Founded in 1973, we are currently a full service structural engineering firm with architectural capability serving the Chicago Metropolitan Area, Northwest Indiana Area and Southeast Wisconsin Area. Our structural engineering and architectural experience includes new buildings, remodeling of existing buildings and restoration of deteriorating or damaged buildings for residential, commercial and in
dustrial structures. Our structural engineers can design in steel, reinforced and plain concrete, masonry and wood, from single story residences to mid-rise apartment, office or hotel buildings. We specialize in forensic engineering, which relates to the determination of the cause of structural damage or deterioration and the correction of the resulting damage, for wood, concrete, masonry and steel building elements. We can make recommendations of reliable contractors who specialize in the types of repairs needed. We will provide the names of two or three contractors that specialize in the repair procedure needed, for our clients to contact. Forensic investigations often lead to providing expert witness testimony in litigation relating to design or construction defects. Several of our engineers and our Architect have testified at deposition, arbitration, mediation or trial in regard to structural and architectural matters. We also provide structural engineering of pedestrian bridges; retaining walls of wood, masonry or concrete; wood deck, porch and stair structures for apartment buildings; wood, steel or concrete balcony and handrail repair; and, specialized structural inspections of problems found by home inspectors during their home inspection. The City of Chicago requires periodic inspections of exposed steel structures, such as fire escapes, water tanks and signs. We can provide such inspections and prepare the forms for the building owner to submit to the City of Chicago. Inspection services include the preparation of a written report, supplemented with sketches or photographs when required. When a written report is not needed, we can provide the necessary repair documents to enable the Client to obtain competitive bids and a building permit. Such services are normally provided on an hourly fee basis; however, we will be glad to provide an estimate of the amount of time needed for the inspection. Computers are used extensively to ensure accuracy and minimum design time. Similarly, sketches and drawings are produced using AutoCad, an electronic drawing system, that can save time initially and minimize time for making revisions, should revisions become necessary during the progress of the work. The use of AutoCad also enables us to e-mail drawings to our clients and contractors. The firm advocates quality in their engineering and architectural work. Stuart Jacobson was on the Executive Committee of the Structural Engineers Risk Management Council (SERMC), was the Chairman of the Claims Review Committee and a member of the Guidelines and Technical Peer Review Committees for SERMC before its recent closure. Jacobson is one of the founding members of the Risk Management Program (RMP), a program of the Council of American Structural Engineers (CASE), which promotes quality structural engineering in an effort to reduce claims against structural engineers. He is currently one of its Directors. All of the Engineers in the firm belong to the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI) and our Architect is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). All licensed design professionals must take continuing education or professional development programs to maintain their licenses.
