I contacted Joshua B. Kardon, PhD, SE, F.ASCE, on the advice of a friend who is an architect after…read morewe won the bidding war (for $869K) on a 1924 Craftsman home in San Leandro in 2019. It had several issues, especially a problematic (cracked) original foundation. When Joshua Kardon informed us that we might have to spend a considerable portion of the above purchase price to properly fix up the house, make it earthquake-safe, and bring it up to current codes, we decided to pass on this lovely house. (He told us that replacing the cracked original foundation and raising the basement ceiling from 75 inches height to 96 inches on the 1400-square-foot home - all by itself - might cost $200-$300,000 and take many months. The home had other issues, too.) We later purchased a smaller 1954 ranch-style home in almost-as-built condition and called Joshua Kardon again for a consultation about seismic strengthening. He designed the almost-finished project that spans the front of our home and protects it against earthquakes. Joshua Kardon selected a "SkinnyBrace" by Thor Matteson, SE, of Quake Bracing LLC as the most cost-effective way to anchor our garage and the front of the house using attic collectors and garage shear walls. Nieto Valle Construction of Hayward has executed his designs and will soon finish the garage drywall and attic insulation. Joshua B. Kardon, SE, has always insisted on designing and implementing the best possible seismic strengthening solution for us and his solution is now in place. His attention to detail and insistence on doing things "the right way" are highly reassuring and have produced great results. Josh is also very personable, patient in educating us as to why certain design strategies work better, and has a great sense of humor. I would recommend Joshua B. Kardon + Co., Structural Engineers, in a heartbeat to anyone considering seismic strengthening or any other projects requiring the services of an experienced, thorough, detail-oriented, and friendly structural engineer.

Josh was very kind and helpful in providing feedback on an early inquiry as to how I should…read moreapproach working with a structural engineer and contractor in an aspirational project I've started to think through. His calm, kind and approachable energy is exactly the kind of professionalism you want on your upcoming project.

I hired SF Bay Engineering for seismic retrofit plans under the Earthquake Brace and Bolt program…read more I was told architectural drawings were required before they could proceed, so I hired and paid an architect to prepare them. After multiple back and forth and with SF Bay Engineering admitting they aren't familiar with the requirements, they terminated the contract. They refunded their engineering fee, but the architectural cost remained my responsibility. I brought the matter to small claims court, and the court ruled that because I retained the plans, reimbursement was not warranted. I recommend future clients clarify in writing how architectural costs will be handled if SF Bay Engineering terminates the contract. Happy to provide additional details upon request

Excellent service. Requested a structural evaluation for some cracks across areas of drywall at my…read moreresidential home. The onsite engineer walked my partner through the damage and inspected the foundation. Provided a thorough report with recommendations for structural improvements. Competitive rates. I appreciate their quality, service and price.

I cannot say enough good things about Kent! He has helped us with the most important purchases…read morewe've made and with one of the most important things for our family (safety). While on the market for a house, our realtor contacted Kent for several verbal inspections. On one property that we were interested in making a bid on, we weren't sure if we needed a structural inspection because the house appeared well maintained and the lot was very flat. However, Kent came and told us this house would likely fall apart in a big earthquake, because it appeared never to have had any seismic retrofits since it was built 100 years ago. Bringing it up to current safety standards would likely be a huge project costing around $400k. We avoided a real lemon! Before making an offer on our current house, Kent also came. This house was in bad shape with a lot of deferred maintenance and borderline in a yellow zone on the Kropp map. However, Kent told us that the foundation looked good, seismic retrofits had been done probably in the last 20 years (so no further work was needed), and it was probably on bedrock. Sure enough, when we were replacing sewer laterals, the crew confirmed his evaluation (it was very difficult to dig and they had to drill a lot). At the same visit, we mentioned that we were going to see another house that just listed, which was more move-in ready. Kent advised us (free of charge!) that he already inspected that house and to avoid it completely. It was in a landslide zone and had already encroached into the neighbor's lot! That saved us a lot of time! Recently, I contacted Kent to evaluate our detached garage for seismic retrofitting, which to our knowledge had never been retrofitted since it was built about 100 years ago. Kent came for a site visit and wrote up a short report. He noticed that some of the concrete around the pillars looked newer and encouraged us to look through old permitting archives. When we did this and sent him the microfiche files from the early 1990's, he told us that indeed seismic retrofitting was done then and we didn't need to update it! Saved us probably around $30k!

Professional, knowledgeable, practical, accessible, reliable, efficient…read more Helped us navigate a difficult deck project in El Cerrito. I would highly recommend Kent for your project and I plan to use him on future projects.

Engin was very communicative and patient when describing to me the kind of work that needs to be…read moredone to reinforce retaining walls. He detailed what services may be necessary (such as soil reports), referred me to several geotechnical firms, and promptly gave ballpark estimates so I can have a good idea what to expect. I appreciate his professionalism, knowledge, and kindness.

We hired ECR Engineering for a seismic retrofit design and build project in our Pacific Heights…read morehome, and we couldn't be happier. Navigating SF building codes is a nightmare, but Engin and the team made the structural side of things seamless. They provided cost-effective design solutions that saved us on construction costs without compromising safety. They were incredibly responsive to our contractor's questions and helped us get through the permitting process faster than expected. If you need a structural engineer in the city who actually understands old SF buildings, this is the firm.

Andrew was quick and easy to work with. He made a Saturday appointment and was very prompt. Would…read moredefinitely recommend

After posting the initial review Andrew reached out, apologized for the delay, offered a discount…read moreand provided me with the quote later that evening. I'm updating the review to reflect that I did receive the quote, since I initially noted he had not provided one.

I recently had the pleasure of working with EAS Designers, and I couldn't be more satisfied with…read morethe experience. From start to finish, their team was professional, responsive, and genuinely committed to delivering good-quality results. Despite the recent city legalization challenges, they handled everything with transparency and expertise, keeping me informed throughout the entire process. Their knowledge of local regulations and attention to detail really set them apart and gave me peace of mind. If you're looking for a reliable and trustworthy design team, I highly recommend EAS Designers. I would absolutely work with them again and encourage others to do the same!

So I'm seeing cracks on my ceiling and they are starting to worry me…read more I checked Yelp and Nextdoor for some structural engineer recommendations. When I contacted them to get more information they responded timely. Made an appointment with them about a week and a half later. Arash came to the house and looked everywhere garage, outside, all the rooms. And thankfully he said there is no foundation concern. Took him I want to say about 40min to look everywhere. They are not cheap. My eyes almost popped out of my socket when I heard about their rate. But I want someone with experience to look at the house. Anyways, there is a little hiccup with the invoice but they reached back to me quickly to resolve it. The inspection cost is separate to the report fee. Just fyi. Nice people, happy to have found them.

Dan and his team recently inspected our property for seismic safety as per the service I requested…read more They were thorough , seemed very knowledgeable and I enjoyed discussion our project with his team. Highly recommend.

Dan and his wife Cecilia are very professional and drama-free. His crew were very efficient in…read moretaking measurements and Dan went over the overall plan in simple language for our Earthquake Brace and Bolt project. Thanks for everything!

Peiman and Laleh have been a phenomenal help. They are patient, kind, knowledgeable, and willing to…read morego the extra mile, when extra questions or issues arose with our contractor. We wouldn't be more thrilled to recommend them. Peiman's team's professionalism and skill make them a rare find for home remodeling projects in the Bay Area.

I contacted more than 20 structural engineers in attempting to even get someone to take my call,…read morelet alone to make my choice of whom to work with for seismic calculations for my home remodel project. Mr. Peiman Ghaffari of S&P Structural Engineers clearly stood out above the rest. He was the fastest to respond; the best communicator -- patient, clear, and easy to work with; and was the one who completed my project with integrity, high technical competency, and professionalism, exactly on time. I have to say I count myself fortunate for finding and choosing Mr. Ghaffari / S&P for my work and I would hope to hire him again if ever a new need arises.

Working with Irvin at Prostruct Engineering was a breath of fresh air. After purchasing a new home…read moreand enduring my first winter, I was incredibly nervous to find significant water in my crawl space and cracks along the raised foundation. I initially signed a contract with Prostruct, but after Irvin reviewed my photos, he demonstrated a level of integrity that is rare to find. Instead of taking the job, he honestly informed me that my specific issues fell outside their scope. He took the time to explain what I was seeing, referred me to a geotechnical engineer who could actually solve the problem, and issued me a full refund. I greatly appreciated his transparency and professional guidance. I highly recommend Prostruct Engineering to anyone looking for an honest assessment--they clearly prioritize the customer's needs over their own bottom line.

I've worked with ProStruct Engineering on a couple of my projects for full plan sets, and I…read morecouldn't be happier with the experience. Their team is very professional, responsive, and easy to work with. The plans were well-prepared and detailed, and the city approved them with minimal corrections, which really speaks about their quality and attention to detail. One of the projects was on a hillside property, where the foundation requirements were quite intense, but their team handled it seamlessly with well-thought-out and detailed designs. See pics. They always delivered on time and maintained excellent communication throughout the process, keeping me informed at every step. I highly recommend ProStruct Engineering to anyone looking for reliable and efficient structural design services! A special mention to Lokesh, who I worked with directly -- he was very responsive, understood my needs clearly, and made sure everything was addressed on time.