Peter Seirup, P.E.
Licensed Professional Structural Engineer
specializing in:
Structural Diagnosis & Repair Prescriptions for Houses
also: Custom Beam Designs for Wall Removals & Additions
Serving 35 minute radius of Ridgefield, CT
I have been evaluating local house structures, diagnosing their structural problems, and prescribing solutions for over 40 years.
Having done general Structural evaluations of over 13,000 homes, I find the real fun is in determining the implications of specific structural issues, and what should be done about them.
Most of the work I do falls into two categories:
Professional Opinion – $875
An up to 1-hour on-site or virtual visit to investigate and provide and opinion on a single item, followed by a documentation letter, is often all that is needed and costs a flat rate of $875.
Structural Design – $1,250
I will make an on-site or virtual visit to your house to determine the structural loads involved and perform appropriate calculations for various options. I will deliver specifications for the required structural elements and a description of the implementation process in a stamped documentation letter for a flat rate of $1,250.
In both cases, I can provide more invasive structural evaluation or stamped design sketches for an additional cost.
Can I remove this wall?
Nearly half of my appointments are to design structural accommodations for such alterations – usually removing or opening up the wall between the kitchen and dining or living room.
I will make an on-site or virtual visit to your house to determine the structural loads involved and perform appropriate calculations for various options, such as drop vs. flush beams; steel vs. LVL beams, or length of span.
Is this a problem?
The first thing to remember is that no house is perfect.
For example, it is normal for concrete to crack because it shrinks as it cures. Such cracking is benign.
Frequently, however, cracking concrete is a symptom of a serious issue.
My job is to distinguish between minor imperfections and major problems.
How to fix this?
There are often multiple options for how to address a given situation.
We want to choose the right repair. You neither want to spend an extravagant amount of money that’s not necessary, nor do you want to make a repair that is an insufficient temporary fix.
Together we will evaluate options and devise a pragmatic appropriate long-term repair concept.
What might repair cost?
Ultimately you need bids from contractors to know real cost, but to get those bids you need a reasonable scope of work.
Once we have chosen a pragmatic repair method, I will give you a guestimate of what it might cost so you will know if the bids you receive are in the right ballpark.
Many situations do not require structural drawings to address. However, if the situation is particularly complicated, I can provide stamped structural sketches at an additional hourly rate.
What is happening here?
It’s often that head-scratching question that leads to my visit.
In spite of Building Codes and conscientious contractors, not everything is built right in the first place or repaired correctly.
In this photo, why is the beam sagged? Wait. That’s not a wooden beam; that’s concrete which does not bend – yet it isn’t cracked. So what is going on here??
My job is to diagnose what is happening and determine what are the implications of whatever specific structural issues you face.
Are these beams the right size?
A significant amount of my business is designing individual beams for contractors and/or architectural designers.
I also frequently review all the beams needs in the design of a new structure. Structural designs from architectural plans usually does not require a site visit and can be done remotely.
For this service, no need to book an appointment, just call me (203) 470-5157.
Request an Appointment
If you have any questions before booking, please call me (203) 470-5157.
I serve a 35 minute radius of Ridgefield, CT. If you are unsure, please call me.
To request an on-site appointment, follow the link below and select any available appointment time on my calendar.
(If no times are available, call me directly if you think a virtual visit might work for you.)
Professional Opinion – $875
An up to 1-hour on-site or virtual visit to investigate and provide and opinion on a single item, followed by a documentation letter, is often all that is needed and costs a flat rate of $875.
Structural Design – $1,250
I will make an on-site or virtual visit to your house to determine the structural loads involved and perform appropriate calculations for various options. I will deliver specifications for the required structural elements and a description of the implementation process in a stamped documentation letter for a flat rate of $1,250.
In both cases, I can provide more invasive structural evaluation or stamped design sketches for an additional cost.
Who I work with
Home Owners
- help them understand issues at their home and how to address them.
- design structural accomodations for alterations (wall removals)
Contractors / Architects
Home Buyers & Brokers
Frequently Asked Questions
No. After 40 years, I have retired from performing whole-house Home Inspections.
Yes. For 40 years I committed to being available to advise my clients for years to come. I’m still here and happy to answer questions for previous clients.
In the Spring and the Fall, I’m often available the same week. In Summer & Winter I am often gone for longer periods of time.
See my availability in real-time and request an on-site appointment.
Beyond what is available on the calendar, I have greater flexibility for jobs conducive to virtual visits.
I deliver a letter documenting my analysis and recommendations, usually next-day.
I do not produce full structural drawings.
More often than not, my stamped documentation letter is sufficiently descriptive to secure a building permit to remove a wall. If not, I can provide a stamped sketch at an additional charge.
Frequently there is an architectural designer involved in the project who can incorporate my input on to existing drawings. Those drawings can refer to my stamped documentation letter.
I serve a 35 minute radius of Ridgefield, CT. If you are unsure, please call me (203) 470-5157.
Yes, but I prefer checks.
We do not accept venmo, Zelle or other payment transfers.
Rendering a professional opinion is applying my 40 years experience to judge the implications of questionable conditions and whether they require remedial action.
Design work includes structural calculations, specification of structural elements, and description of the implementation process.
About Peter Seirup, P.E.
Peter Seirup has been inspecting houses locally (in Ridgefield, CT and the greater Fairfield County area) full-time since the early 1980s. His business, Home Directions, inc., primarily provided home inspections and consultations.
After 40 years, Peter is now limiting his practice to the troubleshooting of engineering problems for homeowners and advising clients making renovations.
1976 B.S., Civil Engineering, SUNY
1976-78 Intern Engineer
1978-80 M.B.A., Harvard Business School
1980-82 Technical Management
1983 Earned P.E. License and organized Home Directions, inc.
1983-2022 Inspected well over 13,000 homes and buildings, and engineered thousands of solutions to structural issues
2022-present Troubleshooting engineering problems for homeowners, advising clients making renovations, and designing structures for builders.