I can't say enough good things about Emad. From start to finish, he went above and beyond to help us navigate the soils engineering process and, most importantly, get approvals through the City of San Bernardino. Emad was extremely knowledgeable, responsive, and patient in explaining what was needed at every step. When challenges came up with the city, he didn't just hand off the problem--he actively worked with the reviewers, followed up consistently, and made sure nothing fell through the cracks. That level of dedication is rare. If you're looking for a soils engineer who truly advocates for their clients and understands how to work with local jurisdictions, Emad is the one. His professionalism and commitment saved us time, stress, and unnecessary delays. Highly recommend without hesitation. read more

Based on a description and photos I provided, Emad told me I need a contractor instead of an engineer and provided multiple recommendations. He responds to emails in a very swift manner. read more

I worked with Emad and Amgad on my custom cabin building plans in Arrowbear in San Bernardino County. From soil testing to engineering, they were both incredibly knowledgeable, professional and provided amazing guidance. I couldn't have done this without them. Plans are approved and this is a dream come true! Would definitely recommend SME Engineering for quality work. read more

Emad came out to inspect a property we are in the process of buying. He did a thorough inspection and sent me a report the next day! He was very detail oriented and great with communication. Super friendly and would recommend for any engineering tasks you need done! read more

Emad Makar did a Soil Analysis and Engineering report so that we could replace a retaining wall. His fee was reasonable and he quickly worked on the project at our property. He set expectations on when he could deliver the report and met the timeline. It is a detailed report that will be used by LA County to authorize a permit. We are happy with the quality and timeliness of the services provided. We appreciate Emad's effort and the quality of the report. We will use his services again if we have projects in the future read more

We hired Emad to help us with septic system design and plan for our property. Emad was great to work with. He is very knowledgeable about the requirements and guidelines established by each city, makes recommendations that take our budget into consideration and is patient in answering our questions. He stayed in constant communication with us about the status of our project and was transparent with the cost and time it will take. Overall I highly recommend Emad! read more

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Thank you Emad for the quick inspection of the pool during our escrow. Your professionalism and knowledge was truly appreciated! Buyers are happy with the report you provided and quick turn around time. Definitely recommend! read more

SME Engineering - Structural Engineers Near Me - Highland, California

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I was in the process of purchasing my dream home when some potential issues with the foundation came up on inspection. The proposed fix was very pricey and didn't seem right to me. Emad was able to come out less than 48 hours later to do an assessment. His knowledge and expertise were unmatched, and he actually found that the solution I needed was quite simple and inexpensive. He saved me tens of thousands of dollars! I would absolutely recommend him, and look forward to hiring him again in the future if needed. read more

Would recommend them for soil engineering. We had them come out to assist in preparing the soil for an adu foundation. He was a big help in getting us started and gave great recommendations and tips to get us moving quickly. Our memo was done quickly and I believe their prices are competitive. Was nice working with them! read more

Emad with SME was fantastic to work with. He helped us complete a percolation test, septic system design, and preparation of a plot plan for county approval for our residential conversion project. He was responsive to our many questions and was very helpful in determining the best placement for our septic system. We especially appreciate his willingness to do this testing at our more remote, desert project site. I'd fully recommend SME for any project! read more

SME Engineering and Emad were great to work with - easy, knowledgeable, and provided time to discuss the project and answer any questions. I would recommend for anyone looking for a partner! read more

Emad helped us with a home inspection focused on the home's foundation and decks. He was thorough, answered all of our questions, and gave us a detailed assessment without typical fluff from general inspectors so we could be informed. He followed up with a report to summarize. Would recommend, thanks Emad! read more

Highly recommend. Brought in for a structural engineering consultation for my deck and house. Emad is very knowledgeable and takes the time to make sure you understand all of the varying options forward without any of the implied pressure. Great value and prompt responses and service. read more

I just wanted to start off by saying, Emad is very knowledgeable and quick to respond to all of my questions. He sent the report before the date he had told us. The price he quoted us was better than 4 other quotes we had received from other companies. Much Appreciated read more

I recently hired Emad with SME Engineering to inspect a property I am currently in escrow for. I he inspected the foundation, the deck, and interior/ exterior beams and was able to assess the damage and concerns as well as provide a rough estimate I can provide to the seller of the property. His cost was fair and well below what other Engineering firms quoted me for this simple inspection. His communication was excellent and his turn around time getting to the property and getting the report to me were unparalleled and way exceeded my time expectations. If I end up buying this house I will surely hire SME to consult and help engineer my deck and foundation. Much appreciated!!! read more

Emad and Amgad have been an absolute pleasure to work with. I approached them for help with a challenging project. We bought a cottage on a steep hill in Running Springs, CA. The house had a cracked foundation and I was not sure what would be the best approach for repair, considering the location. Emad took the time to explain all my options and provided recommendations. The team at SME Engineering has extensive experience working on hillside projects which gave me a lot of confidence in their recommendations. In addition to providing the plans/drawings for the repairs, Emad personally visited the site multiple times, he even spent time trying to help with finding an available contractor. Again, the project was tricky, and finding a qualified and available team to get the work done was not easy. I ended up working with one of the teams that Emad recommended, which also did a fantastic job. Last but not least, Emad personally visited the site multiple times and worked closely with the contractor to make sure they are following the plans correctly. If I work on more projects in the mountains, I am definitely going to use the services of SME Engineering again, and you should too! A+++ read more

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This review is long overdue. I had Amgad prepare a structural finding summary for a property I was considering buying on a hillside in Laguna Beach. He looked at the foundation and stem walls and gave his recommendation for repairs to be done. His expertise saved me alot of money during the purchase process and the seller agreed to make the necessary repairs as recommended in his report. I highly recommend him and his firm for any foundation or structural engineering reports. read more

We we're looking for an established contractor to design a full size RV Garage and guide us through the permitting process. The proposed build site was on a property we own in Corona. Amgad and Em travelled to our location and discussed the plan with us personally before we ever made a commitment. Enduring through a city's "plan checks" can be arduous but necessary to ensure the structure meets city and state coded guidelines. I can say that without exception, the professional drawings submitted by SME Engineering were excellent with zero rejections... they know their business. Our delays had to do with fire sprinkler requirements and geology reports that were eventually mitigated with SME's assistance. I would definitely recommend SME Engineering to anyone requiring expert architectural assistance for a small or large project. read more

SME Engineering - Structural Engineers Near Me - Highland, California

Where do I start? This review is long overdue, but I wanted good "after pictures" to show the finished product. I found SME Engineering on Yelp during a long arduous "to the studs" remodel on our second home in Palm Springs. On this particular project, we wanted to basically blow out two whole walls along the back of our house and put in all sliders to create that open indoor-outdoor vacation vibe to our covered patio and pool area. This wasn't going to be an easy job to retrofit an older house with this new concept. I scoured Yelp for a structural engineer that was competent and still provided good value for the services rendered. After speaking with a few companies, I chose Amgad at SME due to his extremely responsive nature, the reviews from his former customers, he fit in our budget, and he was willing to help us find a General Contractor for the actual work (which was near impossible during all the covid remodels). Throughout the process, Amgad was cheery, helpful, insightful, and responsive to my every request. I had never worked with a structural engineer before, but Amgad made the process simple for me. In the middle of the construction, I would have nightmares that the house would collapse while the supports were holding the house up. Despite every assurance being made to me that the process that was being taken was secure and stable, I remained nervous (that is just my nature). BUT what I came to find out towards the end of the project (from comments from the GC, the inspectors, and others in the trade), Amgad was very conservative with his approach to ensure safety if there was ever an earthquake, etc. The footings were placed 10 ft down because of the type of soil/sand that PS is built on and the weight of our tiled roof. Everyone I spoke to was blown away at how he took every precaution and now I feel very comfortable that nothing will happen to our new structure under any circumstances. Amgad was great ALL-AROUND to work with, but the qualities I appreciate most from him are his competency, his ability to get back to me almost immediately whenever I needed to ask him something, and his availability to be a continued resource to the GC who did the work (that he helped me secure) without charging extra to ensure that his plans were followed exactly. Again, I was thrilled during and after working with Amgad and so I am more than happy to answer any questions you might have and I also have TONS of pictures throughout the process I am happy to show anyone if you want to private message me. Thanks, Amgad! read more

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Emad and Amgad are A-W-E-S-O-M-E. From start to finish, their expertise, patience, and creativity is about as good as it gets. These days it's hard to find ANYONE who follows through on things, especially when things get tough. NEVER ONCE did these guys waiver. I can't thank you enough...but I will one more time....THANK YOU!! :) read more

I have a structural inspection of my single family home done. Emad was very thorough in his review of the structure. He was also very courteous, responsive and reassuring. I am glad I found him. read more

SME engineering helped me build my dream backyard. Excellent communication, quick response, competitive pricing, superb engineering, plans were perfect and was a very smooth experience with my city's permit and inspection staff. Emad is one of the best engineers in the inland empire. Highly recommend using SME engineering for small and large projects if you want professional and hassle free plans and City permitting experience. Before and after pictures show the amazing transformation made possibly by SME engineering read more

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I was referred to Emad from a very good home inspector and contacted him right away. I felt very comfortable with him during our phone conversation & set an appt. He inspected the foundation in the garage for a home I am purchasing . After his assessment he went over his findings with me and sent me a report summarizing everything he had found. I found him to be very knowledgeable, professional and helpful! He was available for questions and even went back to the property to check something for me and I am very satisfied with his services! I will refer him to anyone that is need of his services! Nicole read more

I had an unfortunate experience dealing with an unfriendly city plan checker who was insisting on costly geotechnical surveys. In response, I reached out to several engineering firms for quotes, and SME was the first to respond with a reasonable rate. They were also able to conduct the expedited testing without any additional charge. Emad, who was in charge of the testing, was very punctual, friendly, and honest throughout the process. When the city planning requested another piece of paper that they already had, Emad quickly provided it so that I could pull the permit on the same day. All in all, Emad made the unpleasant task of working with people who hold the power of stamp in their hands a little bit more bearable. Thank you, Emad and SME! read more

Emad helped me with an assessment of my home. He was professional and detailed in his assessment. He was very responsive to my emails and made the entire process pleasant. His price for his services was very fair and I would use him again in the future if needed. Thank you for your help Emad. read more

I called Emad because I was under contract for a house and wanted an inspection done. Emad did a great job! He was on time and thorough. Since I was unable to attend, Emad FaceTimed me as he was going through the property. His advice was invaluable. And he discovered problems with the retaining wall for the driveway that was not even on my radar. Emad has been incredibly responsive to my and my realtor's flurry of calls and emails. He's the best! read more

SME Engineering - Structural Engineers Near Me - Highland, California

I needed a soils report and foundation plan for a new home build in Yucca Valley. I reached out to several engineering firms and Emad gave me the best quote with the fastest turnaround time. He also had the best communication, which I really appreciated. He was always available throughout the process whenever I had questions and he was able to give some great advice since I don't have a ton of development experience. He really knows his stuff and he really cares about his work and his clients. I'll be going straight to him for my next project. Highly recommended. read more

SME Engineering - 2.5 acre parcel in Yucca Valley - Structural Engineers Near Me - Highland, California

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I hired Emad to prepare a soils report for a planned building. I found him reliable, reasonably priced, and thorough. He told me the day he planned to show up and showed up as promised. He told me I'd have a report by a certain date and sent me the report as promised. I wouldn't hesitate to use him again should the need arise. read more

I absolutely recommend the services of SME Engineering. I have a mountain home that I have been updating and in the course of updating I noticed changes in the home that I felt were cause for concern (i.e., minor cracks, spilt wood beams). I contacted Emad and the next day he was at my home inspecting and assessing the structural soundness of the home. Emad was patient, thorough, listened to my concerns, and pointed out issues that needed to be addressed. Emad clearly communicated the issues and recommendations on how to address them. I truly recommend the services of SME Engineering for the peace of mind that comes from working with knowledgeable professionals. read more

If you're looking for an engineer, you probably should find a really good one. I highly recommend SME Engineering. They've stood by us through the permitting process and helped me keep my sanity when necessary! I consider myself fortunate that they service the Big Bear area as well. read more

SME Engineering - Structural Engineers Near Me - Highland, California

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I am a contractor and will highly recommend SME Eng they did the Soil test and grading plans of my lot in AVCA they even went further challenging my Plan Drafter for his sloppiness. Thanks for all the help Emad M appreciated it. D Z read more

Responsive and followed through - appreciate the help with the structural engineering inspection!

I am remodeling my house from a 3 bed, 2 bath to a 5 bed, 3 bath upgrade. As per San Bernardino County permitting requirements; I need to upgrade the septic system. It was a pleasure interacting with Emad with San Mina Engineering. He promptly returned all my calls, answered all my inquiries, and was flexible with scheduling. He came out to my place to do soil sample testing and within a couple of weeks generated a complete report with the test results and details regarding what size septic system I need and with what components. A+, Thumbs Up! Kevin Komnenus Apple Valley, CA read more

We are buying a residential property in Big Bear, and had some questions about the infrastructure. Due to the fast paced market, the timeline was short. I reached out to SME and was able to speak to Emad the same day. He was up front, informative and very helpful. Although he had a completely full schedule I explained my situation and he was somehow (so thankful) able to accommodate me. Emad is extremely friendly, has great communication, prompt, and delivered a very comprehensive analysis. In my opinion his analysis is fair and gives us great insight into the property we are purchasing. read more

Thanks so much to SME Engineering for assistance with a retaining wall for my yard. The team came out directly and provided stellar service and consultation. They really took the time to meet my immediate needs. The plans I received were timely and professionally done. I would recommend them ten times over. They truly care about their customers. Thanks again for all your help! Germaine Johnson read more

San Mina Engineering and Emad are fantastic. I reached out to a few structural engineers in the San Bernadino area for a quote to review a questionable beam in our home inspection report. San Mina Engineering responded right away to my inquiry via their website and Emad called me to discuss my request. He followed up that night with a reasonable quote via email. We had some tight turn around times to meet and Emad ended up fitting us in later that same day. Not only that, but he got us the final report by the end of the night. He was very professional and even called us while he was at the inspection because we were not able to be there in person. He explained everything clearly to us over the phone and made sure to answer all our questions. We were truly so impressed by his responsiveness, his professionalism, flexibility, and his ability to really make time for his clients. I would 100% trust Emad with any structural concerns and would use SME again in a heartbeat for any engineering needs. read more

Update on my grading we have started all thank to Sm Enginneering, We got this grading approved with in months after looking for a engineer to make a grading design, corrections made very quickly and fast response from Emad . Sm enginneering also did my Percolation I will post updates soon . read more

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EMAD IS A PRINCE!!! He explained that he couldn't help me with my project then took the time to search for information I needed and emailed it to me a day later. What does that tell you about the man and his company? Look no further! read more

I reached out to SME engineering after business hours and I heard from them within the same hour. The engineer Emad said he was available to speak to me right then and there and we spoke and set up a meeting. At the meeting he was very professional, friendly, and easy to talk to. He took the time to answer any questions I had, walk the site, I as well as explain to me what type of site conditions we were dealing with on this property that we just opened escrow on. I look forward to working with them on this project and others to come. read more

AMAZING!!! We were buying a residential property that I had structural concerns about plus we were on an extension to close... I reached out to Emad... I was clueless about working with an engineer but he was SUPER informative... what I also appreciated was the communication! I had a lot of questions because I was so nervous but he made the process so flawless.... As a consumer it is so hard to find service like this... he was so honest about what service he provided. He made sure I understood his role in the process... Also, I was not expecting this but because of his recommendations, our seller gave us an extra $5,500 credit!! Thank you Emad so much for your knowledge and guidance through this very stressful process!!! My husband and I appreciate you so much.... I have you in my contacts in case we go through with other projects... read more