Other Engineering Services for Permits and Approvals
If a building department is asking for engineered drawings or a PE stamp, we can almost certainly provide them for your project.
- Stamped by a PE licensed in your state
- Built to IBC, IRC and local amendments
- Plan-check comments answered
Engineering services for permits, whatever the project
Not every project fits neatly into a category. A pylon sign, a backyard pool on a slope, a container office, a tiny house, a settling foundation, a fire-damaged roof, a new rooftop unit, a bank of EV chargers, a greenhouse or a wedding tent all end up at the same counter, and the building department asks for the same thing: drawings and calculations sealed by a Professional Engineer. PE Engineer provides engineering services for permits on almost any engineering drawing or stamp a building department asks for.
Every set is prepared to the codes your jurisdiction enforces and sealed by a PE licensed in the state where the project is located, through our network of state-licensed engineers. You get a fixed-fee proposal before any work starts, usually the same day, and if the plan reviewer issues comments we answer them and revise the drawings within the original scope at no extra charge. Homeowners, contractors, business owners, event producers and growers all use these services, and we write each set for the person who has to build from it and the reviewer who has to approve it.
The services on this page are common requests that fall outside our main categories. If you do not see your project listed, send it anyway. A plan reviewer’s comment letter, a sketch or a few photos is enough for us to tell you what the jurisdiction needs and how we would deliver it.
What you receive
- Engineered drawings sized to your project
- Supporting calculations package
- Details and general notes for the builder
- Code and standard references on the sheets
- Plan-check response letter when needed
- PE stamped PDF set ready to submit
Specialty engineering services
Choose the service closest to your project, or contact us directly if it falls somewhere in between.
Sign Structure EngineeringPylon, monument, pole and wall sign structures designed for wind load, with footings, anchorage and calculations sealed by a licensed PE.Explore More
Swimming Pool EngineeringIn-ground pool shell design, pools near houses, walls and slopes, and above-ground pool support, engineered and stamped for your pool permit.Explore More
Shipping Container StructuresContainer homes, offices and storage buildings engineered for permit, including cut openings, stacking, foundations, anchorage and IBC or IRC compliance.Explore More
Tiny House PlansTiny house plans on permanent foundations, prepared to IRC Appendix AQ where adopted, with lofts, framing, foundation and PE stamp for permit.Explore More
Foundation Repair & UnderpinningSettlement and crack evaluation, helical and push pier underpinning, wall stabilization and stamped foundation repair plans for permit and for buyers.Explore More
Structural Damage AssessmentFire, storm, vehicle impact and water damage evaluated by a licensed engineer, with stamped repair drawings for permit, contractors and insurance documentation.Explore More
Rooftop Equipment SupportsRTU structural analysis, curb and dunnage design, roof framing reinforcement and wind and seismic anchorage for HVAC units and rooftop equipment.Explore More
EV Charger Electrical PlansEV charger electrical plans for homes, businesses and multifamily properties, with NEC Article 625 design, load calculations, panel upgrades and load management.Explore More
Greenhouses & Ag BuildingsGreenhouses, hoop houses and agricultural buildings engineered for snow, wind and soil, with foundations, anchorage and stamped plans for permit.Explore MoreTemporary Structures & TentsEvent tents, stages, bleachers and temporary buildings engineered for wind, ballast and anchorage, with stamped drawings for event and building permits.Explore MoreWho sends us these projects
Specialty permits come from every kind of client, and we adjust the deliverable to how you will use it.
Homeowners
Pools, tiny houses, foundation repairs, EV chargers and backyard structures, with plain answers about what the city needs and a fixed fee.
Contractors and installers
Sign, pool, pier, roofing, solar and electrical contractors who need a stamped set quickly so a crew can start.
Business and property owners
Signs, rooftop equipment, chargers, container buildings and damage repairs on commercial, retail and multifamily properties.
Event and agricultural operators
Tent rental companies, event producers, growers and farms that need temporary or agricultural structures engineered and approved.
Your Stamped, Permit-Ready Plans Start With One Upload
Send your drawings or describe the project. A licensed engineer reviews it and sends a clear, fixed-fee proposal, often within hours.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
Why permits for unusual projects get stuck
Building departments are set up to review houses, additions and commercial buildings. When something less common lands on a reviewer’s desk, the usual prescriptive tables do not apply, and the reviewer falls back on the rule that covers every structure the code does not describe: show it was designed by a licensed engineer. That is why a tall pylon sign, a container used as a backyard office or a stage at a festival can trigger more paperwork than a kitchen remodel.
Projects tend to stall for a few predictable reasons:
- The manufacturer’s literature is not site-specific and does not address local wind, snow, seismic or soil conditions.
- The drawings were prepared by someone who is not licensed in the state, or they lack calculations.
- The design mixes disciplines, such as a pool next to a retaining wall or a charger that needs a service upgrade, and nobody owns the whole picture.
- The reviewer cannot tell which code section the project is being reviewed under.
Each of these delays costs time, and sometimes a missed opening or event date. We fix them by producing a site-specific design with calculations, clear code references on the sheets and a PE seal from your state.
How we approach engineering services for permits
Every project starts with the question the reviewer will ask. We read the jurisdiction’s requirements, confirm which code and edition apply, and identify the loads and conditions that govern the design. Only then do we draw.
For structural work we determine site-specific wind, snow, seismic and soil loads using ASCE 7 and the code your jurisdiction has adopted, then size members, foundations and connections to the appropriate material standard. For electrical work we calculate loads to the NEC and show the service, feeders and protection the inspector will look for. Where a project crosses disciplines, one team coordinates the structural, electrical and site pieces so they agree with each other.
We also think about the field. Details are drawn so an installer can follow them without calling us, materials are specified in sizes that are actually available, and anchorage and foundation choices reflect how the work will be built on your site.
The result is a compact, organized submittal: drawings the contractor can build from, calculations the reviewer can follow, and a seal from an engineer licensed where the project is located. If the city still has questions, we respond to each comment by number and revise the set.
Have a Question? Get a Real Engineer's Answer in Minutes
Skip the guesswork. Chat live with a licensed engineer about your drawings, code requirements or permit comments, free and with no obligation.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
- Secure file upload
Projects we handle that are not listed here
The ten services on this page cover common specialty requests, but the list is not the limit. Other projects we take on include:
- Flagpoles, light poles, antenna masts and camera poles with embedded or anchored foundations.
- Fences and sound walls over the height a city allows without engineering.
- Elevated walkways, ramps and bridges on private property.
- Trash enclosures, bus shelters, kiosks and small prefabricated buildings.
- Engineering letters for inspections, insurance or lender requirements.
- Review and stamping of drawings prepared by a manufacturer or another designer.
- Small bridges, culvert headwalls and other site structures on private land.
Many of these share the same engineering problems as the services listed on this page: a foundation that must resist overturning, a connection that must carry wind uplift, or an existing structure that must be checked for new load.
For broader work, our structural engineering and third-party plan review and stamp services cover most of what is left. If you are still unsure, describe the project and we will tell you honestly whether we are the right fit. When a project needs a discipline we do not cover, we will say so early rather than after you have waited a week.
What to send for a fast proposal
The quickest way to a fixed-fee proposal is to send what you already have. Useful items include:
- The project address, so we can confirm the jurisdiction, design loads and the state license required.
- Any comments, correction letters or requirement lists from the building department.
- Manufacturer drawings, cut sheets or product data for signs, pools, containers, equipment, chargers, greenhouses or tents.
- A sketch, site plan or photos showing where the work will go and what is around it.
- Your deadline, if a permit date, event date or inspection date is driving the schedule.
- Any existing drawings of the building or site, even old or hand-drawn ones, since they save measuring time.
You can upload files through our proposal request form. We review the project, ask any questions that affect the scope, and send a fixed fee, usually the same day. Rush service is available when the calendar is tight, and we stay with the project through plan check until the permit is issued.
Not sure which service fits? That is normal for specialty projects. Describe what you are building and what the city asked for, and we will sort out the right path, whether that is a short stamped letter, a full drawing set or a review of someone else’s drawings.
Common reasons you land here
- The city asked for a PE stamp on something unusual
- Manufacturer drawings are not site-specific
- Your project mixes structural and electrical work
- An event or opening date is fixed
- A building was damaged and needs repair drawings
- You cannot find your project type anywhere else
How it works, start to finish
From your first message to stamped drawings, you work directly with the engineering team.
- 1Share your projectSend the address, scope and any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. Two minutes is enough.
- 2Receive a fixed-fee proposalAn engineer reviews the scope and replies with a firm price and delivery date for your other engineering services drawings.
- 3Engineering and draftingWe run the calculations and prepare drawings to the codes your jurisdiction enforces, checked before sealing.
- 4Stamped set deliveredYou receive a sealed PDF set ready to submit, and we answer any plan-check comments within scope.
Codes and standards behind this work
Each specialty service is designed to the edition of these codes and standards your jurisdiction has adopted, along with any local amendments:
- International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC)
- International Existing Building Code (IEBC) for repairs and alterations
- ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
- ACI 318, AISC 360 and NDS for concrete, steel and wood
- NEC (NFPA 70) for electrical work
- International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (ISPSC) and International Fire Code (IFC)
How licensing works. Engineering drawings must be sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where your project is located. PE Engineer works with a network of state-licensed PEs, so every set is reviewed and stamped by an engineer with an active license in the state where your project is located. Their name and license number appear on the seal, exactly as your building department requires.
Related services
Structural EngineeringFoundations, framing, beams, steel, retaining walls and lateral design, calculated and sealed by a licensed structural PE.Explore More
PE Stamp ServicesStructural, architectural, MEP and equipment drawings reviewed and sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where your project is located.Explore More
MEP EngineeringMechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection drawings, energy compliance and solar plans, designed and sealed by a licensed PE for permit.Explore MoreFrequently asked questions
Can you help if my project type is not listed on your site?
Very likely, yes. We handle almost any engineering drawing or stamp a building department asks for. Send the project description, any city comments and photos or sketches, and we will tell you what the jurisdiction needs and whether we can deliver it. If it is outside what we do, we will say so.
Who stamps the drawings for these specialty projects?
Every set is sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where the project is located, through PE Engineer’s network of state-licensed PEs. The engineer who seals the work takes responsibility for the design shown on the sheets and the supporting calculations. If your project spans more than one state, each portion is sealed by an engineer licensed where that work is located.
Can you stamp manufacturer drawings for a sign, tent, greenhouse or container?
Often, yes. We review the manufacturer’s drawings and calculations against your site’s wind, snow, seismic and soil conditions and the code your jurisdiction has adopted. Where the product works as drawn, we seal it. Where it needs changes, such as a larger footing or extra anchorage, we design and detail them.
How is pricing handled for unusual projects?
We send a fixed-fee proposal after reviewing your project, usually the same day. The fee covers the drawings, calculations and seal described in the proposal, plus responses to plan-check comments and revisions within the original scope at no extra charge. If the scope changes, such as a larger structure or added chargers, we tell you before any extra work begins.
Do you visit the site?
Most permit designs are completed from your drawings, photos and measurements. When a project needs eyes on site, such as a damage assessment or a foundation evaluation, we arrange a visit through a local licensed engineer and fold the findings into the design.
How quickly can you deliver?
Turnaround depends on the size of the project and how complete the information is. Most residential packages are delivered within a few business days of receiving everything we need. Rush service is available for event dates, inspections and other fixed deadlines. We confirm the expected timing in writing with your proposal, so you can plan around it.
Get your free other engineering services proposal
Tell us where the project is and what you need. Attach any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. A licensed engineer reviews every request.
- Upload your filesPlans, sketches, photos or comments
- Get a fixed-fee proposalUsually the same day
- Receive stamped drawingsSealed by a PE licensed in your state