Projects
A few of the things we've built.
Redacted case studies from real Porter Engineering projects. Addresses and client names removed; the engineering is real.
Foundation evaluation on a 1958 Clearfield rambler
A buyer was under contract on an older rambler near Center Street and the home inspector flagged stair-step cracking in the basement wall. We did the visit, photographed the cracks, evaluated the foundation, and concluded the cracks were old, stable, and consistent with normal expansive-clay seasonal movement — no repair needed. The buyer closed with confidence and saved themselves a $14,000 helical pier quote from a foundation repair company.
More about Clearfield →ADU plans for a basement conversion in Clinton
A homeowner wanted to convert their finished basement into a legal internal ADU for a family member. We did the structural review, designed the new shear wall configuration to support the layout change, sized headers for the new openings, and stamped the package. The engineering scope was about $1,400 and the permit went through cleanly.
More about Clinton →Cantilevered deck on a Farmington bench custom home
A custom home on a sloped East Farmington lot wanted a large cantilevered covered deck overlooking the valley. We designed the cantilever framing, snow-load-rated covered roof, lateral connection back to the house, and the foundation modifications needed to take the new dead load. Plan check approved on first submission.
More about Farmington →Engineered horse barn on a Hooper equestrian lot
A horse property near 5500 W needed a 50x80 covered arena and stall barn with a hay loft. We engineered the long-span truss system, the pole frame, the loft floor system, and the lateral bracing for the building's height-to-width ratio. The package was stamped, permitted, and built in one summer.
More about Hooper →Walk-out basement retaining wall on a Kays Creek custom home
A new custom home on a sloped Kays Creek lot needed a 9-foot tiered retaining wall to create the walk-out basement and a flat back yard above. We designed both walls (a cantilever upper and a gravity-base lower) accounting for the surcharge of the upper terrace, the drainage system between them, and the soil conditions. The contractor built it in one summer and the homeowner has had zero issues two winters in.
More about Kaysville →Second-story addition over an East Layton rambler
A 1970s rambler on a quiet street in East Layton was being expanded with a full second-story addition. We evaluated the existing foundation (good), designed new shear walls in the existing first-story plan to take the additional seismic load, sized the new floor system over the original ceiling, and stamped the package. Plan check came back clean on the first submission.
More about Layton →Engineered carriage house ADU above a 1920s Ogden detached garage
An East Bench Ogden homeowner wanted to add a small carriage house ADU on top of their existing 1920s detached garage. We evaluated whether the original garage structure could take the new load (it couldn't), designed a new structural shell that would carry the carriage house independently, and stamped the package. The result is a legal ADU that respects the historic detached garage's appearance from the street.
More about Ogden →Bowing basement wall repair plan in West Roy
A 1972 split-level had developed visible inward bowing on the long basement wall facing the back yard, with horizontal cracking. We measured deflection, evaluated the soil and drainage situation, and designed a steel I-beam bracing system at code-required spacing. The contractor installed it in two days and the homeowner now has a documented, engineered repair to disclose if they ever sell.
More about Roy →New basement egress and load-bearing letter near Bluff Ridge
A homeowner finishing their basement wanted to cut a new egress window and remove a small section of bearing wall to open up the rec room. We did the site visit, designed the header for the egress and the LVL beam for the wall removal, and turned around the stamped letter in five business days. The total engineering cost was under $700.
More about Syracuse →Engineered pole barn on a West Point 1-acre lot
A homeowner with horses needed a 40x60 covered hay storage and equipment shed on a 1-acre lot. We designed the engineered pole frame, the snow-load-rated trusses, the lateral bracing, and the anchor system, and stamped the package. Permit approved on first submission and the structure went up in three weeks.
More about West Point →Carbon fiber repair on a 1965 Bountiful basement wall
A long basement wall on a 1965 rambler had developed early-stage inward bowing — about 5/8 inch of deflection across the wall, with a clear horizontal crack. We documented the deflection, designed a carbon fiber strap repair at code spacing, and wrote the spec for the contractor. Total engineering scope $850; the repair itself ran about $3,200.
More about Bountiful →Above-garage primary suite addition in Centerville
A homeowner wanted to add a primary suite above the existing two-car garage. We evaluated the garage walls (adequate with reinforcement), designed new headers over the existing door opening to take the additional vertical load, and stamped the package. The addition added about 380 sq ft and the structural scope was $2,200.
More about Centerville →Cantilevered view deck on a Fruit Heights bench home
A homeowner wanted to extend their existing covered deck out over a steep grade for a better view. We designed cantilevered framing tied back into the existing house structure, sized for snow load at the lot's 5,100 ft elevation, and engineered the connections back to the existing foundation. Engineering scope $1,500.
More about Fruit Heights →Tiered retaining wall on a North Ogden bench lot
A new custom home on a sloped bench lot needed a two-tier retaining wall system to create a usable back yard. Lower wall was 6 ft cantilever concrete; upper wall was 4 ft segmental block with geogrid. We designed the surcharge interaction between the walls and the drainage system. Engineering scope $2,100.
More about North Ogden →Combined hay barn and equipment shop in Plain City
A horse property needed a 36x60 split-use building — half hay storage with a high open area, half equipment shop with a slab and overhead doors. We engineered the pole frame, the truss system, the lateral bracing, and the anchor design. Permit approved on first submission.
More about Plain City →Mezzanine engineering for a Riverdale Road retail space
A small business expanding into a former retail space along Riverdale Road needed a 600 sq ft storage mezzanine. We designed the steel frame, the connections to the existing structure, evaluated the existing slab for the new column loads, and stamped the TI package. The build went up over a long weekend.
More about Riverdale →Egress window cut and basement bedroom remodel in South Ogden
A 1968 split-level needed a new egress window in the basement to legally add a bedroom. We designed the header for the new opening in the foundation wall, wrote the engineer letter, and the homeowner had it permitted within a week. Engineering fee $475.
More about South Ogden →Hillside walk-out home foundation in South Weber
A new custom home on a steep South Weber lot needed a daylight basement walk-out, a 9 ft tall reinforced foundation wall on the uphill side, and a tiered retaining wall to create a flat back yard. Geotech report informed the soil pressure assumptions. Total engineering scope $4,200 for the full custom-home stamped set.
More about South Weber →Detached garage engineering in Sunset
A homeowner wanted to add a 28x36 detached garage with an attic loft for storage. We designed the foundation, the engineered roof system with attic loads, and the lateral bracing. Permit issued first try. Engineering scope $1,400.
More about Sunset →Basement finish with egress and ADU plans in West Haven
A 2014 West Haven home was being converted into a primary unit + basement ADU. We designed the egress window cuts, the new shear wall configuration to support the layout change, and the load-bearing letter for a basement opening. Total engineering scope $1,750.
More about West Haven →Photos and detailed case studies are added regularly. Client confidentiality matters to us, so all addresses and identifying details are removed before anything is published. If you want to talk about a project that's similar to one of these, send us the details and we'll come back same day.
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