You have a structural engineer's report. What happens next?

What the report is — and what it isn't

A structural engineer is an independent diagnostic and design professional. In BC they're registered with Engineers and Geoscientists BC and carry the P.Eng. designation, and their report does two things: it explains what is happening to your house and why, and it sets out the engineered solution — often as stamped drawings with a defined repair scope.

What the report almost never includes is the build. Engineers design the fix; they don't pour the concrete, set the beam or re-level the floor. That work goes to a builder. So the report in your hands is not a dead end and it isn't the repair — it's the specification that a qualified contractor builds to. If you're still at the earlier stage of wondering whether the cracks or movement you're seeing even warrant an engineer, our plain-language guides on the signs of structural problems and whether a foundation crack is serious are a good place to start, along with our overview of when you need an engineer versus a contractor.

The report → permit → build path on the North Shore

For most genuinely structural work, the path runs in a predictable order. First, the engineer's stamped drawings define the fix. Second, those drawings support a building permit application to your local authority — the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver or the District of West Vancouver, depending on where the house sits. The permit reviewer checks that the engineered design meets the BC Building Code before any work is authorized.

Third, the build happens to the stamped drawings, with the engineer typically doing field reviews at key stages and providing the letters of assurance the municipality needs to close out the permit. Fourth, inspections at defined points — often before concrete is poured or before backfill — confirm the work matches the design. A good contractor manages this whole sequence for you rather than leaving you to chase paperwork. We work inside all three North Shore jurisdictions; see how we serve North Vancouver and West Vancouver.

We read the report and build to the stamped drawings

This is the part that trips up a lot of homeowners: an engineer's report is written for a builder, not for the average reader. It references load paths, member sizes, connection details and field-review hold points. When you bring us a report, we read it the way it was meant to be read — as a set of instructions — and we build exactly to it.

In practice that means sizing and installing the specified beams and posts, executing the foundation or framing work the drawings call for, and holding the sequence so the engineer can sign off at each stage. We keep the engineer in the loop rather than working around them, because their letters of assurance are what let the municipality close your permit. Our structural repair service is built around exactly this kind of engineered, permitted work. We'll build to any qualified engineer's drawings — and if you don't have an engineer yet, we can point you to ones we've worked with.

What to look for in a contractor for engineered structural work

Not every renovation crew is set up for stamped structural work, and the report in your hands deserves a builder who is. A few things worth confirming before you sign anything:

• Proper licensing and insurance — the contractor should carry current liability coverage and be able to show it.
• WorkSafeBC coverage — every worker on your site should be covered. Ask for a clearance letter; it protects you from liability if someone is injured on your property.
• A real warranty on structural work — a builder who stands behind beams, foundations and underpinning will put that in writing.
• A genuine track record with engineered work — foundation and framing repair to stamped drawings is a different craft than cosmetic renovation. Ask specifically about foundation replacement and underpinning projects they've completed and permitted.

Three generations and since 2008, structural repair and full structural building is our specialty — not a side line. If a report lands on our desk, it lands with people who do this work all week.

When the report calls for more than a lift

Here's a distinction worth understanding, because it decides who you should call. Many companies that advertise "foundation repair" are concrete-lifting or slab-jacking specialists: they raise and re-level a settled slab, foam the void underneath, and hand the house back. For a settled slab, that can be exactly the right fix.

But some engineer's reports call for something heavier — replacing a failing foundation, adding beams, correcting rotted or failed framing, re-leveling a structurally sagging floor, underpinning, or seismic upgrades. That's building, not lifting, and it's where a lifting-only crew hands the report back. We're the structural builder that engineers' reports lead to — the builder other builders call when the fix is beyond a lift. If you're weighing the two approaches, our comparison of concrete lifting versus structural repair and our page on what to do when lifting isn't enough lay it out plainly.

Your next step

If you've got a report and you're not sure what it's really telling you, don't sit on it — but don't panic either. You have options that cost nothing to start.

• Run it past our free AI Structural Check. Our Structural Check tool can help you make sense of what you're describing and whether it points to structural work or something a lift would handle.
• Book a free in-person assessment. Hand us the report and we'll walk the house, confirm the scope on the ground, and tell you honestly what the build involves — with cost driven by the drivers we see, never a guessed number over the phone. Start with our free structural assessment.
• Just talk it through. Reach us any time at our contact page or call (778) 882-8001.

A stamped report is a good thing to be holding. It means the diagnosis is done. The next move is simply getting it into the hands of a builder who reads it correctly and builds it right.

Frequently asked questions

Does the structural engineer also do the repairs?

No. In BC a structural engineer is an independent design and diagnostic professional — they inspect, explain the cause, and produce stamped drawings for the fix, but they don't build it. The actual construction goes to a qualified contractor who builds to those drawings while the engineer reviews the work at key stages.

Do I need a building permit to act on the report?

For most genuinely structural work — foundation replacement, beams, underpinning, re-leveling — yes. The engineer's stamped drawings support a permit application to the District or City of North Vancouver, or the District of West Vancouver. A good contractor pulls the permit, coordinates inspections, and manages the paperwork so you don't have to.

Can I bring you a report from any engineer?

Yes. We build to any qualified engineer's stamped drawings and coordinate their field reviews and letters of assurance. We don't need to have been involved earlier. And if you've been told you need an engineer but don't have one yet, we can refer engineers we've worked with on North Shore homes.

What if the report recommends monitoring instead of repair?

Then monitoring is a legitimate outcome, not a stall. Some movement is old and stable, and the right call is to watch it over time rather than build. We're happy to read the report with you, explain what it's recommending, and help set a sensible re-check point so nothing gets missed if conditions change.

How do I know a contractor can actually handle engineered structural work?

Ask for current liability insurance, WorkSafeBC clearance, and a written warranty on structural work — then ask about specific completed projects like foundation replacement, beam installation, or underpinning. Engineered structural building is a distinct craft from cosmetic renovation, so a real track record with permitted structural work is the thing that matters most.