SMW & Associates

I just called to ask for an inspection for my client/​seller and the person that picked up sound like he was half sleep and when I asked for an appointment to perform an inspection, he told me he was too busy with existing customers and would have to book a month out. Wow! Not sure if he was having a bad morning but that was not a good impression to leave with a potentially new client and someone (a Realtor) who could refer more business to him.
First impressions mean everything!

In considering the purchase of a TIC in a 6 unit complex I contacted Stan Wu about getting information about him conducting a foundation inspection. During our phone conversation I was educated about what was relavent to focus on. As noted by other reviewer’s he is knowledgeable, thorough, patient and someone I would be entirely comfortable using or referring to others to use for similar work.

Stan is awesome!
Even though our house inspection report did not indicate a need for further foundation inspection, we still want to do it to be safe.
After giving Stan some general conditions of our house, he honestly told us up front that our house probably won’t need a foundation inspection. But he can still do it just to give us a piece of mind.
He arrived on time, inspected all the areas that we have concerns and explained to us in details (with drawings) what is considered a safe or not-​safe structure. He also told us what to look for in the future if earthquake hit. He is very patient and detail-​oriented. I would highly recommend him to my friends who are buying houses!

I am a residential architect and real estate developer and have a continual need for a structural engineer for both my and my client’s work. Stan Wu is my top choice and i have worked with him several times over the years with much satisfaction.
What sets Stan apart from other structural engineers is his attention to design and aesthetics. Stan, unlike other engineers, attended architecture school and has training in this area. This, along with his respect for design has made him the top choice of many great architects.
I would highly recommend Stan for any engineering job.

Stan Wu was referred by our architect when we were doing major renovation to our home. We needed a structural engineer to check load worthiness of the foundation, move walls, etc.
As with any renovation project involving structure, there were fears and concerns. He answered our questions and concerns, and checked in to make sure things were being done properly.
Thanks Stan. I’m glad you were there for us.

While I did not go with SMW & Associates for my loft project, the company was highly responsive and professional in the bidding process, which earns my respect and support.
Stan responded to my inquiry within 24hrs of contact, he took the time to review the project thoroughly, offered feedback, and guided that it was unlikely that he would be able to do my project within the targeted budget due to his cost structure (focused on larger jobs). He still provided the quote as promised when promised and while it was outside my budget, it was completely consistent with what he had previously suggested.
While I can’t offer an opinion on SMW&A actual work, their customer service and upfront performance was excellent.

We needed to find a licensed structural engineer to do a structural inspection for a pending home purchase in San Francisco. The pest report and general home inspection report had both indicated major seismic and structural problems, as well as foundation problems, and had recommended evaluation by a structural engineer. Thankfully we found Stan Wu, who is a structural engineer with SMW & Associates Inc. I got his information based on a referral from another structural engineer.
Stan met us at the house on time for our appointment and did a very thorough job. Stan is very familiar with seismic safety design and code requirements in San Francisco. After the site inspection, he researched the permits in San Francisco and was able to give us a good idea about whether a full seismic upgrade might be triggered if future home renovations are done. He wrote a very detailed report about many of the existing structural deficiencies of the home, including the ones we had been warned about as well as many others. The detailed report gave specific recommendations about the type of work that would need to be done to make this home safer in a seismic event. The report was very specific to this house, and it would have been very useful to help us negotiate the price down if we had gone ahead with the home purchase.
We couldn’t have been happier with Stan’s service. Also, he gave us a break on the price. Stan charges by the hour and spent six hours on our structural inspection investigation and report, but he only charged us for five, since he had originally estimated only 4 hours for the job. We really appreciated him giving us a discount.
Compared to other quotes we had, the final invoice was about 40% less than a quote we had from another qualified structural engineer, and about 25% less than another quote that we had from a civil engineer with structural experience.
So Stan did a fantastic job, and saved us money, too! We are so fortunate to have found Stan when we needed a good structural engineer. We decided not to buy the house, but we will definitely go back to Stan if we need a structural engineer’s services again.
Here is some information about Stan’s company, from their web site: «We are a full service structural engineering consulting firm with offices in San Francisco and Oakland. We have extensive experience in the design of residential, commercial, institutional and industrial buildings, as well as technical expertise on a wide range of construction materials including wood, steel, concrete and masonry.»