Structural engineering that holds up

Calculations that come back approved

Structural comments are the number-one schedule killer in plan check, and most of them are self-inflicted: incomplete load paths, missing details, calculations that don't match the drawings they support. Torch's structural sets go in complete — gravity and lateral systems designed, detailed, and documented as one package — so the reviewer's job is verification, not reconstruction.

When a comment does land, it lands on the team that produced the work. Responses are engineered, not argued, and the revision cycle stays short because the calculation package was built to be followed.

What we design

· Foundations — spread and deep footings, grade beams, post-tension and conventional slabs, retaining structures
· Framing systems — wood, steel, concrete, and masonry, from single-story commercial to mid-rise multifamily
· Lateral systems — shear walls, braced and moment frames, diaphragms, and collectors, designed to the governing seismic and wind provisions
· Retrofits and modifications — tenant improvements, change-of-use strengthening, mezzanine and equipment additions, and structural repairs
· Additions and accessory structures — residential and commercial expansions, engineered as part of the whole building, not as an afterthought

Every design is produced against the adopted code in the project jurisdiction, with the loading, materials, and detailing that jurisdiction's reviewers expect to see.

What you receive

A structural package a reviewer can check and a builder can build from: a complete calculation set that traces every load from roof to foundation, structural drawings and details coordinated with the architectural and MEP sets, and the supporting documentation your submittal requires. Where the jurisdiction asks for deferred submittals or special documentation, the package identifies them up front instead of letting them surface as comments.

The drawings are sealed through Apex Grid Engineering's licensed Professional Engineers, and plan-check responses are included in the engagement — the set is not finished when it is drawn, it is finished when it clears.

Project types

Ground-up commercial and industrial buildings. Tenant improvements where the structure changes — new openings, added loads, mezzanines, rooftop equipment. Multifamily and hospitality work where repetition rewards a well-organized calculation package. Custom residential, where the architecture routinely outruns prescriptive code paths and an engineered design is the permit. Retrofits of existing buildings, where the first job is understanding what is already standing.

State coverage starts with structural engineering in Arizona; structural work pairs with our civil and MEP teams under one contract when the project needs the full set.

Common questions

When do I need a structural engineer?

Whenever the work leaves the prescriptive path: removing or moving load-bearing walls, adding significant loads, building beyond conventional framing limits, changing occupancy, or whenever the jurisdiction asks for engineered drawings — which most commercial work requires by default. If you're unsure, the scope conversation is free and the answer is usually obvious within one call.

What is in a structural calculation package?

The math behind the drawings: design criteria and code basis, gravity and lateral load derivation, member and connection design, and foundation design — organized so a reviewer can trace any number on the plans back to its calculation. A complete package is what separates a two-week review from a three-round argument.

Who seals the structural drawings?

All PE stamping is backed by Apex Grid Engineering, whose licensed Professional Engineers seal the work in the project state. Torch does not present itself as the licensed entity; regulated engineering and seals are performed through Apex's licensed team.