Field Notes
Plain-English structural engineering.
A working library on snow loads, foundations, ADUs, retaining walls, and the other things Utah homeowners and contractors actually call us about. No sales pitch — just the answer we'd give a neighbor.
Featured
What the permit process actually looks like in Davis County's three biggest cities. Timelines, common rejections, and how to avoid them.
Both work. Both have a place. The right answer depends on your soil, your structure, and what's wrong — not what the foundation repair company sells.
Garage conversions are the most popular ADU strategy in Davis County right now — and almost always more involved structurally than homeowners expect.
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Permits & Code
- Working with Your City: A Permit Walkthrough for Layton, Syracuse & ClearfieldApril 23, 2025 · 7 min
- Pole Barns and Shops in Davis County: Permits, Engineering, and Snow LoadsNovember 12, 2024 · 6 min
- Egress Window Structural Letters: What Layton & Syracuse Inspectors WantSeptember 21, 2024 · 5 min
- Snow Loads in Davis & Weber Counties: What Decks and Patio Covers Have to HandleJuly 1, 2024 · 6 min
- The 4-Foot Rule: When Your Retaining Wall Needs an Engineer in UtahApril 22, 2024 · 7 min
- Do I Really Need a Structural Engineer to Remove a Wall in My Utah Home?February 12, 2024 · 8 min
Foundations
- Helical Piers vs. Push Piers in Utah Soils: A Practical ComparisonApril 9, 2025 · 6 min
- Bowing Basement Walls: Causes, Severity, and What to Do NextSeptember 3, 2024 · 6 min
- The Wasatch Fault and Your House: A Sober Look at Residential Seismic RiskAugust 15, 2024 · 7 min
- Why Foundation Cracks Look Different on the Wasatch Front (Expansive Clay 101)July 22, 2024 · 7 min
ADUs
- Garage Conversions to ADUs in Utah: The Structural Side of the StoryMarch 26, 2025 · 6 min
- ADU Rules in Weber County: A City-by-City Cheat SheetJune 4, 2024 · 6 min
- ADU Rules in Davis County: A City-by-City Cheat SheetMay 23, 2024 · 6 min
- A Plain-English Guide to Utah's HB 82 ADU LawMay 9, 2024 · 7 min
Inspections
Decks & Additions
Case Studies
Hiring an Engineer
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