Harriott Valentine Engineers

It may take a little creativity to redesign an older space for current needs, but doing so conserves materials and preserves some of the character of the original house.

Many Seattle houses contain an unreinforced brick chimney. For projects above a certain size it's required to retrofit these, often with a liner or steel bracing.

A roof that's not fully covered will provide sun protection and natural light. But, closely spaced slats may still collect snow depending on the spacing and local weather.

It will be sleek when it's finished, but sometimes an in-progress framing project can be eye-catching in its own way.

Not all engineering happens at a desk! We're often ducking into basements or poking up into attics to deduce exactly what's going on with existing framing.

Joist photography: This particular subgenre often makes use of leading lines highlighting rectilinear subjects, often from a low vantage point.

Site visits allow our engineers to verify existing dimensions, but it does mean our server is full of random photos like these.

Wood, steel, and concrete all have their own advantages in regards to strength, cost, and aesthetics. A clever design can be achieved by taking advantage of all three.

1) Precariously stack a bunch of boxes in order to reach the framing above or 2) just use the tool specifically designed to reach high places? ...I'll take the ladder.

Holes in wide fl**ge webs can often be accommodated if they are reasonably sized and away from point loads. But ask your structural engineer first!

This design looks like it could be a GoldenEye level. Or Halo at the very least.

If you ever notice plastic cones in a concrete wall, those are form ties used to maintain uniform wall spacing while the wall cures.