LLC · Houston, Texas

Our services

The details below
every successful site.

Civil engineering services shaped around your property, your goals, and the requirements of the reviewing jurisdiction.

01

Site planning & due diligence

Understand the property before moving forward. Evaluate existing conditions, development constraints, utility availability, and the civil work needed to support your plans.

  • Site feasibility and development studies
  • Conceptual site layouts and master planning
  • Utility availability coordination
  • Existing site improvement evaluations
02

Grading, drainage & detention

Bring site elevations, surface flow, and stormwater infrastructure into one coordinated design, with criteria evaluated for the project’s location.

  • Grading and paving plans
  • Storm sewer and drainage design
  • Detention analysis and design
  • Drainage studies and calculations
03

Water, sanitary & fire utilities

Plan the site utilities that connect a development to the services it needs, coordinated with the building team and applicable providers.

  • Water distribution and service connections
  • Sanitary sewer collection and connections
  • Site fire service utility layouts
  • Utility coordination with project consultants
04

Stormwater quality & erosion control

Address stormwater quality and construction-phase erosion control as part of the civil plan package.

  • Stormwater quality management plans
  • Stormwater quality design details
  • SWPPP design sheets
  • Erosion and sediment control plans
05

Permitting & project coordination

Coordinate the civil design with owners, architects, surveyors, contractors, and reviewing agencies. Permitting services are tailored to the agreed scope.

  • Civil construction document preparation
  • Agency submittal coordination when included
  • Responses to civil review comments
  • Coordination across design disciplines
06

Flood mitigation & construction support

Evaluate improvements to existing properties and help the project team address civil questions as work moves into construction.

  • Site flood mitigation planning
  • Flood gate and flood barrier coordination
  • Civil construction phase assistance
  • Responses to contractor questions

Regional experience

Local context matters.

Every site has its own constraints. We identify the agencies and criteria that apply to your location and coordinate the civil scope accordingly.

Experience includes Houston and surrounding municipalities, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, Brazoria County, Brazos County, Jefferson County, Orange County, Kendall County, Comal County, Guadalupe County, and coordination involving HCFCD and TxDOT.

Common questions

Before we begin.

Can MacDonald Engineering help with an existing property?

Yes. Civil work can include redevelopment, paving modifications, drainage improvements, utility changes, and flood mitigation planning. We begin by understanding the proposed improvements and existing site conditions.

What is included in SWQMP?

A Stormwater Quality Management Plan (SWQMP) addresses stormwater quality for the proposed development. Our services can include evaluating applicable criteria, identifying drainage areas, selecting appropriate treatment measures, and preparing plan sheets, supporting calculations, and maintenance requirements. The project proposal defines the specific services included.

What permits are required?

Permit requirements depend on the property location, existing conditions, and proposed improvements. Each jurisdiction has its own minimum design criteria, submittal requirements, and review process, so the civil design and permit needs must be evaluated for the specific project.

Depending on the work, approvals may involve site development, drainage, stormwater quality, utilities, or driveway and right-of-way improvements. We work with the owner and design team to identify applicable civil approvals. The proposal defines the permitting coordination included; agency fees and services outside that scope are addressed separately.

Let’s talk about your site.

A new development, an existing property, or a question about what comes next.

Discuss your project