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Interactive Example Demo
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Explore terrain, contours, concept building placement, grading and drainage in an example study.
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RESIDENTIAL CIVIL ENGINEERING · SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
Hillside & Complex
Site Engineering.
Grading, drainage, steep driveways, and fire access—planned together. We help Bay Area homeowners, architects, designers, and builders balance earthwork, minimize unnecessary retaining walls, and manage construction cost.
Creating solutions. Building trust.Illustrative hillside concept
SMALL FIRM. BROAD CIVIL CAPABILITIES.
Work with the land.
Make every move count.
On a hillside, the driveway, building pad, drainage, and retaining walls all affect one another. We specialize in bringing those decisions together—looking for ways to balance soil on site and reduce unnecessary construction.
From full residential plans to a single calculation, you work directly with a small civil engineering team that understands the details.
THE YCG 3D TERRAIN STUDIO
See your hillside project.
Before construction.
From survey contours to a clearer view of your site. See how YCG studies driveway access, grading, retaining walls, and earthwork together.
- Visualize existing terrain and proposed grading
- Compare driveway grades, side slopes, and wall strategies
- Understand cut and fill before committing to a layout
Read the video description
YCG SITE INTELLIGENCE
Understand your site.
Before you design.
Explore the free example, then ask YCG about a preliminary study for your own property. We check public-data coverage before confirming a study.
YOUR PROPERTY
YCG Concept Site Study
$500
A preliminary study using suitable publicly available site information.
- Existing terrain and a demonstration building placement
- Concept driveway, grading and earthwork
- Conceptual drainage and retaining considerations
- Site Intelligence summary and next steps
The $500 fee can be credited toward a YCG civil engineering contract.
Start My Site Study ↗ENGINEER REVIEW
Engineering Feasibility Study
Custom proposal
Engineer-reviewed site analysis, survey-based studies, complex alternatives, detailed calculations and permit design are scoped for your project.
We check data availability and confirm the scope before payment. Preliminary public-data studies are not boundary or topographic surveys, permit designs, or guarantees of approval. Survey acquisition, geotechnical and structural work, and final engineering are separately scoped.
01 / HOW WE CAN HELP
Practical engineering for
challenging residential sites.
A complete civil plan set or a specific item holding up your submittal. We’ll help define the right scope.
Hillside grading & earthwork
Grading alternatives and cut-and-fill balancing to reduce hauling, retaining walls, and construction cost.
Learn moreGrading & drainage plans
Coordinated elevations, runoff paths, and earthwork for homes, additions, and challenging lots.
Learn moreADUs & home additions
Site grading, drainage, utilities, and access coordinated around your new living space.
Learn moreCalculations & reports
Drainage calculations, earthwork quantities, and focused reports for your project or plan check.
Learn moreStormwater & erosion control
Runoff management, treatment planning, erosion control, and SWPPP support where applicable.
Learn morePermit & plan-check support
Civil revisions, supporting reports, and coordination to help resolve the next review comment.
Discuss your commentsMore ways YCG can support your site
Utility planning & design
Site utility layouts, connection coordination, and integration with grading and other improvements.
Survey coordination & 3D terrain modeling
Coordination with land surveyors and terrain models to evaluate proposed grading and earthwork.
Accessible routes & offsite improvements
Site-access planning and improvements connecting private development with surrounding streets.
Commercial & public infrastructure
Civil support for commercial sites and public improvements, including paving, drainage, and utility coordination.
SELECTED SITE STUDIES
Different sites.
Clearer possibilities.
Explore residential and hillside studies through the YCG technical sketch style. Simple linework and shadows bring terrain, access, and building relationships into focus.
Winding Driveway
A hillside residence connected by a curving access drive.
View illustration (opens a new tab)
Split-Level Residence
Building massing and garage access stepping with the terrain.
View illustration (opens a new tab)
ADU Site Study
A compact addition to an established residential site.
View illustration (opens a new tab)SEE HOW THE SITE FITS TOGETHER
Engineering made
easier to understand.
YCG softscape sections connect the building, existing ground and proposed grading in one clear view. Illustrative studies help the design team discuss the possibilities.
02 / HILLSIDE SPECIALISTS
Less soil to haul.
Fewer walls where feasible.
Compare grading options
Test building-pad elevations and driveway routes before committing to a layout. Small adjustments can change excavation and retaining-wall needs.
Balance cut and fill
Compare soil removed with soil needed, then look for opportunities to reuse suitable material on the property and reduce truck hauling.
Plan drainage and walls together
Coordinate runoff paths, slopes, and wall locations with the design team. The goal is a practical site plan with construction cost in mind.
03 / ADUs & HOME ADDITIONS
A smaller footprint.
The same careful thinking.
An ADU should feel like a natural part of your property. We coordinate the site work around your design, from ground elevations to drainage and utilities.
- Site grading & drainage 01
- Utility & access coordination 02
- Civil plans & review responses 03
04 / A CLEAR WAY FORWARD
From the first question
to the next submittal.
Know what we need, what we’re preparing, and how the civil work fits your project.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Tell us about the site.
Share your address, plans, and goals. We review the available information and identify the civil questions to address.
02 / DEFINE & DESIGN
Give the work a clear scope.
We agree on deliverables, then develop plans or calculations in coordination with your design team.
03 / COORDINATE
Work through the details.
We support the agreed review scope with civil responses, design updates, and clear communication.
05 / THE YCG APPROACH
Personal by choice.
Thorough by design.
You should know who is working on your project—and be able to talk to them.
YCG is a small civil engineering firm serving homeowners, architects, designers, and builders. Our specialty is hillside grading, drainage, and earthwork balancing, alongside civil design for ADUs, additions, and new homes. You get direct collaboration and careful attention to how the details fit together.
We can join your existing design team or help identify the additional survey and specialist input your site needs. A focused assignment receives the same thoughtful approach as a larger project.
AndrewYour contact at YCG Civil Engineering
06 / BEFORE WE GET STARTED
A few good questions.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before getting in touch.
Ask about your siteCan you help reduce excavation and retaining walls on a hillside?
Yes. We compare pad elevations, driveway alignments, and grading alternatives to look for opportunities to reduce wall heights, soil hauling, and construction cost. The feasible design depends on the survey, soils, drainage, and agency requirements.
Can you help with a small project or just one calculation?
Yes. We welcome focused civil assignments, including drainage calculations, earthwork quantities, and responses to specific review comments. Share the scope and available documents so we can confirm the work needed.
Do I need a civil engineer for my ADU?
It depends on your site, proposed improvements, and reviewing agency. Grading, drainage, utility connections, and access are common reasons to involve a civil engineer. We can review the available information before defining the scope.
Can you work with my architect or ADU company?
Yes. We coordinate civil design with your architect, ADU designer or manufacturer, surveyor, geotechnical consultant, and structural engineer as applicable.
What should I send for a fee proposal?
Start with the property address or APN, a short description of the work, and your target timing. Include any survey, plans, geotechnical report, or agency comments you already have.
How much does residential civil engineering cost?
YCG Concept Site Studies are $500 using suitable publicly available information. We confirm data coverage and scope before payment. Full engineering design and permit support are separately quoted based on the site and review requirements.
LOCAL CONTEXT. PERSONAL SERVICE.
San Francisco & the Bay Area.
Based in San Francisco, serving the Peninsula, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, and the East Bay. Ask us about your residential project elsewhere in California.