Structural and Civil Design

Crafting Strong Foundations and Inspiring Structures with Ray Engineering Inc.’s Expert Structural and Civil Design Services.

Designing for Stability and Creativity

At Ray Engineering Inc., we blend engineering precision with creative innovation to deliver exceptional Structural and Civil Design services. Whether you’re planning a restoration project, tackling structural concerns, or envisioning a new building, our seasoned professionals bring expertise and ingenuity to every aspect of your design needs.

Who are our clients?

Our design services cater to a diverse range of clients:

Property Owners: Enhance the safety and aesthetics of your property through thoughtfully designed structural solutions.
Developers: Realize your architectural vision while ensuring structural integrity and compliance with codes and regulations.
Community Associations: Address concerns related to settlement, decks, walkways, and other elements that impact building integrity.

Our Design Process

Our holistic approach ensures that every design solution aligns with your objectives:

Thorough Analysis: Our experts conduct in-depth analysis to understand project requirements, constraints, and desired outcomes.
Innovative Solutions: We combine creativity and engineering knowledge to develop innovative design concepts tailored to your needs.
Precise Documentation: Our team produces detailed design plans and specifications that guide the execution phase.
Continuous Collaboration: We work closely with architects, contractors, and stakeholders to ensure seamless integration of design into construction.

Why Choose Ray Engineering Inc. for Structural and Civil Design

Expertise: Our seasoned engineers possess a deep understanding of structural dynamics, ensuring designs that prioritize stability and safety.
Innovation: We embrace new technologies and techniques, ensuring that your project stands out in both form and function.
Code Compliance: Our designs adhere to industry standards and local building codes, minimizing risks and delays.
Collaborative Approach: We believe in collaborative design, partnering with your team to bring your vision to life.

Ray Engineering, Inc. designed our Property Condition Assessment to determine the present physical condition of the project and its improvements. We help determine any future anticipated issues, which may result in a financial risk or liability.

The PCA process includes:

A visual walk-through to observe the existing conditions.
Review of the available construction documentation, public records and current budgets.
Deciphering the information gathered and presenting it with intelligence for repair or further detailed review if the issues cannot be determined through visual observation alone.

Property Condition Reports contain a property description (site, buildings, history and maintenance) and a review of the following building components:

Site Improvements (Access, Parking, Paving/Drainage, Walks/Curbs, Utilities, Lighting, Landscaping/Irrigation, Fences/Walls, Signage and Disabled Accessibility/ADA).
Building Improvements (Foundation, Structure, Floor Construction, Exterior Wall Construction, Roof and Canopy Construction, Windows, Doors, Balconies/Terraces, Stairs, Interior Floors & Walls and Appliances/Cabinets, Disabled Accessibility/ADA)
Building Mechanical, Plumbing & Electrical Systems (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Vertical Transportation, Fire Protection/Life Safety Systems)
Tenant Spaces (Interior Finishes, Kitchen Appliances, HVAC, Plumbing/Fixtures, Electrical, Fire Protection/Life Safety Systems)
Other Issues (e.g., Fixtures, Furnishings and Equipment (FF&E) for hotels, more detailed mechanical studies, more detailed ADA surveys, etc.) — these issues can be included in a property condition report, but must be discussed prior to being proposed.

Department of Community Affairs Projects are ones in which we perform various duties which may include Pre-Construction Analysis, Construction Monitoring, and/or Final Inspections.

Forensic Engineering is essentially the investigation of materials, products or structures that fail or do not operate or function as intended causing personal injury or property damage. The field also deals with retracing the process and procedures leading to accidents or structural failures.

Ray Engineering has performed forensic evaluations for over 30 years in the civil and structural engineering field. We also provide expert testimony in dispute resolution including settlement discussions, mediation arbitration and trial in court.

Typical services include:

Review of plans and specifications to ensure completeness and conformance with current codes and standards.
Cost analysis to ensure construction budgets are sufficient to construct the projects as defined by the contract documents.
Conduct periodic site inspections to monitor construction progress and ensure conformance with plans and specifications.
Monitor construction progress for compliance to plans and specifications and provide a letter of acceptance upon completion of work.
Prepare detailed written reports for all services noted above.

Preparation of design plans and specifications for structural restoration.
Monitoring of the restoration work.
Certification of restoration work.
Review and analyze structural concerns including settlement problems, exterior deck, handrail or walkway problems, roof leaks or problems that could impact the structural integrity of a building.
Evaluate drainage issues and suggest corrective measures.

Commercial/Residential/Office Buildings

The purpose of the Physical Needs Assessment is to identify and provide cost estimates for the following key items:

Immediate Physical Needs – repairs, replacements and significant maintenance items which should be done immediately.
Physical Needs Over the Term – repairs, replacements and significant maintenance items which will be needed over the term of the mortgage and two years beyond.

As part of the process, instances of deferred maintenance are also identified.

The assessment is based on the evaluator’s judgment of the actual condition of the improvements and the expected useful life of those improvements. It is understood that the conclusions presented are based upon the evaluator’s professional judgment and that the actual performance of individual components may vary from a reasonably expected standard and will be affected by circumstances which occur after the date of the evaluation.

A Transition Study or Developer Turn-Over Report is prepared when your community is being turned over to the Home Owner’s Association by the developer. These studies are often performed in conjunction with a Capital Reserve Analysis. The study consists of a thorough inspection of the common elements of the community. The study documents any design, construction, building codes or condition defects. This study, which is conducted by a professional engineer, provides an independent expert opinion on the recommended remediation of the defects along with the estimated costs to remediate the defects.

The goal of the Transition Study is to assist the community in avoiding costly defect litigation by having the defective items corrected by the developer or reach a fair settlement.

The Transition Study includes:

A review of each of the common elements of the community
The condition of each of the common elements and a list of all of the elements that exhibit effects and require remediation, modification or replacement
Cost estimates, including labor and material for the repair or replacement
A detailed narrative report, including photographic documentation, which describes the defect or code violation and recommendations for remediation

Our engineers have the Community Associations Institute designation of Reserve Specialists.

Many associations are putting together budgets for future repairs and replacements of all common elements and this helps assist with that process. The Capital Reserve Analysis includes a review of the property with input from Board Members, Property Manager and Maintenance Supervisor

The Capital Reserve Analysis includes:

Objective
Procedures and Limitations
Property Description and Condition
Estimate of Repairs
Budget
Photographs
Review with Board Members and Property Manager