How Much Does a Structural Engineer Cost in 2025?

Structural Engineer Cost Factors

Every job is unique, with specific plans for individual areas, each with its own nuances. Because of this, your structural engineer quote will vary depending on a few factors, which include the report, inspection, and/or plan type, your location, project complexity, and the way the engineer charges for their work.

Report Type

The cost of hiring a structural engineer will vary greatly depending on the type of report you need. The cost of the report itself is included with the inspection, meaning that you’ll have to consider both the report and inspection as a single cost. A general structural report of a home costs an average of $550, with most other reports and inspections costing between $350 and $1,000. 

Inspection Type

A major structural engineer cost factor is the type of inspection you get. While structural inspections of the whole home average $550, more specific inspections (and the reports generated after) have different price points to consider.

You’ll usually pay for a structural engineer inspection cost to inspect a portion of your home and generate a report on how sound it is. It’s commonly done before a remodel, after significant damage, or before putting in an addition. Engineers include reports as part of the total project cost, detailing what you need to do to make alterations, additions, or renovations structurally sound.

Full Home

Structural engineer inspection for a whole home costs around $350 to $900. Sometimes, they’ll charge a minimum fee plus their hourly rate. An engineering assessment checks the structural integrity of an aging home, usually during a home sale. This specialized pro usually comes in at the buyer’s request on the recommendation of a home inspector, and this fee comes on top of the home inspector's cost, which is approximately $300 to $420.

Structural engineers check for:

• Dry rot

• Infestation

• Shifting foundations

• Erosion

They’ll inspect:

• Load-bearing walls, joists, and beams

• Roofing

• Foundations

• Chimneys

Foundation Inspection 

Foundation inspections by a structural engineer cost around $300 to $750. Actual pricing varies depending on the home size and type, the pro’s hourly rate, and regional prices.

Load-Bearing Walls

Inspecting load-bearing walls run from $250 to $1,000. If you include drawing up plans for changes to beams, you might pay $3,000 or more. Some homeowners report prices nearing $5,000 in metropolitan areas like California and New York, which have both more building regulations and a higher cost of living.

Roof

A roof inspection by a structural engineer costs about $150 to $600. These aren't typical roof inspections. Instead, they're looking for the roof's structural integrity, not the shingles. This inspection often happens in older homes, those damaged in storms, or when a tree falls and damages some of the supports.

Chimney

Chimney structural inspections cost around $200 to $600 for a basic, level 1 inspection. If your chimney has more severe issues, such as leaning or damage from fire or weather, you’ll instead need a level 2 or 3 inspection, which is more in-depth, time-consuming, and expensive.

• Level 1: visual check

• Level 2: visual check with simple tools; no damage done to any surface or structure

• Level 3: visual check with the removal of wall, bricks, or another structural component; typically occurs after a fire and requires rebuilding

Plan Type

Structural engineers don’t just do inspections—they can also help you draw up plans for the design of new construction or remodeling. For most residential projects, engineering plans cost approximately $500 to $5,000 per drawing or sheet for a normal house design or remodel, while designs for large construction projects could cost $12,000 or more. Plans detail your project's structural components, giving your builders a schematic to use during construction. 

• Commercial engineering plans cost anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000, depending on the scope of the project.

• Prepare to devote as much as 45% of your engineering budget to plans and drawings.

• Plans take anywhere from three days to two weeks to complete, depending on the level of detail. 

• Commercial projects take anywhere from one to four months to complete.

Draftsperson Drawings

Blueprints cost $700 to $1,500 for pre-drawn plans on average, while custom house plans could cost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000. Blueprints are drawn by a draftsperson, who can complete plans for a three-bedroom home within 15 to 40 hours. Double that price for redlining and customizations. Although rare, some people still want printed plans, which add anywhere from $800 to $1,400. 

There are four essential types of draftsperson drawings:

• Standard: These include common details that exist across a variety of projects and include things such as concrete box culverts and column bases

• Reinforcement: These specify the location of the materials used to reinforce the structure and show the proposed locations of steel fixers and trimming bars

• Structural: These deal with the placement of concrete, rebar, and other materials used to reinforce the building

• Record: These keep track of any modifications made to the original plans

A draftsperson typically works for a local architect or structural engineer and rarely makes plans on their own without oversight. In many cases, they'll need a stamp from an architect or engineer. They can transfer existing plans into computer-aided design (CAD) blueprints and make modifications requested by an engineer. 

PE Stamp Cost

The cost to stamp work comes as part of a project. In most places, state law dictates that an engineer can only stamp work they’ve personally done or supervised the production of, such as with a draftsperson working under them. A professional engineer (PE) stamp means the engineer has helped design, review, and approve the plans. It also confers liability on them in case anything goes wrong.

Note: The practice of selling a stamp or stamping someone else’s work after only reviewing it is unethical and often illegal. Any stamp should come from an engineer who personally helped design the project. 

Civil Engineer Costs

Depending on the project, you may have to get your designs signed by a civil engineer. Civil engineers mainly focus on very large buildings and infrastructure, so they may not be necessary for your project. If you do need to hire a civil engineer, they’ll charge between $100 and $200 per hour.

Geographic Location

Structural engineering costs vary by location and region. They’ll often be aware of regional-specific geology and environmental hazards—such as hurricanes in Florida or earthquakes in California—and the building codes and requirements that go along with those hazards. 

Project Complexity and Scope

The cost of hiring a structural engineer will vary greatly depending on the overall complexity and size of your project. For example, designing a simple add-on to your existing home will have a very low cost when compared to the cost of designing an entirely new, custom home. 

Rate

How much is a structural engineer? Engineering fees range from place to place and project to project. Depending on the project and the specific engineer, you may pay per project, per hour, or per square foot. On a per-project basis, structural engineer fees usually range from $2,000 to $8,500 for most basic residential services. You might spend $10,000 or more on particularly complex projects. For some remodels, you might even hit $15,000 if they provide comprehensive services, like total project management.

Many structural engineers work on a three-part payment plan that happens after predetermined milestones:

• First payment calls for about 25% upfront

• Second payment ranges anywhere from 25%–50%

• Third payment takes care of the remainder of the balance 

Additionally, structural engineers often charge using a combination of methods, including:

• A percentage of total construction costs that includes a set amount of site visits, redlining, drawings, and reports

• Per square footage  

• Hourly for extras not included in the original proposal

Structural Engineering Cost per Square Foot

If a structural engineer charges per square foot, it’ll range from $2 to $10 per square foot, depending on the project type, budget, and size. However, per-square-foot pricing for residential homes isn’t common. You’re more likely to pay per hour, as a percentage of the project, or a combination of the two.

Structural Engineer Cost per Hour

You’ll pay a local structural engineer around $70 to $250 per hour for ancillary or out-of-scope work, such as extra site visits not covered in the project price due to unforeseen circumstances. 

Most pros provide you with a total project price. They calculate the project pricing based on how much time they estimate each task will take and divide it by their hourly rate. Often, you’ll get a project rate plus an hourly rate for anything not within the job scope.

Fees as a Percentage of Construction

You'll spend anywhere between 1% and 5% of the total structural cost for new construction or 7% to 10% of your renovation budget on a structural engineer. For simple plans, expect to pay on the low end. For complete project management services, you'll spend more.

Project Management Costs

Using a structural engineer as a project manager on larger projects can cost anywhere from 8% to 20% of the total structural construction cost, up to $20,000. They’ll manage the project much the same as an architect or project manager, organizing the subcontractors, scheduling work, and dealing with the day-to-day operations. Typically, they’ll only manage a project they’ve designed or helped to redesign. 

Budgeting for Hiring a Structural Engineer

If you’re building new construction or renovations, there’s no way to get around hiring a structural engineer. However, there are a few ways to save on the costs of hiring these professionals:

• Hire your structural engineer’s firm to also create your architectural drawings—bundling these services can often save you money.

• If you’re taking on a simpler project, like removing a load-bearing wall, look for structural engineers who charge a flat fee rather than hourly fees.

• Opt for standardized building designs to save on the costs of custom work.

• Make the investment in a knowledgeable, experienced structural engineer—they can help you minimize costs while still meeting your design goals.

• Work with your structural engineer for inspections, assessments, and even repairs to save money on various services.

How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data

No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. We surveyed thousands of real customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.