Childs Engineering

What Childs Engineering does

Childs Engineering Corporation is a Massachusetts-based professional engineering firm founded in 1970 by Kenny Childs, specializing in waterfront and coastal structural engineering. The company delivers end-to-end services across six interconnected lines: inspection (topside and underwater by ADCI-certified engineer divers), engineering studies (feasibility, mooring and berthing analysis, coastal resiliency), design (marine and coastal structures including piers, wharves, seawalls, and marinas using 3D modeling and structural analysis software), permitting and regulatory (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state environmental coordination), surveys (hydrographic, topographic, side scan sonar, underwater imaging), and construction services (oversight, quality assurance, dredging support). The firm's defining technical capability is a workforce of registered professional engineers who are also ADCI-certified commercial divers, enabling inspection, design, and construction oversight by the same professionals.

Name

Childs Engineering

Legal name

Childs Engineering Corporation

Website

https://childseng.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Childs Engineering Corporation is a Massachusetts-based waterfront structural engineering firm founded in 1970 that delivers inspection, design, permitting, survey, and construction services for marine and coastal infrastructure to U.S. federal, state, and private clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine and Waterfront Structural Engineering Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Navigational Services to Shipping (488330), Ship Building and Repairing (336611)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

Underwater Inspection, Maintenance & Repair (UWILD, Diving/ROV, In-water Cleaning) (IMAJAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Underwater Hull Services (Diving, In-Water Cleaning, Propeller Polishing, Inspection) (TLAHAMAL), Safety, Risk & Compliance Engineering (SOLAS, Class Rules, HAZID/HAZOP, FMEA) (IMAJAGAJ), Project Management & Owner’s Engineering / Technical Consultancy (Spec Writing, Bid Support, Site Support) (IMAJAGAO), Marine Surveying, Inspection & Claims (EDAOANAO), Navigation & Aids-to-Navigation Works (Beacons, Buoys, Markers) (IMAFAJAH)

Keywords

• Waterfront structural engineering
• Underwater inspection services
• Marine engineering design
• Hydrographic survey services
• Coastal infrastructure engineering

Headquarters

HQ city

Bellingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Engineering Services: Professional engineering services for waterfront infrastructure including inspections, engineering studies, design, permitting, surveys, and construction services. Services are provided on a project basis to government and private sector clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Childs Engineering provides end-to-end waterfront and marine structural engineering services for coastal, marine, and waterfront infrastructure. The firm delivers topside and underwater inspections performed by licensed engineers who are also ADCI-certified commercial divers, combined with engineering studies, structural design, hydrographic and topographic surveys, environmental permitting, and construction oversight for piers, wharves, seawalls, bridges, marinas, dry docks, and navigational aids.

Product overview

Childs Engineering is a waterfront and marine structural engineering firm offering a unified suite of professional engineering services. The company provides end-to-end solutions through six interconnected service lines: Inspection Services (topside and underwater inspections by certified engineer divers), Engineering Studies (feasibility, planning, and analysis), Design Services (marine structural design using 3D modeling), Permitting & Regulatory Services (environmental and coastal permitting), Survey Services (hydrographic and topographic surveys), and Construction Services (oversight and administration). This integrated approach ensures consistency from initial assessment through construction completion, with the same professionals performing inspections and designs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Inspection Services Expert inspections for coastal and waterfront structures, including topside and underwater assessments performed by ADCI-certified commercial diver engineers using destructive and non-destructive testing methods. Service is for government agencies, defense contractors, and private waterfront facility owners.
• Engineering Studies Data-driven engineering studies for assessment, analysis, and optimization of waterfront and marine infrastructure, including coastal protection, mooring analysis, and resiliency-focused designs. Service is for clients planning waterfront infrastructure investments or repairs.
• Design Services Marine and coastal structural design solutions for repairs and new waterfront structures including piers, wharves, seawalls, and marinas, utilizing 3D modeling and structural analysis software. Service is for government agencies and private waterfront clients requiring new construction or rehabilitation designs.
• Permitting & Regulatory Services Regulatory and environmental permitting solutions for waterfront and marine projects, including coordination with agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state environmental offices. Service is for clients who need approvals and stakeholder engagement support to keep waterfront projects moving forward.
• Survey Services Hydrographic, topographic, and underwater imaging survey services using in-house crews and state-of-the-art equipment for waterfront design, permitting, and dredging projects worldwide. Service is for clients needing accurate survey data to support waterfront engineering, permitting, and dredging projects.
• Construction Services Marine construction phase services including contractor coordination, construction oversight, quality assurance, dredging support, and pre/post-construction surveys. Service is for waterfront project owners executing repairs or new builds who need professional oversight and quality assurance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Featured in ASPIRE Magazine Summer 2025 for Evans Mill Pond Bridge Project - completed on time and on budget
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• W.J. Castle PE & AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2023Acquisition completed October 31, 2023. W.J. Castle PE & Associates, based in Hainesport, NJ with over 40 years of experience, brings expertise in bridges, piers, docks, bulkheads, and underwater scanning. The merger unites two firms with shared values, expanding service capabilities, geographic reach, and professional growth opportunities. Both firms maintain current staff, management, and active projects ensuring client continuity.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Moffatt & Nichol: Large, established waterfront and coastal engineering firm with ports, harbors, and naval facility work. Highly comparable to Childs Engineering in service scope (inspection, design, permitting) but significantly larger and operating globally, making it a broad incumbent in the same niche.
• GHD: Global engineering and advisory firm with a dedicated marine and coastal practice serving federal, state, and private clients. Comparable as a broader incumbent providing waterfront planning, design, and inspection services at greater scale than Childs Engineering.
• Stantec: Global engineering firm with a marine and ports group serving military, port authority, and private waterfront clients. Comparable in end markets and service mix, providing a scaled alternative for clients considering Childs Engineering.
• Tetra Tech: Engineering and consulting firm with strong waterfront, coastal, and federal infrastructure practices. Comparable to Childs Engineering in federal waterfront work, though Tetra Tech operates at much larger scale across multiple end markets.
• AECOM: Multi-discipline engineering giant with significant waterfront, port, and naval infrastructure work for the U.S. Navy and federal agencies. Represents the largest incumbent threat to Childs Engineering's federal contracting book, with very different scale and breadth.

Emerging players

• Underwater Construction Corporation: Commercial diving and marine construction firm supporting federal, utility, and transportation clients. Comparable in inspection and underwater engineering niche, but with a heavier construction execution focus versus Childs Engineering's design-led approach.
• Substructure Group: Specialist commercial diving and underwater inspection firm serving bridges, dams, and waterfront infrastructure. Highly comparable to Childs Engineering's underwater inspection core, though more focused on diving services than full engineering design.

Others

• Atlantic Diving Supply (ADS): Provides commercial diving equipment, marine services, and inspection support to federal and commercial clients. Comparable as an ecosystem participant in the underwater inspection market, though primarily a supplier rather than a direct engineering competitor.

Direct peers

• W.F. Baird & Associates: Coastal, marine, and waterfront engineering consultancy focused on ports, harbors, and shoreline protection. Closely comparable to Childs Engineering in technical scope and client base, with overlapping capabilities in hydrographic surveys and structural design.
• Collins Engineers: Specialist in underwater bridge and waterfront inspections, with engineer-divers performing structural assessments. Directly comparable to Childs Engineering in both clientele (DOTs, federal agencies) and core service of licensed engineer underwater inspections.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/childseng
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childs-engineering
• Xx.com/ChildsEng

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Childs Engineering