Whether you are a developer planning a new community, an architect designing a bespoke home, or a homeowner looking to renovate, your project requires a robust structural backbone. At SENZ, we provide a full spectrum of residential structural engineering services across Auckland, ensuring every structure is safe, compliant, and built to last.

As your dedicated residential structural engineer, we partner with you to translate your vision into a sound reality. We navigate the complexities of the New Zealand Building Code to deliver solutions that are practical, cost-effective, and fully aligned with your architectural goals.

Our expertise scales to meet the demands of any residential project, big or small. We provide clear, constructible designs and all the documentation needed to achieve a smooth building consent process with local councils and regulatory bodies.

New Homes, Multi-Unit & Apartment Developments

We are experienced in the structural design of larger residential projects.

• Architectural Homes: Realising complex features like cantilevers, large open-plan spaces, and unique rooflines.
• Multi-Unit Developments: Providing efficient and repeatable structural systems for terraced housing, townhouses, and duplexes.
• 3-Storey Apartment Buildings: Designing for more complex seismic and gravity loads, fire-rated systems (FRRs), inter-tenancy walls, and integrated foundations.

Alterations, Renovations & Additions

We help you safely modify and expand your existing home.

• Load-Bearing Wall Removal: Designing beams and supports to confidently create modern, open-plan living areas.
• Second-Storey Additions: Assessing the existing structure’s capacity and designing the new extension and any required strengthening.
• Complete Re-levelling and Foundation Upgrades: Addressing structural issues in older homes to restore integrity and compliance.

Pools, Retaining Walls & External Structures

We engineer the essential structures that shape your outdoor living spaces.

• Swimming Pools: Complete structural design for in-ground concrete pools (including shotcrete and blockwork), ensuring the pool shell is robust and doesn’t impact adjacent foundations.
• Retaining Walls: All retaining walls required specific engineering design, including ones which do not require building consent (retaining less than 1.5 metres of soil). At SENZ, we can assist with the design for all types of retaining walls, including those supporting driveways and buildings, such as timber pole, keystone, and concrete designs.
• Structural design for all types of fences, such as timber, glass, concrete, and masonry blockwork.
• Carport : Each design is tailored to the site’s conditions, including wind zones, seismic activity, and soil type, using standards such as NZS 3604 for timber-framed structures or AS/NZS 1170 series for load calculations. We ensure proper bracing, anchorage, and load paths to foundations, typically using reinforced concrete footings or slabs.
• Decks, Verandahs, and Pergolas: are more than just aesthetic additions to a property—they are load-bearing structures that must be designed with safety, durability, and compliance in mind. Each element serves a unique function: decks provide elevated platforms that must support dynamic loads; verandahs extend living spaces and require careful integration with existing buildings; and pergolas, while often non-load-bearing, still demand attention to wind resistance and anchorage.

Balustrades & Critical Safety Components

We ensure every detail of your home is safe and compliant.

• Fencing & Balustrades: Designing glass, timber, aluminum, and steel balustrades and their fixings to safely withstand loads as required by the NZ Building Code. Essential for decks, stairwells, and pool fencing.
• Producer Statements (PS1): As part of our service, we provide the PS1 for our designs, certifying that they comply with the Building Code and are ready for council submission.

When you choose SENZ as your residential structural engineer, you benefit from a consultancy that values precision, collaboration, and communication.

• Collaborative Design: We thrive on working alongside architects and developers. Our goal is to find elegant structural solutions that maintain the integrity of your vision.
• Pragmatic and Efficient Solutions: We understand that residential projects have budgets. We focus on designing efficient structures that are safe and compliant without being over-engineered.
• Clear Communication: We explain technical concepts clearly, ensuring you, your architect, and your builder are fully informed throughout the design and construction process.
• Unwavering Focus on Safety: Leveraging our core expertise in seismic engineering, we ensure every design provides a safe and resilient environment, giving you ultimate peace of mind.

Start Your Residential Project with Confidence

From a single beam to a multi-unit development, our team has the expertise you need. Engage a specialist residential structural engineer early to ensure a smooth, successful, and safe project.