Find a Structural Engineer near you
The average rating for Bark Structural Engineers is 4.8, based on 3,160 reviews
5/5
based on 3,160 reviews
Wondering how much you’ll pay for a structural engineer? Read our handy guide to find out how much you’ll pay for a structural engineer across Canada.
A structural engineer is responsible for the designing, planning, and construction of new infrastructural establishments such as buildings and bridges. They are also sometimes involved in alteration and extension work on existing structures and properties.
A structural engineer is responsible for the infrastructural growth of a town, city, or country, so it’s a highly skilled profession that requires specific training and qualifications.
They can also provide consultancy services to architects and contractors by calculating different types of loads and suggesting which materials and structural systems can be used in the construction process for a particular project.
If you plan on making home renovations or are looking to build a property, there is a strong chance that you will need the services of a structural engineer. During the process of home improvement, if you are working with a structure that involves potentially changing its stability, a structural engineer must be consulted.
A structural engineer will make calculations to help define parameters that the architect and the contractor will have to adhere to. These calculations and analyses might also have to be shared with your building’s administration for you to get the clearance to go ahead with renovations. Here's a brief overview of some of the home improvement projects that a structural engineer may need to be employed for:
Changing doors and windows
Building an extension for the house
Underpinning floors
Fitting solar panels
Removal or renovation of any internal walls
If you see any sort of cracked walls within your house, you should contact a structural engineer and schedule a structural inspection of the premises as soon as possible. The structural engineer would be able to investigate appropriately and alert you regarding the seriousness of the situation. They would also identify potential causes for this sort of damage, how to fix it, and guide you on what not to do to avoid such damage in the future.
Structural engineers choose to bill their clients in various ways ranging from hourly, to per project or a percentage of construction. The cost will vary across Canada due to different factors. Let's take a look at how much you can expect to spend on average if you’re planning on hiring a structural engineer:
| Rate type | Average cost |
| Per project | $800 - $3,000 |
| Per hour | $100 - $200 |
| Percentage of construction | 1% - 20% |
The price of hiring a structural engineer will vary depending on the individual project. You will often find structural engineer hiring costs fluctuating based on several different factors. These factors include but are not limited to:
Project complexity
Size of the project
Size of current property
Nature of job
Professional’s experience
Depending on the technical requirements of the project, structural engineer hiring costs can vary based on the level of complexity that is involved in finishing the job.
Generally speaking, larger projects such as house extensions will tend to run much higher than simple renovation jobs such as window removals and replacements. Depending on how much time the structural engineer will need to dedicate to a specific job, the hiring costs will fluctuate accordingly.
Simple routine jobs such as inspecting a small flat for its structural integrity will cost significantly less than doing the same job for a larger house.
| Property type | Average cost (per project) |
| Apartment | $900 |
| 3 bedroom house | $2,000 |
| 5 bedroom house | $4,000 |
Depending on the exact requirements of your project and what the structural engineer will have to do, the price can vary a lot. As structural engineers cover a wide variety of different jobs, they have set costs for different types of projects. For example, the inspection of a structure will likely be cheaper than the planning and execution of a large renovation plan.
The more years in the industry a structural engineer has, the more likely it will be that they will charge you higher rates than what most others would for the same job. This is because experienced structural engineers are much more likely to complete a job error-free, in a relatively limited amount of time, compared with a relatively inexperienced structural engineer.
If the property in question has expensive fixtures and fittings, it’s highly advisable that you go for a more experienced structural engineer than opting for a slightly cheaper alternative.
When it comes to building a property or designing a renovation, structural engineers are essential. They can make the difference between a poorly constructed property that will require plenty of long-term maintenance and a property that will be safe for years to come.
Find the perfect Structural Engineer for your building project on Bark.
The average rating for Bark Structural Engineers is 4.8, based on 3,160 reviews
5/5
based on 3,160 reviews
