South Pasadena Grading Plan on Illinois Drive
Grading plan for a South Pasadena residential remodel. Lot above street grade with garage widening, new staircase, and area drains routing to Hanscom Drive.
Read MoreEngineering Insights
Perspectives on civil engineering, hillside construction, grading, and structural engineering in Los Angeles.
Burbank Grading Plan: SB9 House with 34-Foot Slope
Burbank SB9 project on a 34-foot slope. See how we designed the garage level, handled drainage, and got planning approval.
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W Marigold St Drainage: 11ft Slope, ADU, Rain Gardens
Drainage plan and hydrology report for an Altadena rebuild on an 11-foot sloping lot: flowlines around the house and ADU, lined rain gardens both sides.
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ADU Timing: Ask Before Altadena Plans Are Approved
LA County often requires sump pumps on Altadena rebuilds. Planning an ADU later? Extra engineering now can save $15,000 to $20,000 in pump costs.
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AI Search and Status Monitoring for Civil Engineering
We built a status page with real response time metrics and an AI search tool that answers questions about our civil engineering work.
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Skipping the Sump Pump and LID Covenant in Altadena
We recently got a drainage plan approved in Altadena without requiring a sump pump or a LID maintenance covenant. Here is the engineering behind why it worked.
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Does Your Altadena Rebuild Need a Grading Plan?
LA County requirements keep changing after the Eaton Fire. Most Altadena rebuilds only need a drainage plan, not full grading. What can trigger more.
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Chapala Drive Rebuild: Basement, Pool, Sump Pump
A Pacific Palisades fire rebuild needing grading, excavation, erosion control, and sump pump design for a basement, with a pool and lightwells below street grade.
Read MoreLA Baseline Hillside Ordinance Explained
The Baseline Hillside Ordinance caps how much you can grade on Los Angeles hillside properties. What the BHO says, what triggers it, and how the formula works.
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