1. Choose The Structural System For The Site
For buildings up to five stories, Type V wood framing over a concrete podium remains the most economical option in most of California. For three stories or fewer, slab-on-grade with wood framing throughout avoids the podium entirely. Where soils are poor or the site is in a liquefaction zone, a lighter wood structure also reduces foundation cost compared to concrete or steel. Settle the system during feasibility, not after the architectural plans are drawn.
2. Repeat The Unit Plan
Every unique unit type adds drafting, engineering, plan-check comments, and framing mistakes in the field. Limiting a project to a small number of unit types, stacked floor to floor, lets plumbing, shear walls, and mechanical chases align vertically. Stacked shear walls in particular reduce the need for transfer beams and hold-down hardware, which are among the most expensive components of a wood-framed building.
3. Resolve Entitlements Early
Zoning, density bonus, setbacks, parking, and fire access drive the building envelope. Working through these with the planning department before design development avoids redesigning a building that does not fit. California's SB 35, SB 423, and AB 2011 streamlining provisions, as well as the state density bonus law, can shorten approvals for qualifying projects; confirm eligibility at the outset.
4. Right-Size Parking And Podiums
Structured parking can cost several times more per stall than surface parking. AB 2097 eliminated minimum parking requirements for most projects within a half mile of major transit. Where it applies, reducing or eliminating the podium is often the single largest saving available.
5. Coordinate Civil, Structural, And Architectural Together
Grading, drainage, utility connections, and the foundation plan need to agree with each other and with the building. When those disciplines work from one model under one roof, conflicts get caught on paper. Each plan-check cycle in a California city can add weeks; a coordinated, complete submittal usually clears in fewer rounds.
6. Design For The Trades
Simple roof forms, consistent floor-to-floor heights, standard lumber lengths, and pre-manufactured trusses and floor systems all reduce labor. Specifying products that local framers already know keeps bids lower and schedules tighter.
7. Plan For Title 24 And Fire Requirements Up Front
Energy compliance, fire sprinklers, and, for taller buildings, fire-rated assemblies and exit separation all affect the structure. Retrofitting them after the plans are drawn costs more than designing with them from the start.
Pasquini Engineering, Inc. provides civil, structural, building design, and planning services for multi-family projects across California. Bring us the site during feasibility and we will help you choose the approach that fits the budget.
Published Jun 9, 2026 by Pasquini Engineering, Inc. This article is general information, not engineering advice for a specific property.
