From Porch Plan to Permit Set: A Residential Addition in Marion, Iowa

“Renovations only go smoothly when the structure is treated with respect. Our job is to understand what’s already there, reinforce the right places, and give the builder a set of drawings that translates cleanly from plan review to jobsite.”
- Caleb Vorpahl, StructSolve Engineering

A Porch Project That Grew (Fast)

Residential renovations have a habit of evolving once the full vision comes into focus. Dunte Blaire and SCC Property Service brought StructSolve in after a prior engagement, and the ask was clear: deliver a structural permit set that would move through municipality review cleanly and give the field team a plan they could build from with confidence.

Timing mattered on this one. With fall approaching, the team needed the design work to progress without losing momentum. StructSolve issued a preliminary structural package and then finalized the permit set shortly after.

Building on What Was Already There

Designing an addition on an existing home is less about perfect assumptions and more about real conditions. Existing framing, columns, and footings all matter. They’re the starting point, whether we like it or not.

For this project, the drawings accounted for reusing portions of the existing structure while also introducing new support where the expanded scope demanded it. The foundation plan shows a mix of existing 6x6 columns, selective removals, and new columns/footings added to carry the new loads where needed.

That approach kept the design practical: protect what’s working, strengthen what needs strengthening, and make sure the final system is clear enough to construct confidently.

What “Permit-Ready” Actually Means

For this project, StructSolve documented the structural design criteria and the key details needed for review and construction, including wind and snow considerations typical for the region (for example, the design criteria in the set includes a 115 mph wind speed and roof snow design values consistent with local expectations).

More importantly, the drawings were written for the field, not just the file. The set calls out items like integrating new framing into the existing house, including recessed framing support where required, and clearly indicating the roof work needed for the addition (including notes to remove roof sheathing as needed to overbuild the new roof structure).

It also includes constructability details such as footing depth (down to 42 inches below grade) - a small line item that matters a lot once excavation starts.

Dunte described the final package in a way we aim for on every residential permit set:

“They provided the relevant calculations and broke down the installation step-by-step from A to Z. Fast, efficient, and reliable. We’ll definitely use StructSolve again.”
- Dunte Blaire, SCC Property Service

That’s the difference between drawings that look fine on paper and drawings that actually help a project move.

Coordination That Kept It Practical

As the scope expanded, coordination mattered - especially around support layout, column count, and sizing decisions that directly affect cost and build flow. Renovation work moves fast when the engineer and contractor can stay aligned without overcomplicating the process.

This is where Project-Specific Design shines: it’s responsive, grounded in real conditions, and built to match the pace of residential construction. When questions came up, adjustments could be made quickly, and the set stayed focused on what the municipality needs to approve and what the contractor needs to build.

The Result: Smooth Permitting and a Clear Path to Construction

Once the drawings were submitted, the project moved through permitting quickly - exact timing varies by municipality, but the outcome was what the team needed: fewer open questions, a cleaner review, and a faster path to breaking ground.

For SCC Property Service, that translated into confidence and repeatability - so much so that when asked whether he’d use StructSolve again, Dunte’s answer was immediate: “Yes, sir always… five out of five.”

Project Details

Location: Marion, Iowa
Contractor: Dunte Blaire, SCC Property Service
Service: StructSolve Project-Specific Design (structural permit drawings)
Scope: A porch renovation that expanded into a larger residential addition, designed around existing site conditions.