Watchung sits in the Watchung Mountains, and many of its homes sit on hillsides. We design and engineer additions, second stories and renovations that work with the terrain.
Watchung is a borough of about six square miles in the first ridge of the Watchung Mountains, with Watchung Lake on Stony Brook and the brook's gorge and Wetumpka Falls. It is a high income residential community.
Building on a hillside changes the engineering. Footings may step down the slope, retaining walls may be needed, and water has to be managed around the new work. Our engineers design all of that alongside the architecture, so the addition is buildable and your contractor can price it accurately.
Licensed architects and professional engineers on one team, one contract and one set of signed and sealed drawings. See all of our services.
Rear, side and wraparound additions for kitchens, family rooms and primary suites, with the existing house evaluated by our engineers.
New floors over ranches, capes, garages and one story wings, with foundations and framing checked and reinforced as needed.
Whole house and partial renovations, wall removals and open plans, basements and attics, with structure and systems designed in house.
Ground up single family homes and teardown rebuilds, from site planning to sealed construction drawings.
Decks, covered porches, pergolas and garages engineered for footings, ledgers and loads.
Beam replacements, foundation fixes and engineer's letters for homeowners, buyers and insurers.
In New Jersey, most additions and structural renovations need zoning approval from the town before the construction permit, and the construction permit itself is reviewed under the state Uniform Construction Code. When a design needs relief from a setback, coverage or height limit, it goes to the town's land use board for a variance hearing.
Sloped lots often affect how setbacks, height and grading rules apply to an addition. We confirm your zone's limits and survey the site before design so the options we show you are ones that can be approved.
Properties along Stony Brook may be near stream corridors or flood areas. We check those early and design accordingly.
However your project is approved, we deliver signed and sealed drawings to you, support you and your contractor through the permit submission and answer the building department's review comments in house. Read how a project moves from consultation to close out on our process page.
It can be, mostly in foundations and site work. Designing those properly up front keeps bids accurate and avoids surprises.
Often, yes. We check the existing foundation and framing first.
We deliver signed and sealed drawings and support you or your contractor through the submission.
See a fixed design fee in about two minutes, or book a consultation and we will visit your home.