Structural Engineering Support in Ontario
Structural engineering support at WeFab in Leamington, Ontario, puts engineered design, sealed drawings, and fabricated steel under one contract, with sealed drawings through a retained licensed structural engineer.
Strong projects begin with strong engineering. Our structural engineering capabilities help ensure every project is designed for performance, manufacturability, and long-term reliability. Working alongside design, drafting, and fabrication, our team develops practical solutions that support efficient production and successful project delivery.
By considering fabrication requirements early in the process, we help identify potential challenges before production begins, reducing revisions, improving coordination, and keeping projects on schedule. Whether supporting custom fabrications or large structural assemblies, our engineering expertise helps turn concepts into buildable solutions.
What Structural Engineering Support at WeFab Covers
WeFab offers design-build and delegated-design packages for structural and miscellaneous steel in Ontario. Professional engineering (design, calculations, and sealing) is performed by WeFab’s retained licensed structural engineer, while the drafting and shop team carries that design into buildable, fabricated steel.
WeFab is a fabricator, not a licensed engineering firm; it coordinates the retained engineer’s work so design and fabrication arrive as one scope. Engineering support covers:
- Connection design: beam-to-column, bracing, and moment connections, completed by the retained engineer
- Foundation and anchor-bolt design: included through the retained engineer, so base plates and embeds match the steel
- Steel building design-build: dead, live, snow, and wind load cases for industrial buildings
- Miscellaneous steel: guardrails, stairs, ladders, platforms, and canopies
- Buildability (DFM) review: early input from the people who cut, weld, and ship the steel
Engineering Scope, Codes, and Deliverables
Engineering delivered through WeFab follows CSA S16, NBCC, OBC, AISC 360, and ASCE 7, with seismic design under NBCC and ASCE 7. Sealed drawings typically take two weeks, and detailing runs in SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp.
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Engagement models | Design-build or delegated design, depending on complexity |
| Who seals drawings | WeFab’s retained licensed structural engineer |
| Sealed-drawing turnaround | Typically 2 weeks for a standard package |
| Design codes | CSA S16, NBCC, OBC, AISC 360, ASCE 7 |
| Seismic design | NBCC and ASCE 7 |
| Site safety framework | Ontario occupational health and safety requirements |
| Connection design | Included via retained engineer |
| Foundation / anchor-bolt design | Included via retained engineer |
| Miscellaneous items designed | Guardrails, stairs, ladders, platforms, canopies |
| Drafting and detailing | SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp |
| Fabrication standard | CSA S16; CWB W47.1 Division 2 welding (DENDE1, held by parent company SEF) |
Delegated design: an arrangement where the building’s engineer of record assigns the design of specific components, such as steel connections, to another licensed engineer working for the fabricator. It lets connections be designed around real shop methods while the engineer of record keeps oversight of the overall structure.
Engineer of record: the licensed professional engineer who seals the structural design and carries responsibility for it. Knowing who holds that role on each package keeps approvals, revisions, and liability clear from shop drawings to erection.
DFM (design for manufacturability) review: a check of a design against how it will be cut, formed, welded, and shipped. It catches access, tolerance, and shipping-size problems before steel is ordered.
How the Engineering-to-Fabrication Process Works
Engineering at WeFab runs ahead of fabrication in one sequence: scope review, engineered design by the retained engineer, buildability review by the shop team, sealed drawings in about two weeks, then shop drawings and fabrication, with no hand-off between separate engineering and steel contracts.
- Scope and load review: Drawings, loads, and site conditions are reviewed to decide between a design-build package and delegated design.
- Engineered design: The retained licensed structural engineer designs members, connections, and anchor bolts to the governing codes, including seismic where required.
- Buildability review: The drafting team and shop check connection access, weld sequence, and shipping size. Any change that affects the structural design returns to the engineer for approval.
- Sealed drawings: Stamped drawings are issued by the retained engineer, typically within two weeks.
- Shop drawings and fabrication: Detailing moves through Design & Drafting, and the steel is built in the Leamington shop through Structural Fabrication.
Working with Your Structural Engineer of Record
When a project already has its own structural engineer of record, WeFab fabricates to that sealed design under CSA S16. The shop team flags buildability questions early and raises any proposed change with the engineer of record for approval.
Some teams want full design-build; others keep their own engineer and delegate only connections or miscellaneous steel. WeFab supports both, and buildability questions are raised with the engineer of record. Built-up members and custom frames move into Custom Assemblies once the design is released.
Why Project Teams Choose WeFab for Engineered Steel
WeFab brings fabrication history dating to 1994 as South Essex Fabricating, a 208,000 sq ft Leamington shop, and engineering through a retained licensed structural engineer, so the design, the sealed drawings, and the steel come from one accountable supplier.
- One contract for engineered design, sealed drawings, and fabricated steel
- Sealed drawings in about two weeks through the retained licensed structural engineer
- Design-build or delegated design, matched to project complexity
- Recent engineered work: the Jones Group Building (2026), an industrial steel building supply designed for dead, live, snow, and wind loads and delivered on time to the customer’s satisfaction
- CWB W47.1 Division 2 welding with 60+ qualified procedures and an on-staff CSA W178.2 Certified Welding Inspector
- $10M general liability and $30M bonding capacity, sized for industrial and data centre work
Service Area: Ontario First, US Projects by Arrangement
WeFab provides engineered and fabricated steel across Ontario. Our core service area is Windsor-Essex, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton, and the Greater Toronto Area, direct from our Leamington shop. US projects are considered by arrangement, with engineering-seal requirements confirmed at the quote stage.
Fabricated steel ships from Leamington on WeFab’s owned flatbed and step-deck fleet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can WeFab provide sealed structural drawings?
Yes. WeFab provides sealed drawings through its retained licensed structural engineer, typically within two weeks for a standard package. WeFab is a fabricator, not a licensed engineering firm, so all professional design and sealing is performed by that engineer.
Does WeFab do connection design?
Yes. Connection design is completed by WeFab’s retained licensed structural engineer as part of a design-build or delegated-design package. Foundation and anchor-bolt design are included too, so base plates and embeds are designed alongside the steel they support.
What codes does the engineering follow?
Engineering delivered through WeFab follows CSA S16, NBCC, OBC, AISC 360, and ASCE 7, with seismic design under NBCC and ASCE 7. Fabrication follows CSA S16, with welding under parent company SEF’s CWB W47.1 Division 2 certification.
Can you build to my own engineer’s design?
Yes. WeFab fabricates to sealed designs from your engineer of record. The shop team reviews drawings for buildability and sends any proposed change back to your engineer for approval, so the engineer of record keeps full control of the structural design.
Request Engineered Steel Pricing
Send drawings, loads, or an early scope to the WeFab estimating team to price structural engineering support in Ontario together with the fabricated steel. Tell us whether you need design-build or delegated design, and the quote will show the engineering scope, sealed-drawing timing, and fabrication in one package.
Call 548-919-0125 or email sales@wefab.ca to start a project.
Related capabilities: Design and drafting · Structural fabrication · Custom assemblies · Project-ready coordination
