Engineered Frames & Structural Steel

Moment Frames, Special Columns, Hardy Frames, Strong-Walls, LVLs/LSLs/PSLs

For Bay Area owners, architects, and engineers who need serious structure added to an existing building: new openings, soft-story fixes, large garage doors, or major remodels that require steel frames and engineered wood members done right.

Sometimes “more plywood and a few bolts” isn’t enough. When you have big openings, tall stories, or heavy loads, you need engineered frames and structural steel to carry earthquake forces without turning your ground floor into a hinge.

That’s what this service is about.

When You Need Engineered Frames & Structural Steel

Typical situations:

• Soft-story multifamily: large garages or storefronts at ground level
• New large openings: wider garage doors, big sliders, window walls
• Major remodels / additions: removing walls, adding stories, shifting load paths
• Basement / lower-level upgrades: new beams and posts to replace tired or undersized framing

If the design calls for moment frames, steel columns, Strong-Walls, Hardy Frames, or LVL/LSL/PSL beams, this page is for you.

What This Service Covers

We provide field-driven implementation of engineered systems, including:

• Steel moment frames and special moment resisting frames
• Steel moment columns and posts
• Prefabricated shear panels (Hardy Frames, Strong-Walls, etc.)
• LVL / LSL / PSL beams and girders
• Required foundations, grade beams, and anchorage under all of the above

We don’t design in a vacuum. We execute what your engineer draws, and we help make those designs actually work on your site.

Step 1: Field Verification & Layout

Before we start welding or bolting anything, we:

• Verify framing dimensions and clearances
• Confirm foundation conditions where frames or posts will bear
• Identify utilities (gas, water, electrical, fire) that cross the planned frame locations
• Mark exact locations and elevations for frames, posts, and anchor points

If something in the field doesn’t match the drawings, we catch it before steel shows up.

Step 2: Foundations & Support

Engineered frames and posts are only as good as what they sit on.

We:

• Excavate and form new footings and grade beams per plan
• Tie into existing foundations where required, or isolate where needed
• Place reinforcing steel and anchor bolts exactly as detailed
• Coordinate inspections at the right stages so there are no surprises later

If existing foundations are weaker than assumed, we flag it and work with your engineer on a proper fix, not a job-site hack.

Step 3: Steel & Prefab Frame Installation

For steel frames and columns:

• Receive and stage steel safely on tight urban sites
• Erect frames and columns plumb and level, with proper bracing
• Perform or coordinate welding and bolted connections to spec
• Install moment connections, stiffeners, and plates as detailed

For prefabricated shear panels (Hardy Frames, Strong-Walls):

• Set and anchor the panels precisely
• Integrate with surrounding framing and sheathing per manufacturer instructions
• Ensure compatibility with adjacent concrete, framing, and finishes

For LVL/LSL/PSL beams:

• Cut, assemble, and install beams with the right bearing, hangers, and connections
• Replace temporary shoring with permanent support once loads are transferred

Step 4: Integration With the Rest of the Structure

Frames and beams don’t work alone. We:

• Tie frames into diaphragms (floors/roofs) as detailed
• Coordinate with architectural and MEP trades so walls, ceilings, and utilities can be finished cleanly around the structure
• Adjust sequencing so tenants and operations are disrupted as little as possible

You end up with structural upgrades that actually fit the building and the way people use it.

How We Work With Your Engineer & Design Team

We’re not replacing your engineer; we’re the field partner that:

• Provides reality-based feedback before and during design when asked
• Executes the design without cutting corners
• Keeps everyone informed when field conditions demand a detail adjustment

If your project includes moment frames, prefab shear walls, or engineered beams/columns, the next step is to let us look at your plans and your site together. We’ll tell you what it will really take to build the structure you’ve designed, safely and efficiently.