Structural Renovation.
Removing a bearing wall to open a floor plan or capture a view is straightforward on paper and unforgiving in the field. The beam has to land somewhere, the load has to travel to the foundation, and whatever is already inside that wall — wiring, plumbing, ducting — has to go somewhere else.
We build to the drawings of a licensed structural engineer, whether that engineer is already on your team or brought in during design. Our field crew handles demolition, shoring, framing, and beam and post installation. Steve Turcotte self-performs the electrical relocations and upgrades under our own C-10 license, which is usually the trade most affected when a wall comes out.
Plumbing, HVAC, drywall, and finish trades are performed by licensed subcontractors, each responsible for their own scope. We schedule and sequence their work and handle permits and inspections. Your proposal identifies the trades in our scope and the trades that are not, in writing, before demolition begins.
- Built To Engineered Plans: Load-bearing work is executed to a licensed structural engineer's stamped drawings, with inspections scheduled at every required hold point.
- Electrical Self-Performed: Circuits buried in the wall you are removing get relocated by the same company holding the general license, under our own C-10.
- Owner On Site: Direct, owner-led management on projects in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and San Clemente, from rough-in to final inspection.
Thinking about opening up your floor plan?
Site assessments for structural modifications are available for residential projects throughout Orange County.
Common Questions
Do I need an architect or engineer before calling you?
A: Not to start the conversation. We often look at feasibility early and can tell you what is likely to be structurally possible and what it will affect. Load-bearing changes do require drawings from a licensed structural engineer before permits are issued, and we can work with yours or recommend engineers we have built for.
Who performs the trades you don't do in-house?
A: Licensed subcontractors we have worked with for years. Each carries their own license and insurance and is responsible for their own scope of work. We schedule and sequence their work against the structural and electrical rough-in, and your contract states which trades are included in our scope and which are not.
How disruptive is structural work?
A: Demolition and framing are loud and dusty, and there is no way around that. What we control is containment, daily cleanup, and site security. If you are living in the house during the work, we will lay out the phasing and the rough dates you will be without a kitchen, a bathroom, or power to part of the house.