How it works
How it works: from photos to a fixed quote to your report
Send a few photos or your plans, get a fixed price back, then we inspect, design or report. You know the price before anything is booked.
What are the three steps?
Send what you have, get a fixed price, then the work. Nothing is booked until you accept the quote.
Send photos or plans
Use the quote form, call 02 6189 9876 or email info@canberrastructuralengineers.com.au. Add up to 5 photos, plans or reports, the suburb and a line about what you need.
Get a fixed quote
We reply with a fixed quote in under 20 minutes on average, during business hours. It states the fee, what's included and, for design work, whether a site visit is needed.
Inspection, design or report
Accept the quote and we book it in. You receive a report, calculations and drawings, or a letter, depending on the job.
What should I send for my job?
Photos and documents let us price the job you actually have.
| Your job | What to send | Service and starting price |
|---|---|---|
| Cracks in walls, floors or ceilings | Each crack close up and from further back, and whether doors or windows stick | Cracks & footing movement, $1,090 + GST ($1,199 inc GST) |
| Buying a home | The suburb, the seller's building and compliance report if you have it, and any exchange date | Pre-purchase structural inspection, $790 + GST ($869 inc GST) |
| A deck, pergola, carport or extension built without approval | Photos from a few angles and the page of the seller's report that flags it | Unapproved structure assessment, $690 + GST ($759 inc GST) |
| Removing a wall | A floor plan or sketch marking the wall, and photos of it from both rooms | Wall removal & beam design, $890 + GST ($979 inc GST) |
| A retaining wall | Photos of the slope, the height you need and the distance to the boundary | Retaining walls, $890 + GST ($979 inc GST) |
| A second opinion on a repair quote | The contractor's quote or report, and photos of the cracks or movement | Underpinning second opinion, $390 + GST ($429 inc GST) |
The form takes up to 5 files (photos, PDF or Word). Prices are ex GST with the inc GST figure in brackets.
Does a structural engineer need to visit the site?
Not always. A desktop review works from what you send; an inspection or report means a visit.
Desktop review
We review the photos, plans, reports or quote you send and give written advice. No site visit, so it works for property anywhere in the region.
$390 + GST($429 inc GST)Site visit with a letter of advice
An engineer visits, looks at the specific issue and gives a written letter of advice. Anywhere across every Canberra district, plus Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra and Googong.
$650 + GST($715 inc GST)Inspection and full report
An engineer visits, inspects and gives a written report with findings, the likely cause and what to do next. See structural inspection & report.
$1,090 + GST($1,199 inc GST)Not sure which fits? Describe the problem and the fixed quote tells you. Design work is priced separately: see all prices.
Who uses what we deliver?
We write for the people who act on our work. We don't do the building or repair, and we don't recommend who does, so nothing we advise is tied to a sale.
- Your certifier uses our calculations and drawings when assessing building approval.
- Your builder prices and builds from the drawings or specifications.
- Buyers read a pre-purchase inspection before signing; sellers use an unapproved structure assessment to answer what their report flags.
- Insurers and lawyers read our building defect and crack reports, for example when a dispute with a builder is under way.
- Neighbours share a dilapidation report: a dated, photographed record of a building before nearby work starts.
Every service is listed on our services page, and more answers are on the FAQ page.
Questions about getting started
Something else on your mind? Call 02 6189 9876, email info@canberrastructuralengineers.com.au or send photos for a fixed quote.
Can you assess cracks from photos alone?
Partly. A desktop review of your photos gives written advice for $390 + GST ($429 inc GST). Finding the cause of movement means a visit and a cracks and footing movement report, from $1,090 + GST ($1,199 inc GST).
Can I email my photos and plans instead of using the form?
Yes. Email them to info@canberrastructuralengineers.com.au with the suburb and a sentence about what you need. Email suits sets of more than 5 files.
Who approves the work: you or the certifier?
The certifier. A licensed certifier (building surveyor) you appoint gives building approval and inspects the stages of the work. We provide the engineering they need, never the approval.
Do you visit Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra and Googong?
Yes, at the same prices as Canberra. NSW rules apply to approvals there. Desktop reviews work for property anywhere in the region, and for a site further out, ask us for a fixed quote.