From Conceptual Design Through Construction, BORM Associates has Structural Engineering Under Control

By George Walsh, Hacienda Network Staff Writer

While architects are considered by many to be the artists of the building trade, the most beautifully designed home is absolutely worthless if the building's structure is poorly designed. That's where companies like BORM Associates Inc. come into play. BORM, with offices at 4309 Hacienda Drive, provides structural engineering services to ensure that the design of the architect and the efforts of those who erect a building will withstand the rigors of time.

"We are a structural engineering firm dealing primarily with single-family detached housing, multi-family residential, senior and military housing, and light commercial projects, both in wood and light gauge steel framing," says Steve Fedewa, director of BORM's Pleasanton division. "We work with developers, architects, framing, and concrete contractors to ensure that all of the projects we are involved with are structurally sound and cost-effective."

While BORM has an impressive history, Fedewa says the company has no intention of resting on its laurels. "We are looking to expand our operations into the Central Valley," he says. "We have to go where construction is taking place and where builders need a strong, local engineering presence to provide not only engineering design but also construction observation services."

Fedewa believes that BORM's philosophy of "value engineering" is what sets it apart from other its competitors. "When we approach the development of a plan, we don't immediately start designing," he says. "We try to find means to make construction more cost-effective while keeping an eye on quality. That's one area where our clients really appreciate and value our service. At the conceptual stage of a project, we work closely with the architect and framers to come up with ways to save our clients money on the overall project without compromising its architectural integrity."

BORM Associates currently has 87 employees located in five offices. These facilities include its headquarters in Costa Mesa as well as operations in Las Vegas, Phoenix , Roseville, here in Pleasanton, and an upcoming office in Modesto. The firm's principals and engineers are licensed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. BORM has been in business for 25 years and counts among its clients some of the nation's foremost builders, developers, and architects in the U.S., including Beazer Homes, Brookfield Homes, Del Webb Communities, KB Home, Lennar Homes, Toll Brothers, Pardee Homes, Pulte Homes, Richmond American, Shapell Industries, William Lyon Homes, Frank Gehry & Associates, Bassenian Lagoni Architects, Bloodgood Sharp Buster Architects, Dahlin Group, KTGY Group, Robert Hidey Architects, Scheurer Architects and William Hezmalhalch Architects.

Photo: This Martinez hillside home benefited from BORM's expertise in structural engineering.

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