I am an apartment owner/investor and want to let other apartment owners know about my experience with 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. read more

I submitted a request to Reverence for an Architect in early January 2026, I received a call back from 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. read more

Brett and the team at Reverence are seriously experts at what they do. They provided weekly, structured emails to let us know what progress was being made and what was next. They navigated difficult engineering and code issues with expertise and had the network and connections to get answers when needed. They even brought on extra resources for our home remodel project just to make sure they gave us the best layout possible. I can't recommend them enough. We've used them more than once and they always go the extra mile and do the right thing for their customers at every turn. You can tell a lot by how a group handles problems and when things go wrong, especially in construction. The Reverence team really impressed us by how they navigated our projects challenges and found a way to get us what we needed. Regardless of where your project is located, you should give them a call. read more

I think it's important to give credit when credit is due. The entire team at Reverence Engineering is dedicated to providing a professional product and experience. I reached out to Reverence for my custom home build. I had purchased architectural drawings from another company and needed Brett and his team to provide the structural set of plans. The first thing that stood out to me was the ability for Brett and his team to listen to exactly what I needed from them. They took every bit of information from me and set expectations and timelines that were adhered to met. The next thing that stood out was their communication. They have weekly updates they send you in order to keep you up to speed on your project's progress. I never at one point felt that I was left out of the loop or forgotten about. Whenever Brett had a question he would reach out via a zoom call and give me a visual idea of what his questions where based off the planes that where in front of him. All in all if you need structural engineering big or small give Brett and his team a call. They will meet you expectations and deliver results on time. read more

We worked with Reverence Engineering on a house remodel in 2025, and we can't recommend them highly enough. Although our home is on the smaller side, our remodel was quite extensive--relocating the kitchen, removing structural walls, adding a small addition, and vaulting ceilings. From the very first meeting with Brett, we were impressed. He listened closely, answered all our questions thoroughly, and took the time to explain every step of the process in detail. The follow-up videos he sent were an especially thoughtful touch--super helpful for digesting complex info at our own pace without needing to schedule extra meetings. During the design phase, we worked primarily with Jake and Liliana, and both were fantastic. Jake didn't just deliver the design we asked for--he also presented an alternative concept we hadn't considered, and that's ultimately the one we went with. His creativity completely transformed the way we thought about our space, and we're so glad we trusted his instincts. Liliana was equally wonderful--responsive, clear, and kept us well-informed throughout the drafting process. Summer, from operations, was always on hand to answer questions and keep us updated on timelines, and Brett stayed involved from start to finish, making sure everything stayed on track. If you're looking for a creative, thorough, and thoughtful team to support your remodel or design project, we'd absolutely recommend Reverence Engineering. We're thrilled with the outcome and grateful for the experience! read more

Reverence Engineering provided key structural documents for inclusion in my submission to the City of San Diego Development Services to obtain permit for the conversion of an existing 3 car garage into a 1,000 sq ft 1 bedroom/1 bath luxury ADU in Sunset Cliffs/Point Loma. Initially, I worked directly with Brett Sauers, President and Principal Engineer. He came on site in August of 2019 following the removal of drywall which exposed the existing permitted garage structure. Brett immediately reviewed my proposed plans and identified several walls that were not part of the structural system, so I was able to continue with demolition while he then he drafted initial structural engineering documents for permit submission (permitting and architectural by others). Due to significant COVID-related shutdown delays with the building department, I chose to complete construction of the ADU without fully obtaining a permit at the time (Reverence Engineering was not involved in this decision and was not involved in the permit process for my project). By the time the city caught up their backlog of permit requests, our construction was already complete, and I had been generating substantial rental income. Once the inspectors finally came on site in April of 2025 to inspect the ADU, they only listed a mere 4 items we needed to "correct", none of which were structural. Ultimately, Reverence Engineering was instrumental in getting me to this point by professionally preparing my initial structural plans that did not require any changes from the city reviewers or inspectors. However, in the field I chose to make a small change to the wall which connected the ADU to the Main Home. That design change triggered a request by the City for structural plan modifications. Thus, Reverence Engineering was re-engaged 6.5 years after Brett's initial visit. For these modifications, I worked directly with Angelene Taduran, P.E. (their new and amazing structural engineering manager) and Summer Bryant, their impeccable operations director. Like Brett, both Angelene and Summer were professional, competent, thoughtful and responsive. If you have had any experience with the residential construction trade, you know companies/contractors come and go, frequently collecting money in advance and never following through. Not so with Reverence Engineering. While they have grown in size and sophistication (adopting technologies to keep clients informed of weekly progress) they continue to deliver as promised both on time and on their estimate of costs. Of all the trades I used to complete my garage to ADU conversion, only Reverence Engineering stands as the most trusted partner in my continued journey to obtain a permit. read more

We are just completing a good size remodel. 4KSF, walls coming down, new kitchen location...all of it. Best decision was hiring Reverence, not only for the structural engineering but the entire process. Meaning some design, working with the contractor and sheparding plans thru the county to get the permits and frankly trusted advisors, keeping us on track and knowledgeable of best practices. From the first time I called and spoke with Summer it was a great experience. Communication was outstanding, prompt reponses and insights to what can obviously be a stressful time. We were never left wondering. One of the things I liked were the weekly updates. Answered lots of questions before I had to ask. As mentioned walls coming down steel supports etc, it had a high degree of complexity especially with nursing plans thru the many county departments. What could have been a couple tricky spots were expertly navigated by Reverence. They really had a 100% grasp of every detail of our project. This paid dividends after first plan submission. They were returned with really only some language the county wanted. So here is where they really earned this review. We decided to move up our project start timing by 90 days due to tarrifs, labor etc. Because Reverence nailed the first submission so well we were able to capitolize, move up the timeline and save a ton of money on steel, appliance, materials etc. If you are reading this you are probably about go down this road for your own project. I am a very detail oriented person and over do my research. I've learned more than I ever want to know about windows, cabinets, load bearing walls, flooring, framing, and so much more. My experience strongly tells me you need a trusted partner, the right team. Especially if something goes screwy and something will go screwy in a remodel, no way around it. Make sure you have the right team and partner. Call Summer and let Brett, Liliana, Katlyn, Adam, ansd Angelene manage your project and sleep easier. read more

I looked for a structural engineer for over a month. Interviewing and talking to over 6 structural engineers. I became very frustrated and then I was referred to Brett and his team at Reverence Engineering. It was the BEST decision I made through this entire new construction project. Their knowledge, expertise, communication, quick responses, attention to detail, and professionalism was beyond what I expected. Not only are they extremely knowledgeable with structural engineering but they are familiar with the entire process start to finish with architects all the way to how the city works. I wish I could give them 10 stars. I highly highly recommend this company and would use them for any future projects I have. read more

We had a great experience working with Brett and Reverence on a 2 bed & 1 bath addition to our home in Point Loma. They handled the entire planning and permitting process and then provided several recommended contractors, one of whom we chose to work with. They worked closely with him as needed during construction and everything turned out great. read more

My husband and I purchased our first home in late 2021 and began our search for contactors soon after. There was a wall we were looking to take down, and we were getting mixed (or non-transparent) feedback on whether or not the wall was load-bearing. It was frustrating to say the least. Finally, at the recommendation of one of the contractors, we decided to put this question to bed and have Brett come in and assess. He confirmed the walls which were load bearing, was extremely knowledgeable, and was able to explain to us in simple terms that we could understand as non-engineers. We decided to move forward with the permit process with Reverence Engineering and working with Brett, Jel, Summer, and team and everything went smoothly on their end. We appreciated the weekly project drumbeats which would give us a summary of where we were currently at, upcoming plans, our action items, etc. The team was also patient with us when we ran into snags on our end. Overall, we are so happy to have worked with Reverence Engineering to help make our house a home. read more

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We wanted to open our kitchen to the rest of the home, as well as expand the kitchen's footprint via relatively small additions.  Also, our home was originally a dual master, and we wanted to split the second master bedroom into two independent bedrooms.  We engaged Brett and the Reverence team because we were impressed with their knowledge, responsiveness and reasonable pricing/contracting structure and really liked that they could offer engineering and drafting services together. We quickly learned that what we believed to be a straightforward renovation was actually quite tricky given our objectives and the existing conditions.  Brett took ample time to work through different options with us with a careful eye toward design, cost of implementation and complexity/structural risks.  Brett is adept at describing issues and solutions at a high-level, both verbally and graphically.  Additionally, I personally find the engineering/building process very interesting and I found that Brett was keen to nerd out a bit and educate me on the nitty gritty that others may not be interested in.  Brett was also very helpful at identifying quality GC's and appropriate project bids based on the scope of work we were contemplating. Ultimately, we overcame some complex structural issues through a series of meetings and settled on a plan that we found suitable and that Brett was confident would achieve our goals and would also avoid issues during the construction phase.  The permitting submission/approval process was very smooth and Brett handled necessary responses quickly and without much input from us.  During construction, there were a few modifications needed based on existing conditions once the walls were fully opened up, but Brett worked with our GC/framer to adjust on the fly and we passed inspection with no problems and maintained (and in some ways improved) our design objectives. We love how our home turned out and it was in large part to having such thoughtful design and engineering input from Brett.  Brett was more than reasonable when we made minor or even major modifications to the scope and he was quick to take responsibility to enhance the experience or remediate where appropriate. He and his team (especially Summer) were and continue to be incredibly focused on client-service and were great at helping us navigate the whole process.  We are very thankful we landed on Reverence to help in our renovation and would strongly recommend them for anyone seeking structural changes to their home. read more

I purchased a home with a detached granny flat with "permits unknown". Two years later a city inspector appeared at my door and later sent a notice that it was not permitted and had to be corrected within 90 days or I would be fined $280/day until corrected. This is a scary notice to receive. In hind-site, this is impossible. I was so lucky Brett at Reverence Engineering agreed to help and navigate the labyrinth of code requirements and city bureaucracy. This was not a fun or easy process but Reverence stuck with us the entire way. I can now say I'm the happy owner of a fully permitted ADU! Reverence Engineering accomplished the impossible! read more

Brett is amazing. We had a very complicated project that no one could tell me the first steps on and he was by far the most knowledgeable person we spoke to on the scope and project limitations. Pricing was very fair and transparent and we received weekly updates on the project as well as fast responses when we had questions. Highly recommend! read more

We had an awesome experience with Brett. From the very first phone call he actually took the time to educate me on SO much regarding permits, load bearing walls, the blueprints, architecture plans, timelines, what to expect. Because he was so thorough with the phone call I had absolutely no problem paying his fee to come out and do a site visit. During the site visit he met with my husband and gave him so much great information. We ultimately did not need to go with reverence engineering for our project but I know without a doubt that next time I need a design firm, I will be reaching out to Brett. read more

I was referred to Brett in 2019 to help me understand a code violation on a home my wife and I were looking to buy. Even though we were not paying clients at the time, Brett was generous with his time and knowledge to explain over the phone how code violations were resolved in San Diego. And so, last summer, when we wanted to convert a bedroom into a master bath and walk-in closet, choosing Brett's firm to handle permitting was a no-brainer. He and his team worked efficiently to draw up various layouts that met our needs, and then guided the permit through the approval process within a few months - all while the city was changing its permitting system during a pandemic. Finally, when an unexpected foundation issue came up during construction, Brett developed a cost-effective engineering solution that passed inspection. I would not hesitate to recommend Brett and Reverence Engineering for projects like ours. read more

My husband and I were really impressed with Brett. He is professional, approachable, and most importantly, very knowledgeable. We had a very different experience with our other structural engineer, and Brett was such a refreshing change. For now, we have decided to table our project. But even when we didn't go ahead with the project, Brett was so kind, classy and professional. When we need a structural change project, Reverence Engineering is where we are going to go. Thank you so much Brett for all of your time and expertise! read more

I highly recommend Brett and Reverence Engineering for any engineering projects you have. If you're trying to find a structural engineer to create plans, secure permits, work with the building department at the city of San Diego and get your difficult project across the finish line, STOP LOOKING and call Brett at Reverence Engineering. From our first phone call with Brett, we were confident he and his team could tackle our crazy situation. He absolutely went above and beyond the call of duty helping us. His fee's are fair and aren't way over the top. Brett is still helping us partner with our contractors, answering their questions, making recommendations, and giving us advice on our project. All in all, we won't use any other Engineering Firm for our upcoming projects. Brett and his team are our go-to for any and all of our future projects. If you have any questions about my experience working with Reverence, just message me. I'd be happy to go into greater detail about the high level of service he provided us. read more

We needed a structural engineering assessment ASAP after our home inspector flagged an item for us that needed a closer look before we closed up some open drywall. Kevin from Reverence Engineering came out the next business day, and was able to give us a thorough and reassuring reply soon thereafter. I really appreciate Reverence Engineering's responsiveness and will keep them at top of mind for all of our future projects! read more

Brett is the best engineer I've ever worked with. He and his team have been helping me for years with custom engineering for all types of wall and monument signs. He is always so easy to talk with and willing to listen to our ideas and what we have in mind for fabrication methods to capture our vision. He stands behind his work and is always helpful when an issue comes up on a complicated project. From simple raceway signs to the tallest freeway signs, I can always count on Reverence Engineering to deliver. read more

Im a REALTOR. I called and was lucky enough to speak directly with Brett Sauers. I explained what I was looking for and Brett explained it wasn't a service they provided. Then he went on to provide several recommendations of who I should call! It was a huge help to have this perspective from another company. Thank you!! read more

Brett answered quite a few of my conversations by phone before even coming out to my house. Once he did, we spent another hour looking at the supports for my deck which again was informative. If you are looking for explanations alongside estimates I recommend Brett (Reverence)! read more

Brett and his team are wonderful to work with! Brett has incredible attention to detail and makes sure you are getting exactly what you want. Most importantly he is honest - which is very hard to find most times. From the start of our initial project he continued to give updates and made us feel comfortable throughout. Highly recommended! read more

I just got off the phone with Summer who has been amazingly helpful! She listened to me and asked some follow-up questions. She understood the needs I have and the current timeline. Summer gave me great guidance about what I need to do next and kindly provided me with a couple of referrals. I look forward to circling back to them once I am ready to build my ADU! read more

I reached out to Reverence regarding a small project where I needed help very quickly. Unfortunately, my timing did not align with their availability, but I greatly appreciated how quickly Summer responded to my call (many firms never returned my call) and took the time to gather details and get back to me quickly. Excellent communication - I will reach out to them again for future projects. read more

Brett has been very supportive of my project so far - I hope to get the funds together for the whole package and then he will be first on my list to call! read more

This review is just for an interaction I had with Brett. I'm currently buying a house with a large deck. Multiple engineers quoted me a huge amount just to come out and look at the deck without taking any measurements. Just to look at it. My realtor found Brett through a recommendation and I gave him a call to schedule a time for him to come out to check out the deck (still for a fee, but more reasonable than others). Rather than take the job and schedule the visit, he got the address for the house we are buying, found it on real estate websites and google maps, looked at the deck from the images, and told me that just visually it looked structurally well supported and in good shape, and that it was clearly done in conjunction with a structural engineer. He only said that if on the inspection there was significant erosion that we would see the need for an actual appointment. I think the integrity he showed, to not just take the job and charge us for what he did with 5 minutes of google search is incredible. He provided us with reassurance of a trained eye which he absolutely did not have to do for free and something which we were prepared to pay for. If there is ever a time where we have a need for an engineer Brett will be our first choice. read more

Brett and the team at Reverence Engineering are amazing. I'm having a dispute with a neighbor over our wall which his property seems to be causing serious damage to it. Brett listens to my story, reviewed documents and shared some great advice and knowledge. I have to do a few steps prior to needing his full services but if it comes to that Brett will be my guy! read more

I would highly recommend Reverence Engineering to anyone in need of a structural engineer. Brett was knowledgeable, responsive, and extremely helpful to our remodel project. When a wall was removed and revealed a structural beam that had been placed in a way inconsistent with the original design of our home, Brett made himself available that same day to visit our home, work with our contractor and his team, and find a solution that made structural sense. Brett's helpfulness, thoroughness, and availability was greatly appreciated as we were racing the clock with our project but wanted to do it right! read more

I reached out to Brett for some questions I had about a backyard project. He provided a consultation which went above and beyond my expectations. We were initially scheduled for 15 minutes but the meeting went way over due to the amount of questions I had. He was very detailed and answered everything without any mention of the time. He was very professional and provided me with a detailed description that was easy to follow. It is difficult to find a business that is customer centric and that is what I got from Brett. I definitely recommend Reverence Engineering and will reach out for any future projects as well. read more

As we were interviewing general contractors to renovate our home, Brett's name came up twice by two different GC's.  Our renovation involves a wall that needs to come down, but first we needed an expert to confirm whether it is load bearing.  On my first call to Brett, I explained that I had never worked with a structural engineer before.  He thoughtfully and patiently explained his process and his service options that were available.  He was even willing to first look at some pictures in order to determine if a site visit was necessary.  I ended up hiring him to come out for a site visit and I'm so glad that I did.  Not only did we learn about the specific wall in question, he gave us his opinion about the structure of the entire house which was very much appreciated because we hope to do more renovation projects in the future.  He went up into the attic and all through the crawl space and when he was finished, he asked if there was anything else we wanted him to assess.  He did not rush the visit, which made it very easy and comfortable to ask him any and all questions.  After discussing the project further, he went into the attic a second time, and even removed a dead mouse he had found while doing his inspection!  Talk about going above and beyond.  He gave us so much incredible and useful information about the structure of our house that I wondered how we would remember it all.  I asked him if he would be able to write up a report so that I could remember everything, and he did something way better.  He put together a visual slideshow, including a voiceover that explained what we were looking at in each picture. This will be way more useful, especially if/when we do further renovation projects in the future.  Overall, his visit was super insightful and well worth the very reasonable fee he charged for the site visit.  Highly recommended.  It is great to know the structural integrity of our home.  He was approachable, patient, knowledgeable, professional, and insightful. read more

I have worked with a lot of engineering firms in the past and I am 100% on board with using Reverence for all of my work, from here on out. Not only do they offer the most comprehensive packages for whatever your development needs but they also deliver a final stamp set that I never have to worry about revisions due to any oversight. The calculations are always thoroughly reviewed before stamping and I often walk away from the process with a much better understanding of my workscope. What I like most about working with them is the feedback during the pricing and engineering process. I feel so much more confident when an engineer asks a lot of questions, especially about the varying conditions on a project (instead of just rushing to get you billed and out the door). Additionally, the turnaround I have always received has been exceptionally expedient and keeps my clients happy (everyone loves getting stuff quickly). I would highly recommend Reverence for any of your engineering needs. Working with Reverence helps to ensure projects go so much more smoothly!! read more

Brett and the Reverence Engineering team were amazing. My husband and I wanted to open up our kitchen and living room but knew the wall was load-bearing. Brett came and did an initial survey which included getting dimensions, crawling up in our attic to get some photos and explaining everything he was doing as he was going. A few days later provided a very detailed solution on what was needed to get this done. He worked through all the details with us and provided very detailed and thorough drawings. Brett is very knowledgeable and gave us many different options for different solutions and explain which option would be more cost efficient. He was always available to jump on a call if we had any questions or concerns and really talked us through everything. He was very quick in getting us everything we needed to start our project and we could not be any happier! Reverence Engineering was beyond our expectations and I highly recommend them for your next project. read more

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Brett was highly recommended to us, turns out for very good reasons. Quick response to the initial inquiry, thoughtful analysis both on the phone during the initial discussion and post visit to walk us through his findings. He was diligent, efficient, thorough, and perhaps most importantly took the care to explain every detail of a complex structural system to me (a lay person) so that I could understand. He never tried to over charge or sell us something we didn't need and was very clear about everything, going above and beyond to explain his findings to others even after the job was done and bill paid. Could not recommend higher. read more

So far so good. Brett, the owner is great to work with. I feel like I've finally found an important part of my team.

I reached out to Reverence Engineering to have a project reviewed and I am very glad that I did. Brett was great to work with. He was very detailed and thorough in his assessment. He also provided some great feedback for my project and some much needed peace of mind. Very happy to have used Reverence Engineering and work with Brett and will use them for any future projects as well. read more

Brett and his team at Reverence are top notch engineers. They are quick, courteous and always do a great job with their drawings. I use them for all my engineering projects. Highly, highly recommend Reverence for your engineering needs. read more

Brett is responsive, punctual, knowledgeable and incredibly down-to-earth. Give him a call and see for yourself.

I needed a engineering consult for a residential project in my home to turn a large attic area into living space. I contacted numerous engineering firms and either did not get a return call or my project did not interest them. Brett Sauers, President of Reverence Engineering not only called me quickly he came out to meet me and evaluate my project within days. His price was reasonable and appropriate for the project and he responded to all my questions and emails within 24 hours. When I needed a referral He put me in contact with an architect, (who was equally as attentive and professional). Customer focus and service is off the charts with this firm. Ultimately, after consulting with both professionals we decided timing of the project was not right for us due to total building cost and complexity. The topping on this happy cake was Brett refunded the unused portion of our retainer. That high level of integrity was incredibly refreshing. We are considering a new residential build project and Reverence will be our go to in a heartbeat. I would recommend Reverence Engineering and Brett without reservation for any size project. read more

Called about foundation-related concerns and was really impressed! Brett knew after asking a few questions that I was looking for a more specialized service than they would be able to offer. He promptly referred me to three nearby companies and stayed on the phone for 10 minutes giving me tons of free, helpful information! Will definitely keep them in mind for future projects! read more

Brett was great. He resolved some problems I had with repairing an existing cantilever balcony. He was able to look at the the project and give simple and effective solutions. I can't thank him enough for his expertise, and abilities. Things went very smooth and I have to thank Brett for that. read more