HC Structural Engineering

What HC Structural Engineering does

HC Structural Engineering, operating legally as HC Design and Construction, Inc. (HCDC), is a privately held structural engineering and design-build firm founded in 2008 by CEO Humza Chowdhry and headquartered in San Mateo, California. The company provides an integrated suite of services centered on structural engineering — including structural calculations, construction documents, seismic evaluation, and building inspections — for residential, commercial, industrial, multifamily, government, and institutional clients across the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Los Angeles. Its technology stack centers on Building Information Modeling (BIM) with clash detection and 4D integration, Matterport 3D-4K scanning for as-built documentation at inch-level accuracy, and non-invasive inspection methods (endoscopic, infrared, moisture sensors) for SB 721 balcony compliance and structural assessments.

The firm's business model is professional services revenue across five primary streams: structural engineering design, BIM consulting and training, general construction (with 85% of design clients converting to construction engagements), real estate brokerage via a Keller Williams Peninsula Estates partnership, and SB 721 compliance inspections for multifamily property owners. Pricing is predominantly quote-based, with one disclosed unit price of $1.25 per square foot for 3D scanning services. Go-to-market is sales-led and direct-to-consumer, combining inbound leads through the company website, phone/email engagement, real estate agent referrals, and targeted outreach ahead of regulatory deadlines. The firm reports a 95% client reuse rate, an A+ Better Business Bureau rating, and MBE certification, and serves notable enterprise clients including Tesla, Stanford University, PG&E, UCSF, Genentech, DoorDash, Marriott, and BART.

Name

HC Structural Engineering

Legal name

HC Design and Construction Inc.

Website

https://hcseonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HC Structural Engineering (HC Design and Construction, Inc.) is a privately held Bay Area structural engineering and design-build firm founded in 2008, serving residential, commercial, multifamily, and government clients with integrated engineering, BIM, 3D scanning, construction, and SB 721 compliance services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Engineering Services

NAICS

Nonresidential Building Construction (2362), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622), Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (236220), Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (23812), Structural Steel and Precast Concrete Contractors (238120)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA), Residential Design-Build & Renovation-Integrated Builders (IMAFABAE), Load-Bearing Wall Removal & Structural Beam Installation (HSAPAFAB)

Keywords

• Structural engineering services
• BIM consulting
• Soft story retrofit
• SB 721 inspections
• Design build construction

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Services: Engineering design, structural calculations, and construction documents for residential and commercial projects ranging from small remodels to large commercial structures.
2. Real Estate Services: Real estate agent services through partnership with Keller Williams Peninsula Estates, assisting clients with property purchases with design/engineering insights factored into decisions.
3. BIM Consulting and Training: BIM consulting services and training programs for architects, designers, and other engineering firms on Revit and BIM implementation.
4. General Construction Services: Construction services with 85% of design clients hiring HCDC to build their projects. Licensed engineers manage projects with online client access portals.
5. SB 721 Balcony Inspections: Periodic safety inspections for multifamily buildings as required by California SB 721 law, with reports in PDF or interactive digital formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HC Structural Engineering (HCDC, Inc.) is a California-licensed structural engineering and design-build firm providing structural calculations, construction documents, BIM modeling, and general construction for residential and commercial projects. The company also delivers specialized compliance services including California SB 721 balcony inspections and San Francisco soft-story seismic retrofits, supported by in-house Matterport 3D-4K scanning and non-invasive inspection technology. Services extend to real estate advisory through a Keller Williams Peninsula Estates partnership.

Product overview

HCDC, Inc. (HC Design and Construction, Inc.) is a structural engineering and design firm offering a comprehensive one-stop-shop approach in the Bay Area of California. Founded in 2008, the company provides an integrated suite of services centered around structural engineering as the core product, supported by BIM Services (including BIM Consulting and BIM Training modules), Construction Services, and Real Estate Services. The company also offers specialized add-on services including As-Builts (3D scanning), Soft Story Retrofit, Retaining Walls, Commercial and Residential Additions and Remodels, New Construction Design, SB 721 Inspection Services, and general Structural Observations and Inspections. Their unique value proposition combines licensed designers, structural engineers, and general contractors to deliver projects from design through construction completion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Structural Engineering Services Core structural engineering services including structural calculations, construction documents, engineering analysis, and structural observations and inspections for residential and commercial projects ranging from small remodels to large commercial structures.
• Construction Services Full-service general construction with licensed engineers managing projects from start to finish, including an online client access portal for selections, approvals, and project tracking. 85% of design clients also hire HCDC for construction.
• BIM Services Building Information Modeling services providing 3D digital representation of physical structures, clash detection, quantity take-offs, and 4D integration for enhanced collaboration among architects, engineers, and contractors. The offering includes standalone BIM Consulting and BIM Training modules.
• Real Estate Services Real estate agent services offered through the partnership with Keller Williams Peninsula Estates, assisting clients with property purchases and integrating design and engineering insights into purchasing decisions, including remodel and addition cost valuation.
• As-Built 3D Scanning 3D scanning services for existing buildings producing detailed floor plans including walls, windows, doors, plumbing fixtures, and room sizes, with accuracy to the nearest inch. Pricing is publicly disclosed at $1.25 per square foot and scan times can be as short as 30 minutes.
• SB 721 Inspection Services California SB 721 balcony inspection services for multifamily buildings with three or more units, employing non-invasive inspection methods including visual inspections, endoscopic tests, moisture sensors, and infrared camera assessments, with reports delivered in PDF or interactive digital formats.
• Soft Story Retrofit Seismic retrofit engineering services for soft-story buildings in San Francisco, including screening form assistance, structural analysis, engineering design, and preparation of city submission documentation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of clients would use HCDC again
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MatterportcoreTechnology or Integration · 16 September 2019HCDC partnered with Matterport, the leader in 3D scanning software, in September 2019. The partnership enables HCDC's unique design, engineering, and construction process to feature 3D-4K resolution scans before, during, and after projects. With accuracy estimated to the nearest inch, replicating buildings is done much more thoroughly than conventional methods.
• Keller Williams Peninsula EstatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2019Humza Chowdhry (DRE#02100181) partnered with Keller Williams Peninsula Estates in 2019 to assist real estate clients with achieving their dream home. The partnership allows clients to gain structural and design insights during property visits, with remodel/addition costs factored into purchasing decisions.
• Santa Clara UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Santa Clara University, Austin Webcor, and International Partnering Institute on the 'Big Room' at SFO project ($2.5B T1-Boarding Area B). Kent DeRusha discussed Integrative Project Delivery advantages and benefits of structured Partnering Culture.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Holmes Structures: California-focused structural engineering practice working on healthcare, education, civic, and commercial buildings. Comparable to HCDC on building-type structural work, though typically on larger programs.
• BSE Engineering Inc. Bay Area structural engineering firm of comparable size serving residential and commercial clients with seismic retrofit, additions, and remodels. Closest direct peer to HCDC in geography, scale, and service mix.
• Forell/Elsesser Engineers Inc. San Francisco-based structural engineering firm specializing in seismic analysis, retrofit, and new design for institutional and commercial buildings. Direct overlap with HCDC on soft-story retrofits and West Coast seismic work.
• Schaefer Structural Engineering: Mid-size structural engineering consultancy with multiple U.S. offices serving commercial, residential, and institutional clients. Comparable to HCDC in design-build-leaning delivery, though at larger scale.
• LPI Inc. California-headquartered structural engineering firm covering residential, commercial, and multifamily seismic and renovation work. Closely comparable to HCDC in service mix and customer type.

Broad incumbents

• KPFF Consulting Engineers: One of the largest U.S. structural engineering consultancies with a strong Bay Area presence. Direct overlap with HCDC in commercial, healthcare, education, and civic structural design; HCDC competes with KPFF at the small/mid-project level that KPFF serves with far more resources.
• Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH): National structural engineering consultancy with strong building enclosure, structural, and applied-science practices. Competes with HCDC on SB 721 inspection, structural assessments, and commercial building work.
• Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates (WJE): National engineering consultancy with deep structural, forensic, and inspection practices. Overlaps with HCDC on SB 721-style inspections, structural assessments, and repair design, with far broader geographic and technical reach.

Emerging players

• Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers: West Coast structural and civil engineering firm with similar full-service engineering plus BIM capabilities. Comparable to HCDC's structural + technology-enabled delivery model, though at multi-state scale.

Regional players

• Swenson Builders: Bay Area design-build general contractor with in-house design, engineering, and construction capabilities - structurally comparable to HCDC's design-build delivery, but operating at larger project scale in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about HC Structural Engineering