Structure & foundation
Foundations, framing, and load paths, plus the cracks, settlement, and prior repairs a quick walkthrough misses.
cracks · settlement · grietas
Before you buy property in Puerto Rico
Know what you are buying before you close.
A home inspection checks the systems. A Structural Engineering Visual Assessment, by a licensed Puerto Rico engineer, reads whether the structure is sound: cracks, foundation, seismic and hurricane exposure. That is the read you want before you close.
Go. Conditions. No-go.
No-obligation project review. We reply within one business day, in writing.
How it works
A sequenced read, not a black box.
- Scope. A short, no-obligation call to understand the property, your plan to buy, build, or relocate, and your deadline.
- Assess. An on-site structural assessment plus a records pull: structure and foundations, soil and drainage, flood and hurricane exposure, and the permit history, with drone where the roof or facade is unsafe to reach.
- Map the path. We sequence the Puerto Rico and federal reviews a historic or flood-zone site triggers, so one approval does not reset another.
- Report. A written go, conditions, or no-go read, with the engineering basis behind every finding, so you can renegotiate, plan, or walk before your capital moves.
What the read measures against
Puerto Rico Building Code (2018)
The governing code, which adopts the International Building Code (IBC). The benchmark for what sound construction means on this island.
ASCE 7 wind and seismic loads
The load standard the code is built on: the hurricane wind and earthquake forces the structure actually has to carry.
Roof-to-wall connections and wind uplift
Puerto Rico is a Special Wind Region: the design wind speed is a site-specific value read from the microzone map for that municipality. The connections decide whether the roof stays on when it is tested.
Seismic detailing and reinforcement
How the structure is reinforced for ground motion, and where an older building predates current seismic provisions.
Reinforced concrete: spalling and rebar corrosion
The defect coastal salt air drives, often hidden behind sound-looking finishes.
FEMA flood zone and base flood elevation
Where the structure sits relative to the flood map, and what that means for insurability and financing.
What we assess
The whole property, not the cosmetic walkthrough.
A cosmetic walkthrough shows you finishes. A licensed structural read tells you whether the deal holds.
Seismic & earthquake retrofit
Earthquake and retrofit readiness for Puerto Rico's seismic zone, so you know how the structure behaves when the ground moves.
earthquake retrofit · evaluación sísmicaSoil & site
Drainage, grading, slope, and retaining conditions, so the site works with PR's water and soil rather than against your build.
slope · muros de contenciónFlood & hurricane exposure
FEMA flood zone, wind, and storm-surge risk, and what they mean for insurance and design.
flood zone · zona inundableCode & permit status
OGPe records and the Reglamento Conjunto checked against what is actually built, plus any open violations.
permits · OGPe · permisosWater, moisture & mold
Leaks, damp, and mold behind the finishes, the slow damage a cosmetic walkthrough hides.
mold · moisture · humedadWhat a structural read surfaces
The damage a walkthrough never shows.
The conditions a structural read surfaces behind sound-looking finishes, and why each one matters.
Cracking
An open crack down a junction between elements
- What this is
- An open crack running down the junction between a projecting vertical element and the wall beside it, with the finish broken away along its edge.
- Why it matters
- A crack here can be a finish separating, or the structure behind it moving. A walkthrough cannot tell those apart; a structural read can.
Reinforcement
Exposed reinforcement at a corner
- What this is
- Concrete broken away at a corner, exposing corroded reinforcing bars and closely spaced transverse reinforcement.
- Why it matters
- Once the steel is exposed and rusting, how much of the built section remains is a measurement question, and a walkthrough cannot answer it.
Moisture
Water staining on a ceiling soffit
- What this is
- Moisture staining and dark discoloration across a ceiling soffit, with the surface coating lost in large patches and a continuous crack running through it.
- Why it matters
- Persistent water at a soffit asks whether it is reaching embedded steel, and that answer decides whether this is a stain or a structural problem.
Walk into the closing with facts, not surprises.
Who stands behind it
One licensed read, signed.
Your report is not a committee opinion. It is the read of one accountable Puerto Rico engineer who stamps within his scope, so the document holds up where it counts.
The accountable engineer
Every finding in your report is one I will put my seal to. That is the difference between an opinion and accountable engineering.
Edgardo L. Santiago Martínez, PE Chief Engineering Officer · PE Lic. #12474, CIAPR Already own it
Worried about your building? That worry is the first step.
You do not need proof, just the concern: a crack that keeps growing, a floor that is not level, a building from before the 1987 seismic code, a roof that took the last storm. Recognizing it is enough to call us. The next step is a licensed structural read, before a hidden problem becomes a failure that costs far more than the assessment, or risks someone's safety.
Go deeper
Guides for the questions behind the read.
- Before You Buy: An Engineer's Due-Diligence Guide The full pre-purchase picture, start to finish.
- Is this house permitted in Puerto Rico? Why an undocumented structure stalls financing and insurance.
- Will this house survive a hurricane or earthquake? What resilience looks like in the framing and connections.
- Is your property in a FEMA flood zone? What the flood map means for insurance and buildability.
- Cadastre vs survey vs title What each record proves, and where the lines really sit.
- Pre-purchase engineering review The property-specific service, from read to written verdict.
FAQ
Questions before you buy.
Still deciding? Ask us directly, no obligation, and you hear back within one business day.
What does a pre-purchase inspection cover before I buy?
Structure, seismic and hurricane exposure, soil and drainage, code and permit status, moisture, and any open violations. You get a clear go, conditions, or no-go read before you close.
Is this a home inspection?
No. A home inspection is a generalist, separately-licensed service. This is a Structural Engineering Visual Assessment by a licensed Puerto Rico PE (CIAPR), focused on whether the structure is sound: the engineering read that home inspections are not licensed to give.
I already own the property, not buying. Can you still assess it?
Yes. A lot of our work starts the day an owner stops ignoring a crack, a slope, or a building that predates the 1987 seismic code. You do not need certainty, just the concern. We give you a licensed structural read and a clear next step.
Do I have to be in Puerto Rico for it?
No. We run the on-site assessment and the records research locally, then report to you wherever you are. Most of our clients are buying or relocating from the mainland.
Can you do this before I make an offer?
Yes, and earlier is cheaper. A pre-offer read tells you what you are bidding on; a pre-closing read confirms nothing changed and gives you grounds to renegotiate or walk.
Will the inspection affect my mortgage, VA, or FHA loan?
It is independent of your financing, but the findings can affect it. VA and FHA hold a property to minimum condition standards, so our assessment flags the structural, moisture, or permit issues that can stall an appraisal or approval, in time to fix or renegotiate.
How fast can you turn the report around before my closing date?
We scope the turnaround on the first call to fit your closing or financing deadline. Tell us the date and the access you can arrange, and we tell you straight whether it fits.
What do I actually get at the end?
A written engineering read: go, conditions, or no-go, with the basis for each finding. It is an engineering opinion on whether the structure is sound, not a repair-cost estimate.
What if you find a problem?
We define it: the element, the scope, and how serious it is, so you can renegotiate, plan the fix, or walk away on facts instead of surprises.
Start your due diligence
Tell us about the property.
A few details and your timeline. We reply within one business day, in writing, with next steps.
Direct channels
Other ways to reach us
One-business-day response standard. Reach us by any channel and you hear back within one business day, every time.
Not ready to assess yet?
Read our engineer's due-diligence guide for Puerto Rico buyers, then book when you are. Or, for the fastest answer, a short, no-obligation call.