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OUR BROCHURES
Pre-Project Consulting
Service overview
GGE Consulting Engineers provides PE-led pre-project consulting for homeowners, residential developers, commercial building owners, and institutional clients throughout San Antonio and South Texas. Whether you are a homeowner evaluating a contractor’s bid for a room addition, or a commercial developer reviewing construction documents before mobilizing a general contractor, GGE gives you the independent engineering perspective you need before financial commitments become irrevocable. Every engagement is personally conducted by Gustavo Gonzalez, P.E. — 45 years of engineering and public works experience, backed by zero professional liability claims in more than four decades of practice.
The details
All our services are driven by three core values: Integrity, accountability and reliability. Our Pre-Project Consulting Services are amongst the best in the industry across the Austin-San Antonio metroplex and South Texas.
Built Right. Verified at Every Stage. Delivered on Time.
Homeowner & Residential Pre-Project Consulting
Residential
Most residential property owners are not engineers — and most general contractors have a financial interest in getting the job rather than identifying problems with it. GGE provides the independent PE assessment that homeowners need before signing a construction contract or submitting for a building permit. From a simple room addition to a full custom home, GGE reviews the proposed scope, the permit drawings, and the contractor's proposal through the lens of a licensed engineer — identifying structural issues, code compliance gaps, scope omissions that will become change orders, and permit submission problems before they cost money to fix. Contractor proposal review — scope completeness, pricing reasonableness, specification gaps Permit drawing review — structural adequacy, code compliance, missing details Foundation and framing assessment for additions and remodels Pre-pour and pre-framing inspection coordination Independent PE written findings report Permit readiness checklist and agency submission guidance
Most residential property owners are not engineers — and most general contractors have a financial interest in getting the job rather than identifying problems with it. GGE provides the independent PE assessment that homeowners need before signing a construction contract or submitting for a building permit. From a simple room addition to a full custom home, GGE reviews the proposed scope, the permit drawings, and the contractor’s proposal through the lens of a licensed engineer — identifying structural issues, code compliance gaps, scope omissions that will become change orders, and permit submission problems before they cost money to fix.
- Contractor proposal review — scope completeness, pricing reasonableness, specification gaps
- Permit drawing review — structural adequacy, code compliance, missing details
- Foundation and framing assessment for additions and remodels
- Pre-pour and pre-framing inspection coordination
- Independent PE written findings report
- Permit readiness checklist and agency submission guidance
Commercial Developer & Owner Pre-Project Consulting
Commercial construction projects carry risk at a scale where a single unresolved drawing conflict or overlooked code requirement can generate change orders that dwarf the cost of a pre-project consulting engagement. GGE’s commercial pre-project consulting applies PE-level technical review to the full construction document set — structural, civil, and architectural coordination — identifying issues before contractor mobilization, when resolution costs paper and time rather than labor and materials. Gonzalez’s background as a former City Engineer adds an institutional perspective: he has reviewed permit submissions from the agency side and knows exactly what San Antonio Development Services, SAWS, and other local agencies require before approval.
- Full construction document constructability review — structural, civil, and architectural coordination
- Drawing conflict and discrepancy log — conflicts between disciplines identified and documented
- Permit readiness assessment — outstanding approvals, agency-specific requirements, submission completeness
- Contractor bid evaluation — scope completeness, specification coverage, change order risk identification
- Code compliance verification — IBC, City of San Antonio amendments, and local agency requirements
- Value engineering alternatives memo — opportunities to reduce cost without compromising design intent
The Process
Intake
Every engagement begins with a direct conversation between the client and Gustavo Gonzalez, P.E. — understanding the project type (residential or commercial), what documents are available, what the client's specific concerns are, and what decisions are pending that the review must inform. GGE defines the scope of the review in writing before any analysis begins: what documents will be reviewed, what questions the engagement will answer, what deliverables will be produced, and what the timeline is. For residential clients who don't yet have permit drawings, GGE advises on what documents to obtain from their contractor before the review proceeds. No billable time begins until scope is agreed and documents are in hand.
Technical Review
Our team reviews the construction documents — structural drawings, civil plans, architectural sheets, specifications, geotechnical reports, and contractor proposals — applying engineering analysis, code knowledge, and many years of field and public works experience. For residential projects, the review focuses on structural adequacy, code compliance of proposed work, and scope completeness of the contractor's proposal. For commercial projects, the review cross-references all disciplines for conflicts, applies the local adopted codes and amendments, evaluates permit submission completeness, and identifies value engineering alternatives. Every finding is documented with its technical basis and a recommended resolution path.
site assessment
For residential remodels and additions — and for commercial projects where existing conditions are a significant factor — GGE performs a site visit to verify that the proposed design is consistent with actual site conditions before recommending approval. Existing structural elements, foundation type, drainage patterns, utility locations, and site access are assessed in the field and compared against permit drawings and the contractor's proposed scope. Discrepancies between what the drawings assume and what actually exists on site are among the most common triggers for construction surprises — GGE's field visit catches them before mobilization. For projects where documents are sufficient and the site is well-documented, Phase 03 may be waived by mutual agreement to reduce engagement cost.
Findings & Delivery
GGE delivers a written findings report signed by Gustavo Gonzalez, P.E. — documenting every issue identified, its technical basis, its severity level (critical, significant, or advisory), and the recommended resolution path before construction proceeds. The report is formatted for practical use: clear enough for a homeowner to act on, technically detailed enough to use in contractor negotiations, permit submissions, or lender reviews. For commercial clients, the report includes a drawing conflict log, permit readiness checklist, code compliance assessment, and value engineering memo as applicable. GGE follows every written report with a direct briefing — Gonzalez walks the client through the findings, answers questions, and provides prioritization guidance. The engagement does not end with the document; it ends when the client understands it and knows what to do next.
Why Choose GGE pre-project Consulting Services?
PE-Authority
A Licensed Engineer's Findings Carry Legal and Technical Weight That No Contractor Can Match
Insight Expertise
Our expertise discovers the path of least resistance
Three Discipline Review
Structural, Civil, and Survey Expertise Applied in a Single Engagement
Proven Value Engineering
Track Record of Finding Cost Savings Others Miss Before Ground Breaks
True Independence
No Financial Interest in the Construction Outcome — Only in the Client's
Seamless Continuation
From Pre-Project Review Through Design, Surveying, and Construction Management — One Team
frequent QUESTIONS
Pre-project consulting is a professional engineering review conducted before a construction project begins — before ground is broken, before a contractor is fully mobilized, and often before a permit is submitted. A Texas Licensed Professional Engineer examines the project’s design documents, drawings, specifications, and proposed construction approach to identify constructability issues, code conflicts, permit gaps, and scope ambiguities that will be far more expensive to resolve once construction is underway.
Both residential and commercial clients benefit — for different reasons:
- Residential homeowners planning additions, remodels, or new construction gain an independent engineering voice before committing to a contractor’s proposal — without the cost or timeline of a full structural engineering engagement
- Commercial developers and building owners gain technical accountability over a process that can involve millions of dollars of risk — verifying that their construction documents are complete, coordinated, code-compliant, and permit-ready before a general contractor mobilizes
- Institutions and municipalities planning capital improvements gain a pre-construction technical review that protects public funds from change order exposure and ensures permit compliance before investment is made
The highest-value moment for pre-project consulting is before the construction contract is signed — when the owner retains full negotiating leverage and when drawing changes cost paper and time rather than labor and materials.
Residential pre-project consulting addresses the concerns of individual property owners who are not construction professionals and need an independent engineering perspective before committing to work on their home. The engagement is typically focused and efficient: GGE reviews the contractor’s proposal for scope completeness and technical accuracy, evaluates the permit drawings for structural adequacy and code compliance, identifies whether the proposed work requires engineering involvement the contractor hasn’t disclosed, and delivers a written PE assessment the homeowner can use in contractor negotiations or permit submissions.
Commercial pre-project consulting addresses the scale and complexity of commercial construction risk. A commercial review involves the full construction document set — structural, civil, and architectural drawings and specifications — cross-referenced for coordination and conflicts. GGE evaluates each discipline’s documents against the applicable codes, identifies inter-discipline conflicts that would generate change orders in the field, assesses permit submission completeness, and identifies value engineering opportunities that can reduce project cost without compromising design intent.
GGE tailors the scope and deliverable format to each client’s situation — a residential homeowner receives a clear, readable findings letter; a commercial developer receives a structured technical report with a conflict log, permit checklist, and value engineering memo.
The highest-value window is before a construction contract is signed and before the permit application is submitted. At that point, the owner retains full leverage: drawing changes cost a revision fee, scope clarifications cost a conversation, and contractor proposals can still be negotiated or rejected. Once a contract is signed and a contractor mobilizes, the economics reverse — the same issues become change orders, schedule delays, and contested claims.
Specific timing guidance by project type:
- Residential remodels and additions: Engage GGE after receiving a contractor’s proposal and permit drawings, before signing the contract or submitting for permit
- Residential new construction: Engage GGE after construction documents are complete, before final contractor selection or permit submission
- Commercial development: Engage GGE at 90–100% construction documents, after the design team has completed coordination but before the GC is contracted or mobilized
- Commercial renovation or tenant improvement: Engage GGE after existing conditions are documented and proposed work is drawn, before the permit application
GGE has also provided valuable pre-project consulting after construction has begun — catching issues before they progress further and establishing a documented engineering record that protects the owner’s position in any subsequent dispute with the contractor.
If you are uncertain whether you need a pre-project consulting review, call us directly at (210) 490-4506. A 15-minute conversation is enough to determine whether a formal engagement is warranted — and GGE will tell you honestly if it isn’t.
Every GGE pre-project consulting engagement delivers a written findings report signed by Gustavo Gonzalez, P.E. — not a verbal opinion, not a checklist, but a documented professional assessment the client can use for contractor negotiations, permit submissions, lender reviews, and as a baseline against which actual construction can be measured.
Depending on project scope, deliverables include:
- PE-signed findings report — all issues identified, ranked by severity (critical / significant / advisory), with recommended resolutions and the engineering basis for each finding
- Drawing conflict and discrepancy log — itemized inter-discipline conflicts, each with a resolution recommendation
- Permit readiness checklist — agency-specific outstanding items, missing documentation, and submission requirements
- Code compliance assessment — IBC and local code issues identified, cited by section, with correction guidance
- Value engineering alternatives memo — identified cost or schedule reduction opportunities with engineering rationale
- Contractor scope evaluation — assessment of a contractor’s proposal for scope completeness, specification coverage, and change order risk items
Every engagement concludes with a direct briefing — our team walks the client through the findings, answers questions, and provides prioritization guidance. The engagement is not complete until the client understands what was found and what to do about it.
GGE’s written findings reports have been used to successfully renegotiate contractor proposals, correct permit submissions before rejection, identify value engineering savings, and establish the engineering record that protected clients in construction disputes. The document has value long after the engagement ends.
Three fundamental differences set a GGE pre-project consulting review apart:
- Professional license and legal accountability: A Texas Licensed Professional Engineer bears a professional standard of care for every signed finding. A home inspector performs visual observations without engineering authority. A general contractor offers opinions without professional licensure. GGE’s findings are signed by a PE whose license is on the line — held to an engineering standard, not a visual observation standard.
- Technical scope: Home inspectors assess existing visible conditions; they cannot evaluate proposed engineering drawings or structural design adequacy for work that doesn’t yet exist. A GGE pre-project review evaluates the proposed construction on paper — at the structural, civil, and code compliance levels that only a licensed engineer can assess.
- Independence: A general contractor reviewing drawings has a financial interest in winning the construction contract. GGE has no financial interest in the construction outcome — only in the client’s. GGE’s independence is what gives the findings their value: they reflect what the engineering analysis requires, not what preserves a business relationship.
Our experts background at state, city and municipal roles adds a fourth dimension: direct institutional knowledge of how municipal reviewing agencies evaluate permit submissions, what triggers rejections, and what documentation is required for approval — giving GGE clients a perspective that no contractor, home inspector, or engineering firm without public works leadership experience can provide.
A home inspector tells you what exists. A contractor tells you what they want to build and what it will cost them. GGE tells you whether what is proposed is structurally sound, code-compliant, permit-ready, and worth what you are being asked to pay — backed by a PE’s professional license and 45 years of engineering practice.
