Who Do You Hire for a Grading Plan in Los Angeles?
For a grading plan in Los Angeles, you hire a civil engineer, not an architect. Here is the difference and why it matters for your project.
Read MoreEngineering Insights
Perspectives on civil engineering, hillside construction, grading, and structural engineering in Los Angeles.
Draining a Sideways Lot Addition When You Cannot Slope to the Rear
An Altadena fire rebuild addition on a sideways lot created a drainage challenge when the rear of the addition sat lower than the existing garage. Here is how we figured out the drainage without using a sump pump.
Read More
Olive Ave Drainage Plan - Sideways Lot with 7% East to West Slope
Drainage plan for a 0.1685-acre Altadena sideways lot. The lot slopes 7% east to west with minimal north-south elevation change. Sheet flow design with flowline splitting to sideyard and driveway.
Read More
Canon Boulevard Grading Plan: Steep Altadena Hillside
A steep Altadena fire rebuild grading plan near the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. We took over from another civil engineer to design cost-effective grading and drainage.
Read More Pacific Palisades Fire Rebuild Grading Plans: What LADBS Requires
The Pacific Palisades fire rebuild process is different from a standard project. Here is what your grading plan needs to get through LADBS approval.
Read More
Open Sourcing Our Cloudflare Workers Tools
We are open sourcing some Cloudflare Workers tools we use on this site - one helps AI agents read our content, the other handles our contact form securely.
Read More Hillside Grading in Pacific Palisades - What Fire Rebuild Projects Actually Require
Pacific Palisades fire rebuilds often require grading plans, excavation plans, stormwater sump pumps, and erosion control. Basements add complexity requiring shoring plans from structural engineers.
Read More
Second Wapello Street Drainage Plan - Existing Conditions and Proposed Design
Our second drainage plan for a Wapello Street property in Altadena. Looking at the existing topography with an excavated house pad, downslope site, and existing pool to work around.
Read More What Does It Actually Cost to Rebuild in Altadena After the Fire?
A look at current construction costs for Altadena fire rebuilds, what goes into the pricing, and where engineering fits into the total budget.
Read More