Identify specialist questions
Existing foundations, slopes, long service routes and large openings can each call for focused input. Bring known site conditions into the discussion early.
Services
/ Design & delivery
Service 15 / Design & delivery
ADU Engineering
Structure, drainage and building systems have to work in the same small footprint. Coordinate those decisions while the design still has room to move.
View the field notes ↓
01 / Property study
Where do structure and services meet?
Bring current drawings to the coordination review. Flag one opening, roof edge or service run where two disciplines intersect.
02 / Design considerations
Coordinate the drawing set.
Coordinate the drawings
Review where structural members, ducts, fixtures and built-in storage meet. Catching a conflict on paper leaves more options for resolving it.
Track what changed
Keep current plans and consultant revisions together. Record the reason for each change so the design team and builder can work from the same information.
03 / Design study
Follow the load down.
For a home above a garage, ask the engineer to trace the new loads through the existing structure. Record the areas that need investigation before relying on an early construction estimate.
Illustrative architectural concept04 / Homeowner questions
ADU Engineering
FAQs.
What information helps an engineer understand an existing building?
Provide dated drawings, alteration records and photos of exposed framing or foundation edges. Mark what you know was added or changed. Let the engineer identify which concealed conditions need investigation.
Who can tell us whether an old garage slab can stay?
Ask the structural engineer what they need to evaluate the slab and its support for the proposed dwelling. They can identify which observations, records or tests will inform the decision before the estimate assumes reuse.
Will wide garden doors change more than the look of the room?
Show the desired opening and the roof or floor above it to the structural designer. Ask where supports would land and whether those supports affect glazing, storage or the walking path.
What should we record if water pools where we want to build?
Take dated photos after rain and mark where runoff enters, collects and leaves. Share any earlier drainage work. Ask the civil or site designer how the proposed finished levels would affect both homes and adjacent land.
When should we ask about soils or a sloping site?
Flag slopes, retaining walls, earlier fill or known ground movement during the first site review. Ask the design team whether a geotechnical evaluation is needed and which decisions depend on it.
How do we avoid a conflict between a beam and a duct?
Request a section drawing through the tightest zone, with structural members, mechanical runs and finished ceiling height shown together. Resolve the route before the builder prices or installs it.
What should we bring to a conversation about electric service?
List the appliances and equipment planned for each dwelling. Photograph accessible equipment labels from a safe position. Ask the electrical professional and utility what information they need to evaluate capacity and connection work.
Can we move plumbing after the floor plan is settled?
Mark the proposed change on the current plan and ask the relevant designers to trace its effects on drains, vents, framing and equipment access. Request a revised scope and cost before approving the move.
What happens if the crew uncovers something different from the drawings?
Ask the contractor to document the location and pause the affected work while the responsible designer reviews it. Keep the written response, any revised detail and the cost or schedule change together.
How do we know the builder is using the coordinated set?
Give each issued sheet a date and revision identifier. Ask the team to list which sheets changed, retire superseded copies and identify who will confirm the current set with the site supervisor.
05 / Your next step
Bring your site into focus.
Keep your notes together for the first property conversation.
Build your property brief ↗