- Licensed Structural · MEP · Civil Engineering — Irvine, Orange County, CA
- 2102 Business Center Drive, Suite 130, Irvine, CA 92612
- Mon–Fri 8am–6pm
- yamer@yacreativedesignpartners.com
- (949) 482-7835
Home / Services / Structural Engineering
Licensed structural engineers serving architecture firms, general contractors, and developers throughout Orange County and Southern California. From foundation design through field observation — coordinated in-house with our MEP and civil teams so your project moves through the building department without unnecessary delays.
Structural engineering is the discipline that determines whether a building stands safely under every load it will ever experience — the weight of the building itself, the people and equipment inside it, and the seismic and wind forces California subjects it to. A structural system that is properly designed is invisible to the occupants. One that is not becomes a liability at the building department, on the job site, and in the field.
At YA Creative Design Partners, structural engineering is one of the founding disciplines of the firm. Our structural engineers have practiced in this field their entire careers, and they work directly alongside our MEP and civil teams on every project. Equipment penetrations are coordinated with structural framing before the drawing set is finalized. Foundation grades are aligned with civil grading design. The result is a coordinated structural package that integrates cleanly with your architectural documents and moves through plan check without the back-and-forth that disconnected consulting teams generate.
We provide structural engineering for residential and commercial projects throughout California — from single-family homes and ADUs to multi-story commercial buildings, hotels, fire rebuilds, and multi-family developments. Every engagement includes a complete structural calculations package and construction documents ready for building department submission.
The structure withstands all applied loads without failure — dead loads, live loads, and environmental forces.
The structure maintains equilibrium and resists overturning under lateral forces from seismic and wind events.
The structure resists deformation under load — critical for California's seismic design requirements.
The design can be built efficiently and economically by your contractor without ambiguity in the field.
Share the property address and project type. We can typically scope civil work from the address alone and respond within 24 hours.
Select a discipline to see what is included in our scope, the systems we work with, and the deliverables you receive.
A properly designed foundation is the starting point of every structurally sound building. We design foundation systems to site-specific soil conditions and California seismic requirements — coordinating with geotechnical reports and civil grading design so pad elevations, drainage, and structural loads are aligned from the start.
We design structural framing systems across all primary construction materials — wood, concrete, steel, and masonry. Our framing designs are coordinated with architectural documents from the start, so beam and header locations, bearing walls, and gravity load paths are integrated into the architectural layout rather than added as an afterthought.
California is one of the most seismically active regions in the United States. Every building we design is evaluated for seismic and wind forces per the 2025 California Building Code and ASCE 7-22. Our lateral system designs are sized to the specific seismic design category, site class, and risk category of your project — not a generic approach applied uniformly across the state.
Every structural design begins with a thorough load analysis — identifying all forces the structure must resist, selecting the appropriate structural system, and producing detailed design documentation. We use current engineering software for complex analysis while maintaining clear, well-documented calculations that building department plan checkers can review efficiently.
Existing buildings that predate current seismic codes, have sustained damage, or require structural modifications for renovation or change of use need careful engineering evaluation before any work begins. We assess the existing structural system, identify deficiencies, and design practical reinforcement or retrofit solutions that meet current code requirements without over-designing the repair scope.
Our structural engineering engagement does not end when documents are submitted to the building department. We stay involved through construction — responding to RFIs, reviewing shop drawings and submittals, coordinating with special inspectors, and conducting field observations to verify that structural work conforms to the approved documents. For architects and contractors who have worked with engineering firms that disappear after submittal, this ongoing involvement is one of the most valued aspects of working with our team.
From single-lot residential projects to large commercial developments — our structural team is experienced across every project type and scale in California.
New construction, additions, second stories, and room additions — including ground-up builds, hillside homes, and projects with complex structural conditions requiring custom lateral system design.
Complete structural engineering for post-fire ground-up residential rebuilds in California, including Altadena, Pasadena, and Wildland-Urban Interface zones. We are familiar with WUI construction requirements under the 2025 code cycle.
Detached and attached ADUs, garage conversions, and accessory structures — designed to California ADU regulations with a complete structural package sized and priced for the ADU scope.
Office buildings, retail centers, mixed-use developments, and commercial tenant improvements — including concrete, steel, and wood framed structures with full lateral system design per 2025 CBC.
Multi-story hotel structural systems, wood frame and podium construction, and coordination with MEP for complex hospitality developments throughout Southern California.
Structural engineering for apartment buildings, condominiums, townhomes, and multi-family developments — from duplex to mid-rise wood and concrete construction.
The 2025 California Building Standards Code took effect January 1, 2026 and is the current adopted standard statewide. Every structural drawing set and calculations package we produce is designed to these current adopted codes — so your project does not generate unnecessary correction notices at plan check.
2025 California Building Code (CBC) — Effective Jan 1, 2026
ASCE 7-22 — Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria
AISC 341-22 · ACI 318-19 · AISI S400
2018 NDS — National Design Specification for Wood Construction
ACI 318-19 — Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
2025 California Residential Code (CRC) — Effective Jan 1, 2026
Our structural engineers work alongside MEP and civil on every project. Equipment penetrations, rooftop unit placements, and grading conflicts are resolved internally — before the drawing set reaches the building department. This is not a workflow we assembled from separate consultants. It is how our firm was built.
From Orange County to Los Angeles County to San Diego, we understand the seismic demands, local amendments, and plan checker expectations of the jurisdictions we work in. We design lateral systems to jurisdiction-specific standards — not just state minimums — which means fewer correction notices and faster approvals.
We respond to RFIs, review shop drawings, coordinate with special inspectors, and conduct field observations through the full construction phase. Architects and contractors who have worked with engineering firms that go quiet after submittal consistently tell us this ongoing engagement is the most valuable part of working with our team.
Structural engineering is one of the founding disciplines of YA Creative Design Partners. Our structural engineers have practiced in this field their entire careers — it is not a service added to round out our offering. That depth of expertise shows in the quality and precision of every structural package we produce.
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design coordinated directly with structural — penetrations, equipment pads, and rooftop loading aligned before drawings are finalized.
Foundation grades, drainage patterns, and site utilities coordinated with structural design so pad elevations and load paths work together from the start.
Structural condition assessments for existing buildings — useful before renovation, acquisition, or change of use to understand the current structural capacity and any deficiencies.
On a residential project, the structural engineer designs the foundation system, sizes the framing members, designs the lateral force-resisting system (shear walls and hold-downs) for seismic and wind forces, and produces a structural calculations package and drawing set for building department submittal. We also respond to plan check correction notices, review truss shop drawings, and conduct field observations during construction.
In most cases, yes. California building departments require structural drawings and calculations for detached ADUs, two-story ADUs, and any ADU involving significant structural modifications. Garage conversions typically require at minimum a structural review of the existing framing and new lateral system design. We provide a complete structural package for ADU projects sized and priced specifically for that scope.
We design to the 2025 California Building Code (CBC) and 2025 California Residential Code (CRC), both effective January 1, 2026. Structural loads are per ASCE 7-22. Wood design is per 2018 NDS, concrete design is per ACI 318-19, and steel design is per AISC 360-22 and AISC 341-22 for seismic. We also apply local amendments for jurisdictions that have adopted them — which is common in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Francisco.
Timeline depends on project type and complexity. For a standard single-family residential project, structural drawings and calculations are typically delivered within 2 to 4 weeks from receipt of complete architectural documents. Commercial projects vary based on scope and structural complexity. Every fee proposal we issue includes a specific delivery date so your project schedule has a fixed reference point to plan around.
Yes. We have provided structural engineering for post-fire ground-up residential rebuilds in California, including projects in the Altadena area. Fire rebuild projects require attention to WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) construction requirements under the 2025 code, which includes updated provisions for exterior materials and assembly types in fire hazard severity zones. We are familiar with these requirements and with the expedited permitting processes many jurisdictions have adopted for fire rebuild projects.
Yes, and this is how the majority of our projects are structured. We coordinate directly with the project architect from schematic design through construction documents, ensuring structural systems integrate cleanly with the architectural intent. We are experienced working within the architect's document set, adapting to their drawing standards, and participating in project coordination meetings as needed throughout the design process.
Send us the drawings and project address. We will review the structural scope and respond with a fee proposal within 24 hours.
Based in Irvine, CA · Licensed in California · Residential & Commercial · All Jurisdictions
Structural · MEP · Civil Engineering
