I am a licensed Professional Engineer in Missouri who helps homeowners, contractors, and attorneys get clear engineering answers quickly. My educational background combines aerospace engineering, agricultural engineering, and computer engineering, and my project experience spans software, distributed and control systems, embedded and hardware-adjacent platforms, and regulated environments requiring formal verification and testing. That mix equips me to translate complex code and technical requirements into practical solutions—whether you need a stamped letter to satisfy a building official, a retrofit design that keeps your project on schedule, or a defensible forensic opinion. As a structural engineer missouri, I draw on this breadth to move from first look to final deliverable efficiently and without surprises.
Home and Small-Project Solutions: Assessments, Designs, and Permit-Ready Deliverables
For homeowners and small builders, the biggest challenge is often uncertainty: Is that crack cosmetic or structural? Will a new opening compromise the load path? How do you get from “I need this fixed” to approvals in hand? I provide focused site evaluations, calculations, and stamped reports that answer those questions and line up with jurisdictional requirements across Missouri—St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, and beyond. A typical workflow starts with a phone consult and photos, followed by an on-site evaluation to document conditions, measure spans, verify framing species and grades, and check foundations and soils. When appropriate, I use nondestructive tools and targeted openings to confirm assumptions without unnecessary demolition.
If the structure needs strengthening or alteration, I develop practical details grounded in familiar materials and methods: LVL or PSL beams, steel angles or channels, cold-formed members, and connection schedules that carpenters and welders can execute reliably. Calculations reference the right standards—IRC/IBC, ASCE 7 for wind and seismic, ACI 318 for concrete, AISC 360 for steel, NDS for wood, and AISI S100 for cold-formed steel—so building officials can review quickly. Missouri-specific factors are built into the design: frost depths between 30 and 42 inches, wind exposure for open terrain, and regional concerns like expansive clays around Kansas City, karst in parts of the Ozarks, and floodplain considerations near the Missouri and Mississippi rivers.
When you need a formal opinion, I provide a concise, photo-rich report and, where needed, a stamped letter addressing fitness-for-occupancy, load capacity, or repair scope. That can include a targeted structural integrity assessment missouri that documents observed conditions, probable causes, and recommended actions. If you require drawings for a remodel, deck, retaining wall, lintel replacement, or a new opening through a bearing wall, I produce permit-ready sheets and coordinate with your contractor to align details with field realities. For permit engineering missouri, communication speed matters; I prioritize strict turnaround windows, proactive calls with plan reviewers, and clear response-to-comments memos to keep approvals moving. Case example: a South St. Louis masonry home with a sagging brick lintel received a same-week assessment, steel angle specification, and a stamped detail; the city approved the repair on first review, and the homeowner replaced the lintel before the next rain event.
Construction and Contractor Support: Delegated Design, Shop Review, and Field Problem-Solving
Contractors need engineering that defends the schedule and reduces rework. I provide engineering services missouri that cover delegated design, connection design, value engineering, temporary works, and shop drawing review. On wood and light-gauge projects, I resolve field conflicts with practical options: revised hold-down schedules, alternative anchor patterns, or member substitutions supported by stamped calculations. For steel, I design welded and bolted connections, header and lintel sizing, and simple-span versus continuous strategies that balance fabrication effort with installed performance. When unforeseen conditions appear—out-of-level foundations, undersized joists, or misaligned embeds—I produce engineered repairs that can be implemented with minimal disruption.
Temporary works are often the hidden risk on small to midsize sites. I design shoring for wall openings, beam swaps, and façade stabilization; specify jack loads and sequences; and, when beneficial, integrate instrumentation to verify that deflections and settlements remain within allowable limits. My background in controls and embedded systems helps when construction sequencing depends on equipment logic, like coordinated jack lifts or formwork release: procedures are written, tested in small steps, and monitored to prevent cascading failures. That same systems mindset extends to QA/QC: checklists keyed to specific code sections, call-outs for inspection points, and photo documentation that simplifies closeout.
Real-world example: a Columbia addition required cutting a 14-foot opening in a load-bearing wall beneath an occupied second floor. I designed a two-stage shoring plan, sized a built-up LVL solution with steel bearing plates, and provided a bolt-and-nail schedule that matched the crew’s tools. Shop review flagged a supply issue; we pivoted to a steel W-section with a simple clip-angle connection, maintaining the weekend changeover window. Building inspection passed on first visit. For permit engineering missouri submittals, my packages include a narrative tying each drawing note to the applicable code provision, which shortens review time and reduces RFIs. If your scope involves specialty items—cold-formed truss modifications, masonry veneer anchors, or ledger retrofits into existing CMU—I develop details that account for field variability, like grout presence or unknown reinforcement, so crews have clear decision trees in the moment.
Forensic Analysis and Testimony: Investigations Built for Courtroom Scrutiny
Construction disputes and property losses demand disciplined evidence handling and explanations that laypeople can follow. As an engineering expert witness missouri, I conduct investigations that combine field observations with calculation-backed causation analysis and, when needed, digital data. The process begins with a documented site protocol: chain of custody for samples, calibrated measurement tools, and photo/video capture with timestamps and context. I map damage patterns to credible load paths and mechanisms—differential settlement, connection failure, moisture intrusion, or overloading—and test competing hypotheses against the codes and material behavior. Where embedded systems or automated equipment may be at issue (garage door openers, sump controllers, smart HVAC dampers), I apply formal testing methods from regulated environments: define acceptance criteria, replicate conditions, log sensor states, and preserve data in an immutable record.
Reports are structured for admissibility and clarity: scope and limitations, background documents reviewed, observations, analysis with references to standards, and conclusions to a reasonable degree of engineering certainty. Demonstratives—load-path diagrams, deflection sketches, and time-sequenced photo mosaics—help explain why a masonry crack stair-stepped the way it did or how lateral wind pressures exceeded an underdesigned connection. I am familiar with the evidentiary implications of site changes; when necessary, I recommend urgent steps to preserve conditions and document perishable evidence. I also provide critique of opposing reports, focusing on traceability, calculation transparency, and whether alternate causes were reasonably eliminated.
Case studies illustrate the approach. In a Kansas City deck collapse, analysis showed inadequate ledger fasteners into rim board without proper blocking; I correlated failure timing with a dynamic load event and demonstrated that the deck would have remained serviceable with code-compliant fastener schedules and flashing. In a Springfield moisture-intrusion claim, infrared and pin readings, paired with weep and flashing details, separated workmanship defects from design omissions. When disputes turn to settlement or trial, testimony is supported by plain-language explanations and visuals that align with the math. Whether you need a pre-litigation opinion letter or full testimony, the goal is the same: rigorous, comprehensible work that stands up to cross-examination and helps the trier of fact.
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