Wall removals, decks, dormers, beams, additions, and inspections. A licensed CT engineer who inspects in person and walks you through the answer.
The Wall Guy provides licensed structural engineering for homes and small commercial buildings in Salem and throughout New London County. That covers load-bearing wall removals, decks and porches, dormers, beam and header sizing, additions, foundation evaluations, framing repair, and structural inspection letters. Travis Busch, P.E. (CT License #PEN.0038729) handles every project personally, from the site visit to the stamped letter.
Salem is a rural Connecticut town with a population of approximately 4,151, situated in New London County. Much of the housing stock in Salem dates to the 1970s-1990s era, which shapes the types of structural work homeowners encounter today. Most homes feature wood-frame platform construction on poured concrete foundations. The most common home styles here are colonials, raised ranches, and contemporaries. Engineers designing in Salem must account for a ground snow load of 30 PSF and a frost depth of 42 inches. Both factor directly into beam sizing and foundation design here.
Salem Building Department
270 Hartford Road, Salem, CT 06420
Phone: 860-859-3873 ext. 250
Hours: Mon & Thu 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Connecticut state code requires a licensed Professional Engineer to design structural modifications including load-bearing wall removal. Contact the Salem building department to confirm local permit requirements.
Completed structural engineering work with the framing details, member sizes, and site findings from each job.
Independent review and stamped calculations for a rear addition where 44 ft of first-floor bearing wall came out in two spans on a four-ply 20 in LVL, plus a sealed revision when the framing changed.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Ground Snow Load | 30 PSF |
| Wind Speed | 110 MPH |
| Frost Depth | 42 inches |
| Applicable Code | IRC 2021 / IBC 2021 (CT amendments) |
The Wall Guy also serves homeowners and contractors in nearby communities including East Haddam, Colchester, Bozrah, Montville, East Lyme, and Lyme. Every town in Connecticut gets the same on-site engineering service.
If the work is structural (removing a load-bearing wall, adding a dormer, changing framing, building a deck, or repairing a foundation) Connecticut requires PE-stamped engineering before the town issues a permit. Not sure whether your project counts? Call me and describe it. I'll tell you straight, even if the answer is that you don't need me.
We schedule the site visit for a time that works for you. The stamped letter typically follows within a few business days of the visit. On a tight schedule? Say so when you call and I'll tell you honestly whether I can hit it.
For a typical load-bearing wall removal, the stamped structural letter is one fixed price, quoted on the first call before any work starts, site visit included. Other projects (dormers, decks, additions, inspections) are quoted by phone after you describe the job. That price covers the job start to finish, including any revisions your building department asks for. Call (860) 519-6009 and describe your project.
Contact the Salem Building Department at 860-859-3873 ext. 250 to confirm permit requirements for your project. Most structural work (wall removals, dormers, additions, deck framing) requires a building permit and a PE-stamped letter or plan, which I provide.
Call or text Travis at (860) 519-6009, or email travis@thewallguy.com. Describe the project in a sentence and you get one fixed price, quoted on the first call, before any work starts.
