Hiring a structural engineer costs $555 on average according to Angi and HomeAdvisor, and $500 to $2,000 according to Fixr.1,2,3 Angi and HomeAdvisor publish a matching $555 average with most homeowners paying $344 – $776, and reported prices spanning $200 to $1,500, from guides updated October 2026 and June 2026.1,2 Fixr publishes a $1,200 national average for a detailed assessment and inspection ahead of a renovation, with low-end jobs at $300 (a load-bearing wall inspection with a removal plan) and high-end jobs at $20,000 (new-construction consultation including full drafted plans for the foundation, walls, and roof), from a guide updated January 2025.3 Prices below are national averages*.
*National averages, not local quotes. Your price depends on the project scope, the billing method, and the type of inspection or plans you need.
$555
average structural engineer hire (Angi/HomeAdvisor)
$1,200
national average – assessment + inspection before a renovation (Fixr, 2025)
$70–$250
per hour (Angi/HomeAdvisor)
$100–$500
per hour (Fixr, 2025)
What the sources say
| Source | Headline figures | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Angi (updated Oct 2026) | $555 average; most homeowners $344 – $776; overall span $200 – $1,500 | Corporate sibling of HomeAdvisor – the pair publishes matching figures on their pages |
| HomeAdvisor (2025 data, updated Jun 2026) | $555 average; normal range $344 – $776; overall span $200 – $1,500 | Matching figures alone don’t establish independent corroboration between the siblings |
| Fixr (updated Jan 2025) | $1,200 national average for a pre-renovation assessment and inspection; range $500 – $2,000; low-end $300 (load-bearing wall inspection with removal plan); high-end $20,000 (new-construction consultation with full drafted plans) | Average covers a defined job scope; figures are older |
The sibling pair publishes matching figures throughout, presented as published. Fixr’s figures are separately published and older (January 2025), with no shared sourcing stated, so they are presented separately and not compared directly.
Cost by billing method
Structural engineers bill per project, per hour, per square foot, or as a percentage of the construction cost. The publishers price these methods at different rates, so the columns are not compared directly.1,2,3
| Billing method | Angi/HomeAdvisor | Fixr (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Per project (flat fee) | $2,000 – $8,500 | – |
| Per hour | $70 – $250 (average about $150) | $100 – $500 |
| Per square foot | $2 – $10 | $0.50 – $2 |
| Percentage of construction cost | 1% – 10% | 1% – 20% |
Angi breaks its percentage range down as 1% to 5% of a new construction budget or 7% to 10% of a renovation budget; Fixr publishes 1% to 4% for new construction, 0.5% to 1.5% for commercial property, and 8% to 20% for home remodels.1,3 Angi and HomeAdvisor note per-square-foot billing is rare and mostly applies to new construction or commercial work.1,2
New construction fees by build price
Angi (2026) publishes these engineer fees for new construction by total build price.1
| Total build price | Structural engineer fee (Angi, 2026) |
|---|---|
| $200,000 | $2,000 – $10,000 |
| $300,000 | $3,000 – $15,000 |
| $400,000 | $4,000 – $20,000 |
| $500,000 | $5,000 – $25,000 |
| $700,000 | $7,000 – $35,000 |
| $1,000,000 | $10,000 – $50,000 |
Inspection and report costs
HomeAdvisor treats a structural report and the inspection behind it as one price: a general report averages $550, with most running $350 – $800, and an investigation into suspected foundation issues can reach $1,200 or more. Angi publishes the same figures.1,2 Fixr prices the written report alone at $100 – $200 and inspections separately at $100 – $2,000 depending on the type – a different scope, so the figures are not compared directly.3
| Inspection type | Angi | Fixr (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Load-bearing wall | $350 – $500 | $150 – $300 |
| Foundation (damage investigation) | $500 – $1,000 | $300 – $600 |
| Whole home / buying or selling | $600 | $500 – $2,000 |
| Beams, joists, trusses | $350 – $500 | – |
| Home remodel | $500 – $1,500 | – |
| New construction | $400 – $600 | – |
| Storm damage | $500 – $1,000 | – |
| Chimney | – | $100 – $500 |
| Roof | – | $100 – $600 |
Where the publishers price the same inspection type, the figures differ and are not compared directly.
Plans and drawings
Each publisher scopes drawing and plan costs differently – per plan set, per sheet, or per drawing – so the figures are not compared directly.1,2,3
| Deliverable | Cost | Source and scope |
|---|---|---|
| Engineer plans | $300 – $2,500 | Angi, depending on project scope |
| Structural drawings (blueprints) | $500 – $5,000 per sheet | HomeAdvisor |
| Drawings | $150 – $1,500 | Fixr (2025), simple to complex sets |
| Drafting building plans | $300 – $500 | Fixr (2025) |
| Plan revisions | $300 – $700 | Angi |
| PE stamp on plans | $500 – $2,000 | Angi |
Angi and HomeAdvisor publish matching figures for larger plan sets: home add-on or major renovation drawings at $2,000 – $5,000, new construction designs at $2,000 – $10,000, and commercial engineering plans at $5,000 – $100,000; Angi also prices outbuilding drawings at $500 – $8,300. Matching figures alone don’t establish independent corroboration between the corporate siblings. Both note plans can account for as much as 45% of the engineering budget.1,2 Fixr prices structural engineering project management at $10,000 – $20,000 for larger projects.3
How related professionals compare
Fixr (2025) publishes these hourly-rate comparisons with related professionals.3
| Professional | Hourly rate (Fixr, 2025) |
|---|---|
| Structural engineer | $100 – $500 |
| Civil engineer | $65 – $200 |
| Mechanical engineer | $90 – $200 |
| Home inspector | $80 – $150 |
| Foundation repair company | $150 – $300 |
Related costs
Fixr (2025) prices foundation repair – work that can follow a structural inspection – at a national average of $5,000 – $10,000, with most homeowners paying around $8,000 for mudjacking to lift and reinforce a settling, cracking foundation.3
Angi and HomeAdvisor note engineers tend to price jobs higher in areas with strict seismic or hurricane codes and in higher cost-of-living cities.1,2
Frequently asked questions
Do structural engineers offer free quotes?
Angi and HomeAdvisor report that most structural engineers offer free quotes or estimates, with simple inspections typically priced as a flat fee based on the home’s foundation type and square footage, and larger projects estimated after an on-site evaluation.1,2
What does a structural engineer inspection cover?
As the sources describe it, an inspection reviews the load-bearing parts of the home – floors, foundation, walls, roof, and major beams – and the written report spells out what the home needs to remain structurally sound.2,3
How do structural engineers charge?
Per project, per hour, per square foot, or as a percentage of the construction cost, depending on the engineer and the scope. The billed rates for each method are in the billing-method section above.1,2,3
Related guides
Cost to Raise a House
Wall Removal Cost
Foundation Repair Cost
Home Inspection Cost
Chimney Inspection Cost
Second Story Addition Cost
All cost guides
Sources
1. Angi — How Much Does a Structural Engineer Cost to Hire? (2026 data)
2. HomeAdvisor — How Much Does a Structural Engineer Cost? (2025 data)
3. Fixr — Structural Engineer Cost (2025)