreyears on about 20 projects per year, both commercial and residential. He's smart, personable, works quickly, and does a great job. I have stopped getting bids from other engineers because David completes the work faster, more accurately and without any hassle. For instance, we just worked together on a new restaurant that was structurally complicated. The plan checker at the city only had one structural question after reviewing the plans. This is unheard of. The result is that your project will be permitted much faster if David Thomas engineering generates the structural plans and calcs. Unlike other engineers, he is responsive and always answers the phone, and he is fun to talk to. I highly recommend David Thomas Engineering, you should give him a call if you're looking for a great engineer.

David Thomas was recommended by Denise at Larson Design. She said he was the best for such a…read morecomplicated project and she was right. After submitting the plans, the structural plan checker had one question only. This is amazing. We're talking about a 2 story complicated restaurant. He is a pleasure to work, works quickly, and comes across as very intelligent. I highly recommend David Thomas Engineering.

ProStruct performed an inspection, providing a timely proposal and were able to quickly schedule an…read moreinspection. They also provided follow on proof of inspection very quickly after performing the inspection.

ProStruct performed an assessment of a structure that a neighbor built on our property to ensure…read moreproper removal. They were responsive and came out right away/. They provided an evaluation report which was very helpful to ensure the removal was done properly. The report was very helpful for us and the company removing the structure to understand what needed to be done so that other damage did not occur. The engineer that was knowledgeable and pleasant to deal with as the other people in the office. I would use them again. and recommend them.

Super smart, responsive and reasonably priced. I've worked with Jeff a few times and he follows…read morethrough and does a great job. Highly recommend.

From the owner: Choosing a structural engineer can be a daunting task. I can take any problem you have , big or…read moresmall, and provide a solution.

Because we are in a historic district we are required to obtain a ridiculous amount of…read moredocumentation for any kind of work to the outside of our property. We reached out to Scott to assist in developing plans to provide to the city to get the new deck permitted. He was extremely helpful, provided a wealth of information, and we felt that he truly had our best interest in mind. While we didn't end up using his service at this time, due to a plethora of reasons, in the future we will definitely reach out if a similar service is needed. Thank you, Scott, for all the help!

Reached out to him to see what service he provides and if he would be a good fit to design the…read moreremoval of our load bearing wall / a beam to replace it. He never returned the phone call and just texted to say that he couldn't answer any questions without a $1600 site visit. Not even a call to discuss what services he provided and what the $1600 would include. I found another engineering / design company (Reverence Engineering) who called me back immediately. The owner spent 45 minutes on the phone with me teaching me about the process of permitting and what a site visit would look like. Needless to say, I went with reverence engineering.

The team at Paterson Engineering is very professional and easy to work with. They are helpful and…read moreunderstanding of budgets as it relates to design etc. Their drawings are very clear, and they seem to have a good reputation with the city plan checkers as well. I highly recommend them for all your structural engineering needs.

Very poor service. We contacted them and they never contacted us to give us an estimate of their…read moreservices or anything.

I want to start by saying that I'm genuinely grateful this long process finally ended with my…read morepermit being approved. Having the resolution was a relief, and the job captain became responsive toward the very end. Unfortunately, the overall experience with Streamline Design & Permitting was extremely difficult, and I think future clients deserve a clear and factual account of what occurred. Background I purchased a home where the previous owner had illegally converted storage space into a studio unit. When I received a code violation, I began the permitting process with another company, but their drafter became unavailable mid-project. That gave me a point of comparison for transparency, communication, and timelines. I interviewed two new companies. One said submission would take 3-4 weeks; Streamline promised submission within one week. Because I was losing rental income, I chose Streamline based on their faster timeline. In reality, the kickoff call didn't happen for a week, and the first submission went in roughly three weeks after hiring them. That slow start reflected the rest of what became a nine-month process. 1. Lack of Transparency The previous company had been clear about timelines, what the City typically requires, and how reviews worked. Streamline did not offer the same level of transparency. I repeatedly asked for City comments so I could understand progress, but I almost never received them directly. The only reason I became aware of several major issues was because the previous drafting company was still copied on City emails and forwarded them to me. This created the impression that I was not getting full visibility into City feedback or into avoidable errors being made. 2. Repeated Avoidable Mistakes Several errors added delays and extra rounds of review: * The first submission labeled the unit as a JADU, even though I explained during the kickoff call that my zoning does not allow a JADU. * When the title was corrected, the internal sheets still referenced "JADU" throughout. * After a phone call I requested with the City--where reviewers clearly stated the space must be submitted as a non-habitable owner's office unless I pursued an ADU--Streamline resubmitted it as "living space." This contradicted explicit City direction and triggered additional comments, delays, and added costs. When I asked about the error, I was given an explanation referencing terminology used on another project rather than a clear acknowledgment that a mistake had been made. None of these issues were proactively disclosed. 3. Invoicing and Lack of Clarity I repeatedly asked for a breakdown of how the billed hours were spent. The previous drafting company separated administrative coordination from drafting work. Streamline billed everything at drafting rates without itemization, including tasks like forwarding emails, coordination, and follow-ups--some of which I ultimately handled myself. When I requested clarification, the responses felt defensive rather than explanatory. 4. Communication Tone From Leadership When I expressed concerns about transparency and billing, the CEO's response felt dismissive. He stated that if I didn't like their pricing, I should have hired someone else, and noted that questioning hours could result in the project being placed on hold. This was after nine months of delays and multiple attempts on my part to express concerns constructively. 5. After the Permit Was Finally Approved Despite everything, I reached out again for the next phase (an ADU conversion) because I hoped Streamline might handle the next stage more smoothly, especially since the job captain I had worked with was no longer with the company. I requested drafting support only--not submission--so I could personally manage communication with the City. Instead of a drafting-only scope, I received a large proposal priced as if the project was starting from scratch. When I requested my CAD files so I could hire a different drafter, Streamline asked for additional fees. I ended up hiring a new drafter who is recreating the plans for less than Streamline quoted to update the existing ones. Summary Streamline presents very confidently on the sales side, but in my experience the drafting quality was inconsistent, mistakes were not acknowledged, transparency was limited, and communication lacked accountability. The job captain was pleasant and responsive at the end, but there were many avoidable errors throughout the process. The experience was far more stressful, time-consuming, and expensive than it needed to be. Final Note Streamline's contract includes a non-disparagement clause. Everything above reflects documented facts: dated emails, City correspondence, the project timeline, and written communication with Streamline. My intention is to provide an accurate account so future homeowners can make an informed decision.

Working with Devin and his team has been an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Their attention…read moreto detail and organization is unmatched -- every set of plans we've built from them has been clear, complete, and thoughtfully designed. As a contractor, that level of precision makes all the difference. They know the permitting process inside and out, and it shows. What could have been a drawn-out headache turned into a seamless, well-managed experience. Highly recommend to any homeowner or builder looking for a true professional partner in San Diego.