A foundation project can involve a civil engineer, a structural engineer, a geotechnical engineer, a contractor, a special inspector, and a City inspector. Proposals and websites don’t always make clear which of those people you’re actually dealing with. “Our engineering team,” “engineered solution,” and “general engineering contractor” can mean very different things.
This post lays out what each role is under California law and code, and where the handoffs happen. It’s general education, not legal advice. Our post on when to involve a structural engineer covers the triggers for hiring one, and structural repair vs foundation repair covers which license classes build which side of the house. This post is about the job description of each role and how to read the claims you’ll see.
The engineer: a licensed practice
In California, civil engineering is a licensed practice, not just a title. Business and Professions Code §6730 requires anyone who “practices, or offers to practice, civil engineering” to be licensed by the state engineering board (BPELSG). Section 6731 says civil engineering covers work in connection with “foundations, grading, framed and homogeneous structures, buildings, or bridges,” including “the preparation or submission of designs, plans and specifications and engineering reports” and “the supervision of the construction of engineering structures.”
The board’s consumer guide adds that “civil engineers may design any building or structure except a hospital or public school,” and “may also perform structural and geotechnical (soils) engineering if fully competent to do so.” For a house, that means a licensed civil engineer can be the professional who designs and stamps foundation work; the SE title isn’t automatically required.
Structural and geotechnical engineers: title authorities
“Structural engineer” is a protected title layered on top of the civil license. Section 6736 says no one may use it “unless he or she is a licensed civil engineer in this state” and has been found qualified as a structural engineer by the board. The consumer guide explains that structural engineers passed a specialized exam and may design buildings “including public schools and hospitals.”
“Geotechnical engineer,” “soil engineer,” and “soils engineer” work the same way under §6736.1, with at least “four years qualifying experience beyond that required for licensure as a civil engineer” and an exam. When the question is about the ground, this is the title to look for.
None of this means every house needs an SE. It means that if someone calls themselves a structural or geotechnical engineer, the board should have them on record that way.
What the titles protect
California protects more than the practice. Section 6704 reserves “professional engineer,” “registered engineer,” and “consulting engineer” for licensees. Section 6732 makes it unlawful for anyone other than a licensed professional engineer “to stamp or seal any plans, specifications, plats, reports, or other documents with the seal or stamp of a professional engineer,” or to use titles such as “licensed engineer” or “civil engineer” without the license.
So a person’s title tells you something. A company’s marketing language may not.
When a company says “our engineers”
California lets engineers practice through a business, with conditions. Under §6738, a licensed engineer must be “an owner, partner, or officer in charge of the engineering practice of the business,” and “all civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering services are performed by, or under the responsible charge of, a professional engineer licensed in the appropriate branch.” When a business ad names an individual, it “shall clearly and specifically designate the license or registration discipline of each individual named.”
For you, that turns into two questions to ask any company that offers engineering as part of a repair:
- Who is the licensed engineer in responsible charge, by name?
- What is their license type and number, so you can look it up?
A real answer is a name you can check on the BPELSG license lookup. “We work with engineers” is a different arrangement from “we are an engineering firm,” and both are different from a contractor that hires an outside engineer for your job. Any of them can be fine. You just want to know which one you’re getting.
Stamps, sheets, and “preliminary” drawings
Section 6735 says civil engineering documents, including structural and geotechnical, “shall be prepared by, or under the responsible charge of, a licensed civil engineer.” Plans released for construction carry the engineer’s signature, seal or stamp, and the date, on each sheet of a multi-sheet set.
Drafts look different on purpose. Interim documents must carry a note such as “preliminary,” “not for construction,” “for plan check only,” or “for review only.” If a proposal is built around a drawing with one of those labels, the design isn’t finished.
There’s also a narrow exemption for conventional wood-frame houses of up to two stories and a basement (§6737.1). When part of the structure deviates from conventional framing rules, the building official “shall require” stamped plans for that portion. Our structural repair vs foundation repair post covers that line.
The contractor: who builds it
A contractor is defined broadly. Section 7026 covers anyone who “undertakes to or offers to undertake to, or purports to have the capacity to undertake to, or submits a bid to” build, alter, or repair a structure. The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) licenses contractors by classification. A C-8 Concrete contractor, for example, “forms, pours, places, finishes and installs specified mass, pavement, flat and other concrete work.” A B-2 Residential Remodeling contractor can’t contract for structural changes to “footings, foundations” and other load-bearing parts, as our structural-vs-foundation post explains.
One name trips people up. The CSLB A classification is “General Engineering Contractor,” defined in §7056 as a contractor “whose principal contracting business is in connection with fixed works requiring specialized engineering knowledge and skill,” such as bridges, sewers, and grading. That’s a contractor license from CSLB. It isn’t an engineering license from BPELSG, and it doesn’t authorize anyone to stamp plans.
A contractor builds to the approved plans. The engineer’s design and the City’s approval set what gets built; the contractor’s job is to build it that way.
During construction: three different kinds of oversight
It’s easy to assume the engineer watches the job. The board’s consumer guide says otherwise: “Professional engineers do not have a duty to supervise your project during construction.” Supervision or observation has to be added to the engineer’s contract if you want it. The guide also notes that “a building department may require construction observation by the engineer of a specific aspect of a project. This is not the same as construction supervision.”
City inspections. These happen on every permitted job. City Information Bulletin 120 says “all construction that requires a permit must be inspected before it is covered or concealed.”
Special inspections. When the approved plans call for them, the building code assigns them to someone independent of the builder. CBC §1704.2, as adopted in San Diego, says the owner or the owner’s agent, “other than the contractor, shall employ one or more approved agencies to provide special inspections and tests,” and that these “are in addition to the inspections by the building official.” Section 1703.1.1 says an approved agency “shall be objective, competent and independent from the contractor responsible for the work being inspected.” IB-120 puts it locally: “the owner shall retain special inspectors registered by the City,” and special inspections “are in addition to City inspections and are not a substitute.” There are exceptions, including conventional light-frame construction, and the code notes that “the contractor is permitted to employ the approved agencies where the contractor is also the owner.”
Structural observation. Where required, this is the design professional’s visual check for “general conformance to the approved construction documents.” The code is explicit that “structural observation does not include or waive the responsibility for the inspections” by the City or special inspectors.
Contractors have a code role here too. Under §1704.4, a contractor building a seismic or wind force-resisting system listed in the statement of special inspections “shall submit a written statement of responsibility” to the building official and the owner before that work starts.
When the plan changes in the field
Foundations get uncovered and conditions don’t always match the drawings. When that happens, the change has to go back through the right people. IB-120 says “all construction changes shall be reviewed and approved by the City prior to being incorporated,” and “only 1 construction change may be submitted at a time.” On the engineering side, §6735 says that, with conditions, an engineer who signed documents isn’t responsible for damage caused by later changes they didn’t authorize or approve. That’s one reason a field change to engineered work should go back to the engineer of record, not get improvised on site.
A quick roles map
| Role | Licensed by | What they do on a foundation job |
|---|---|---|
| Civil engineer (PE) | BPELSG | Designs, prepares and stamps plans, calculations, reports |
| Structural engineer (SE) | BPELSG (title on a civil license) | Same, plus title authority; designs schools and hospitals |
| Geotechnical engineer (GE) | BPELSG (title on a civil license) | Investigates soil and rock, recommends foundation criteria |
| Contractor | CSLB, by classification | Builds to approved plans |
| Special inspector | Approved agency, City-registered | Independent inspections listed on the plans |
| City inspector | City of San Diego | Inspects permitted work before it’s covered |
Questions to ask before you sign
- Who is designing this, and what’s their BPELSG license type and number?
- Is the drawing in the proposal stamped for construction, or labeled preliminary?
- Who holds the engineer’s contract: you, or the contractor? The board’s guide says the law requires engineers to use a written contract, with limited exceptions, so ask to see its scope.
- Does the engineer’s scope include construction observation?
- Will the plans call for special inspection, and who will hire the inspector?
- What’s the contractor’s CSLB license number and classification, and does it fit the work?
- How will field changes be handled?
Cost factors, not prices
We don’t publish prices. Role-related factors that shape a project’s cost: whether engineered design is required at all; engineering scope (site visits, calculations, plan revisions, construction observation); geotechnical investigation; special inspection and testing listed on the plans; City plan review and inspections; field changes and the review they trigger; and who holds which contract.
Where we fit
We’re a foundation and structural repair company serving La Jolla citywide. We aren’t engineers, and we don’t stamp plans. When a repair needs engineered design, the design comes from an independently licensed engineer, and we coordinate with licensed engineers as needed and build to the approved plans. Our structural engineer page explains how that coordination works, and our foundation inspection page covers our on-site evaluation. Today’s companion post explains what to expect from a foundation evaluation. For more questions to ask, see questions to ask a foundation company.
This post is general education about California roles. It isn’t legal advice, and it doesn’t assess any specific property or contract.
Next step
If you’re sorting out who you need for a foundation or structural problem, request a Free Quote for an on-site evaluation anywhere in La Jolla, or call (650) 739-6537.
Sources (accessed October 22, 2026)
- California Business and Professions Code §§6704, 6730, 6731, 6732, 6735, 6736, 6736.1, 6737.1, 6738 (Professional Engineers Act)
- California Business and Professions Code §§7026, 7056, 7057.5 (Contractors State License Law)
- California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists, A Guide for Consumers
- Contractors State License Board, Licensing Classifications (A, B-2, C-8)
- San Diego Building Code 2025 (California Building Code Chapter 17), Sections 1703.1.1, 1704.2, 1704.4, 1704.6
- City of San Diego Information Bulletin 120, How to Obtain Project Inspections