Services

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What We

Do Best

Kolke Consulting Group, Inc. provides a variety of services for building departments, architects, engineers, developers, and building owners.  Our company pulls resources from the most experienced people to meet the needs of our clients.  We have the resources and technical expertise to provide quality review of plans and calculations, support building departments with leadership and management skills, prepare in-depth code assessments, inspect buildings, produce code documents, equip designers with tools needed for considering alternate designs, and facilitate the permit process. We accomplish all of this while staying current on changing codes and technology.   

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Plan Review

Kolke Consulting Group, Inc. provides plan review services supporting growing building department needs. Our team members offer the following jurisdictional plan review services:

  • Highly trained and experienced staff members provide plan review services for compliance with the International Building Code and International Residential Code along with local code amendments. Personnel are experienced in an array of occupancies including assembly, office, industrial, high hazard, institutional, retail, residential, multi-family, mixed-use, high-rise, storage, warehouse, tenant improvements, townhomes, and retrofits.

  • We specialize in the utilization of the Washington State Energy Code that incorporates the International Energy Conservation Code with Washington State Amendments. Reviews include envelope examination of plans and energy calculations for residential occupancies such as single-family structures as well as multi-family and commercial occupancies. Scope includes prescriptive approaches (R-value and U-value alternative), component performance, as well as justifying compliance using total building performance. Energy code reviews include lighting system controls.

  • Kolke Consulting Group, Inc. has a thorough background in accessibility reviews applying the scoping provisions of the International Building Code and the technical requirements in the American National Standard ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities. Plans examiners are well versed in checking plans to make sure sites, facilities, buildings, and elements are accessible to and usable by people with physical disabilities.

  • Mechanical engineering consultants provide detailed reviews to the provisions of the International Mechanical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, as well as the mechanical provisions of the Washington State Energy Code. Mechanical and fuel gas code reviews cover the design and installation of mechanical systems, fuel gas distribution piping systems, appliances, appliance venting, duct and ventilation systems, combustion air provisions, hydronic systems, solar systems, gaseous hydrogen systems, and motor vehicle gas fuel stations.

  • Mechanical engineering consultants provide technical review of plans for conformance with the provisions of the Uniform Plumbing Code. Plumbing code reviews cover the design, installation, and maintenance of plumbing systems and fixtures.

  • Structural engineers are on contract to review plans for complex structural systems for compliance with the International Building Code and the associated structural codes and standards. Extensive expertise in numerous types of structural systems is available including post-tensioned concrete, shoring, concrete and masonry shear wall systems, braced frames, moment frames, and other intricate structural systems.

  • Because of our size and efficiency, we are able to team with professionals that have unique skills in order to serve our existing clients. For the jurisdiction needing an added service, we are able to directly negotiate contracts with subconsultants in order to manage a specific task under our current contracts. This prevents the jurisdiction from having to negotiate a new contract which is often time consuming and costly.

Our office offers a unique background in design and plan review serving multiple jurisdictions expanding beyond the Pacific Northwest. Staff members provide comprehensive assessments of architectural designs to support architects seeking assistance in furnishing code summaries for their projects. Complete code analyses are provided that are understandable and educational. Detailed evaluations are provided to the architect along with graphic aids to clarify complex issues and to provide meaningful support when needed. We offer evaluations of existing buildings as well as support for new designs. We have extensive expertise providing code evaluations applicable to building, accessibility, and energy codes.

Code Consulting

Our office uses Bluebeam software as a PDF solution and markup tool to provide electronic plan reviews and facilitate the permit review process. Electronic reviews eliminate the need to ship drawings and calculations. We are able to provide plan markups to precisely identify areas of concern and effectively communicate that to designers. We use Bluebeam studio for cloud-based collaboration and efficiency. Approved plans are electronically stamped and returned to the building department for permit issuance.

Electronic Reviews

To serve the needs of our clients, we furnish contract employees to provide residential and commercial building, mechanical, plumbing, and stormwater inspections. To meet the needs of a specific client, we provide some electrical plan review and inspections. Our inspectors are experienced in many building types of structures and come with a background in the construction industry in addition to their jurisdictional experience.

Building Inspections

Having a history with using local code amendments provides the foundation of expertise needed to write new code amendments. Our firm has experience using codes from a variety of jurisdictions. Actually using the code is the key to writing effective code. We offer assistance to local jurisdictions needing to write code-adoption ordinances or other ordinances related to building and construction activities.

Code Writing

Sometimes designs are complex and they require innovative applications of building code requirements. Our office has the experience and history in understanding code equivalency and how to apply performance-based design criteria to real-life applications. Staff members are available to assist building departments in evaluating potential Alternate Means and Methods submittals or to assist building owners, developers, architects, or engineers in presenting appropriate documentation for submissions to building departments for review.

Alternate Means and Methods

Staff includes employees and subconsultants to provide a team of experienced professionals to meet the building department management needs of local jurisdictions. In addition to plan review services, Kolke Consulting Group, Inc. is able to provide contract building department administration services. We have been supplying management resources to our clients where staff is not already provided. We deliver building official services, code enforcement, code writing and code adoption assistance, technical resources, and building inspections to assist local building agencies. Our staff members are experienced in coordinating multiple departments and excel in customer service. Professionals are able to navigate resources and provide cost-effective and timely solutions for building departments lacking needed resources.