Build-First
Approach

As a full-service structural engineering firm, we partner with Architects, Developers, and Owners to build stunning, unique, multi-unit structures.

The Process

Here’s how the Build First Approach provides the smoothest possible process for multi-unit construction.

01

Visual Build

Visualizing your project in relentless detail is key. Proper modeling makes sure everyone understands how the building will be built and informs the right questions to ask.

02

Problem Resolution

When you Build First visually, our team is able to collaborate with all parties involved to project accurate budgets and proactively minimize RFI’s and change orders.

03

Physical Build

After the first two steps, you stand to save tremendous amounts of time and money while building a unique, profitable structure everyone is proud of. Our continued investment in the process provides a positive experience from start to finish.

A Flexible
Framework

With our modularized framework, we help you confidently explore options and provide experienced guidance to the right combination of materials and construction systems to meet your project goals and achieve the desired architectural expression.

Light frame wood
Post-tension concrete
Cast-in place concrete
Light gauge/cold-formed
metal framing
Joist and composite
joist systems
Masonry
Mass timber
Precast
Specialty systems

Featured Projects

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Alta Revolution

Alta Revolution showcases the Veitas Engineers ethos of "think different" by pushing the limits of what is possible with light-framed wood podium construction. The Building anchors the final wave of residential development at Assembly Row with 329 units of in-demand apartments in a cost-effective construction.

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The abby
The Abby

The Abby was a major milestone for the City of Quincy in showing that major redevelopment of the T stations could be economically viable and be a catalyst for further development in a still affordable commutable city next to Boston.

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Alta Union
Alta Union

Alta Union is a testament to effectiveness of Veitas Engineers' Flexible Framework. We strive to guide our clients through each design decision with the end in mind, so that the final product - YOUR BUILDING - is both economical to build and operate, and goes up smoothly and with fewer construction headaches.

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Trusted by leading Architects, Developers, and Owners

Structures we
Engineer

From multi-million dollar residential developments to shopping centers to state-of-the-art recreation facilities and educational campuses, we’ve got a track record of creatively and practically solving structural challenges.

Veitas is dedicated to multi-unit housing and our framework is just as successful for other building types that our staff has outstanding experience bringing to life.

From the Main Street-style shopping center to small urban showrooms, today’s retail environment is all about adaptation. With the right structural systems in place, developers and owners can manage changes in programming, occupancy or consumer trends without radically changing their buildings. Veitas Engineers understands how today’s retail environments must function—and how their needs can change, right up through construction.

Whether it’s helping a large retail chain expand their footprint, reconfiguring an older shopping mall to meet a changing market or working with developers of vibrant live-work-shop lifestyle centers, we deliver smart structural solutions that are efficient to build and sustainable to operate.

Whether it’s restructuring a historic hotel or the ground-up construction of a luxury eco-resort, structural design in the hospitality industry comes with a unique set of needs and challenges. Today’s consumers expect a branded experience, environmentally sensitive buildings, seamless technology, and a quiet, safe stay—factors that can all be influenced by smart structural designs.

Veitas Engineers has the expertise and experience to deliver creative, affordable structural solutions—from reducing sound transmission between floors to accommodating spa-pool facilities and structured outdoor spaces to the creative use of existing framing to save on cost. The result is an affordably constructed facility that efficiently balances atmosphere and brand, visitor experience and operational function. 

Whether on a university campus or within a community, athletic and recreational sports facilities come with their own set of structural requirements. From urban YMCAs to residential recreational centers to campus athletic facilities, Veitas Engineers has extensive experience in designing athletic and recreational facility structures that are safe, strong and attractive.

From expanding housing options, to updating classrooms and libraries, to state-of-the-art athletic centers, it takes a breadth of structural knowledge to address the vast and fast-changing needs of college and university campuses. Balancing sustainability, changing student expectations, tight footprints and even tighter budgets is a challenge.

At Veitas Engineers, we have a track record of smart structural solutions for the building types that make up a campus, from multi-unit housing to recreation centers to parking facilities. Along with our collaborative nature and ability to fast track projects to meet academic calendars, it’s how we’ve become a natural long-term partner for our higher education clients.

A high-performance office building starts with innovative structural design. We focus on structures that allow for greater modularity in use and configuration, keep occupants safe and comfortable and accommodate ever-changing technology, energy and mechanical infrastructure. 

Healthcare facilities are the crossroads of the tried-and-true and new innovation. With challenging mechanical and equipment requirements, the need for flexible space configurations and a growing focus on energy efficiency, structural design is more important than ever.

Service delivery is changing. Medical technology and equipment are evolving. Patient expectations are high. Facilities must be designed to operate safely and efficiently from the inside out. Whether it’s a retrofitted hospital or a brand new medical facility, Veitas Engineers delivers structural designs that affordably and efficiently meet the challenges of today’s healthcare environment. 

All parking facilities are not created equal. At Veitas Engineers, we design, repair and retrofit parking structures to meet the specific challenges of residential communities, shopping centers, campuses, health care facilities, businesses and other clients. Our understanding of effective and durable garage structure— and our eye for innovation— allow us to solve parking challenges within the most limited site constraints.
Veitas Multi Unit Engineering Firm

Our Services

Phase 1 (Conceptual Narrative): This phase will focus on taking lessons learned from other recent similar projects and providing a detailed narrative of systems and construction methods.

We will also spend time working through, item by item, the design elements that should be considered and may add cost or time and guiding decisions toward a locked-down conceptual design that can be built, with the goal of minimizing later VE.

We will help facilitate conversations and pricing with structural systems vendors to ensure that the right system is chosen for this building and market.

Phase 2 (Schematic Layout + Narrative): During this phase of the design exercise, we work with the project teams to lay out the structural elements of the building with the intention that Design Development can truly be designed for all disciplines rather than simply further investigation.

We’ll look at systems layouts and discuss potential VE options up front, ultimately coming to a Schematic Layout that the full team agrees with so that the design disciplines are ready to hit the ground running. With this approach, we can elevate the level of pricing detail in the Narrative to ensure excellent scope coverage for pricing purposes.

Our approach provides for current market trends and costs to be built into the decisions early and avoid costly post-Construction Document Value Engineering.

A major hallmark of the Veitas Engineers value has always been efficient, constructable design. Current market factors have only reinforced the need for a thoughtful, thorough approach to early design, and so Veitas Engineers has responded by investing more time in early systems discussions and layouts. This allows us to put design where it belongs – in Design Development and reserve the Construction Document phase for detailed coordination. As part of our mission to ensure a smooth, continuous design process that results in a construction project with the least RFIs possible, we will work with the team on a weekly basis to identify next steps, inter-team deliverables, and establish interim deadlines for decisions. We are relentless in our focus on hitting deadlines by pull-planning backwards from the next deliverable. Sometimes decisions are unable to be made, or circumstances mean extra time is required, and we will work with the team to reset the schedule to ensure a complete deliverable. We believe that the Construction Document phase should be singularly focused on refining a precisely detailed, carefully coordinated model and document set. Every detail we work through with the design team means less RFIs and fewer hours spent during construction.

Veitas Engineers’ dedication to a smooth project does not end at design. We are committed to a successful project from Concept to Occupancy and beyond. Construction Administration is an integral part of the process. We work with the team to have productive weekly Submittal and RFI review and prioritization calls once structural portions of the building are under review and construction. We recognize that the realities of construction mean urgent questions that need quick, knowledgeable answers. Our team-based approach means you have a point person to call, but each project has a deep bench of people ready to help and get you the answers you need. At the same time, we will work with the team on a weekly basis during design to anticipate and plan for a smooth construction experience.

Engaging a qualified testing agency with experienced inspectors is just one more step that Veitas Engineers aims to make easier. We have a deeply qualified inspector on staff for Wood, Steel, and Concrete, and we can inspect these materials to ensure that all structural elements are installed according to the design documents. This allows us to confidently provide the Final Affidavit, which most Building Departments require to issue a Certificate of Occupancy. Many inspection agencies need to have sufficiently experienced wood inspectors on staff to provide the appropriate attention to detail for wood members. We have also developed partnerships with Testing and Inspection firms across the country to provide peace of mind to our clients that the building you build is what was designed.

Our approach provides for current market trends and costs to be built into the decisions early and avoid costly post-Construction Document Value Engineering.

We believe that Value Engineering should be built into the design process, not inserted after the fact, and having a General Contractor provide that guidance is invaluable. At the end of Schematic Design – the data should be sufficient so costs are confidently known.

Think different. Build better.

It’s possible to have a double-win in commercial construction for multi-unit structures where a reimagined, more enjoyable process yields a stronger result.

Our constant dedication is achieving this double win for clients, and these are the values which drive us forward.

Engage our Structural Engineers for structural concept designs, or early pricing feedback.