Criterium-Schimnowski Engineers

This company is amazing. I would highly recommend them for anyone seeking to evaluate their own home or to look into future home purchases. I have a 100 year old home with several challenging drainage areas, that are hard to address. I really appreciate the way they thought through the problem holisitically and helped me to come up with a a reasonable plan. They also helped me to avoid some advice by a Basement Repair firm that would have not been helpful.

Steve came out to our property and was great to talk with. He seemed to genuinely care about the issue we were having and helped us determine some options for a solution. He was thorough and really took the time to evaluate every aspect that could be contributing to our problem. We would definitely recommend this company!

We very much appreciated the services of Criterium-Schimnowski Engineers. Their engineer was knowledgeable, listened to our concerns and put us at ease. We had noticed an uneven floor in a basement bedroom and a small crack in the exterior cinderblock as well as some deterioration in cinderblocks at soil level at the rear of our house. We had 4 foundation repair companies give us free estimates: American Waterworks, Innovative Basement Authority, SafeBasements of Minnesota, Inc and DBS Residential Solutions, Inc. All recommended push pier installation but different numbers ranging from 4 to 10 piers with a lift procedure. This is not an inexpensive procedure. All said they had engineers at their companies who would review the plan and be sure it was appropriate but we felt there was a conflict of interest in favor of the company's assessment. We had our home insurance field adjuster come out and he felt that there were no serious problems that would require piers. We decided to hire an independent structural engineer to give us an unbiased opinion. We chose Criterium-Schimnowski based on online reviews; looked on the Better Business Bureau but found none. Additionally, the fact that this firm has several engineers on staff gave us more confidence than companies with just a single engineer because there is more wisdom with many heads than one. The engineer determined that our foundation was structurally sound and no piers were needed. He recommended the deteriorating masonry be repaired, foundation landscape grading be done and that masonry gaps consistent with settling be sealed and closed. With his assessment, we have peace of mind and will save considerable money, not needing pier installation, and will use those savings instead to have the masonry and landscape grading done. Thank you, Criterium-Schimnowki, for helping us sort through the free foundation repair company estimates to learn what repairs were truly needed.

Easy to work with, timely, clear communication. they charged per hour of work when reviewing our architectural drawings, in the end the final cost was less than estimated which was a nice surprise.

Criterium-Schimnowski Engineers is a company that stands behind their commitment to excellence. I purchased a 95 year old home six months ago and started to become very concerned after noticing the unevenness of the flooring on the 2nd floor- wondering if it was a structural issue. I was just sick to my stomach thinking that my life savings went into the purchase of home that may have issues that could not be corrected. I started looking online for structural engineers in my area and stumbled across Criterium-Schimnowski - so glad I did! Paul came out to my house (on time!) and listened closely to my concerns. He did a very thorough examination of the house and then gave me a summary of his findings before leaving. The next day, he sent a detailed written report of what he found, and how to correct the issues he found. While Criterium-Schimnowski is a bit more expensive than other companies that do this work - you get what you pay for. I would highly recommend this company!!! Peace of mind is so worth it!

My project went great! I was considering the purchase of a very old duplex from a family member but had some concerns about the structural integrity of the foundation walls and some floor joists. Kenton took his time going through all the areas of concern, getting pretty dirty in the process as the basement had not seen a broom in some time! He documented everything, taking pictures, and I left him to it for a few hours. After he had taken his time we had a discussion about what was happening and what was likely to happen. He was able to reassure me that nothing was on the verge of failure. He did note a few areas where action was needed soon and gave me a very detailed game plan for dealing with these areas. I received a written report a little over a week after his visit which laid out what should be done with pictures. I am very happy with the work and I'm sure that I will be referring back to the inspection report for some time after I close on the purchase.

Kenton was very professional, mindful of current health conditions, and extremely informative about the process.

The best money we've spent on our home has been the inspection we had with Criterium-Schimnowsky firm! Kenton Spading has a solid background and provided unbiased suggestions for improvements. In addition, to his professional engineering background, he was pleasant and explained concepts in laymen's terms. We would highly recommend these services.

I was very fortunate to receive a same-day appointment with Steve Eberly and he even arrived early! Steve was thorough and informative with the limited visual inspection I had requested. He understood the urgency of my situation and was able to expedite the report later that afternoon. I will definitely use your services again in the future and recommend to friends and family.

Excellent would recommend. Very informative!

Paul and his company were great to work with! I hired them to provide opinions on multiple structural changes to our house (removing/moving interior walls, removing attic trusses, and replacing a window/single swing door with a sliding door). Every step of the experience was smooth and efficient, from scheduling the appointment, having the inspection, receiving answers to my questions, and obtaining the final report. You can tell Paul generally cares about his clients and wants to help them find solutions to their problems. I will definitely hire them again in the future for any structural needs. Thanks!

The engineer, Steve Eberly, arrived early and worked quickly but thoroughly to inspect the areas of concern that I had. He discussed his expected results and recommendations on sight with the caveat that the report would be the official result. The report was sent to me within days and was thorough and as expected. Excellent service and promptness.

Steve came to check out one of our properties built in 1888. He was very knowledgeable and solution driven. He took his time to inspect the problems and was very thorough. He laid out different options for us, and made sure we understood why the recommended repairs were needed. Even explaining how the process of fixing the structure of the house would be like. Steve and his company were very responsive and prompt. I would definitely work with them again!

Steve was fantastic. He clearly explained everything, was very thorough and answered any questions I had. Would definitely use them for any future remodeling questions!

The inspector was on time and through. He walked through the space with us as he went and showed us what was important to watch and essential and nonessential repair recommendations. He made sure to explain everything throughly in person and in the report.

Quite well. The engineering firm, Criterium-Schimnowski Engineers, was easy to deal with and I was able to get an appointment that was only a few days in the future. On the day of the appointment, the engineer was on time, professional and highly skilled. The inspection report, including detailed repair instructions, was sent only a few working days later.

Criterium-Schimnowski Engineers promptly replied to my inquiry. While they weren't able to assist with my current needs, they were very helpful and recommended two other engineers, one of whom we selected to go forward with.

Great. Paul offered quick communication, came out and wrote up a thorough report with recommendations to address the issue. Saved me 15,000 in unnecessary repairs that a local basement repair place suggested.

He performed a thorough inspection and provided a written follow up of findings and suggestions.

Went well. Showed up on time. Very knowledgeable. Walked me through what he found. Produced a plan in a timely manner.

Good, report was written up which is what I was looking for.

Great--very helpful and informative. Paul told me what to watch for going forward.

Great job. reviewed and gave information for entire structure

I was contacted today by the provider. He was very apologetic and immediately sent out a detailed copy of his report, with many pictures and explanations of the problem areas. He offered to answer any questions I had. This is what I was hoping for, but in a more timely manner. It is possible that there was a miscommunication between us. He believed that the report had been sent in a timely fashion, but I never received it. I could have contacted him directly, but did not. For that I apologize.

Great work. Will consult again.