NovaRise Foundation Designer
PEMB Foundation Design in 10 Guided Steps
Enter building geometry, ASCE 7 loads, and soil data. Get a preliminary foundation design with material takeoff and a branded PDF ready for PE review. No blank spreadsheet. No missing inputs. No guessing.
Stack: FastAPI · MongoDB · Expo React Native
Engineering Disclaimer: Foundation Designer produces preliminary design outputs for estimating, planning, and PE-review facilitation. All outputs require review and stamp by a licensed professional engineer before permit submission or construction. This tool is not a substitute for engineering judgment.
The Wizard
10 Steps from Blank Page to Preliminary Design
The wizard sequences inputs so each step informs the next. You can't reach soil data before entering geometry. You can't generate a takeoff before selecting a foundation system. The structure eliminates the blank-page problem and the out-of-order mistake.
Project Information
Project name, location, and intended building use. Used for labeling the PDF output and applying regional code defaults.
Building Geometry
Width, length, and eave height. Bay spacing and roof slope. These drive the load tributary areas for every subsequent calculation.
Wind Load Inputs
ASCE 7 basic wind speed (V), exposure category (B, C, or D), and building enclosure classification. Risk category selection.
Snow Load Inputs
Ground snow load (pg) from ASCE 7 Figure 7.2-1. Roof slope factor and terrain category for drifting analysis.
Seismic Inputs
Site class, mapped spectral accelerations (Ss and S1), and seismic design category. Optional — bypassed for low-seismic regions.
Dead & Live Loads
Roof dead load (purlins, panels, insulation), collateral loads, and design live loads. Inputs customized by building use.
Soil Data
Soil bearing capacity (allowable, psf), frost depth, and groundwater depth. Used to size footing dimensions and embedment depths.
Foundation System Selection
Choose from five systems: spread footing, grade beam, drilled piers, slab-on-grade, or hybrid. Wizard surfaces a recommendation based on prior inputs.
Design Review & Takeoff
Preliminary footing sizes, rebar schedule, anchor bolt pattern, and concrete yardage. Material quantities are calculated from the geometry and loads entered.
PDF Report Generation
Branded, print-ready PDF with project cover, input summary, design outputs, material takeoff, and PE-review disclaimer. Ready to hand to a stamping engineer.
Foundation Systems
Five Systems. One Tool.
Foundation Designer supports the five foundation systems most commonly used in PEMB construction. The wizard surfaces a recommendation based on your inputs but lets you override and compare any system.
Spread Footing
Individual isolated footings under each column. Most common for PEMB on competent soil. Sized for column reactions from the primary frame.
Best For
Good bearing capacity, minimal groundwater, standard PEMB geometry.
Grade Beam
Continuous concrete beam along the building perimeter connecting column footings. Distributes column loads and resists differential settlement.
Best For
Variable soil conditions, frost-sensitive regions, slab-bearing walls.
Drilled Piers
Deep concrete columns drilled below the frost line or weak upper soils into competent bearing strata. Used when surface soils can't carry column loads.
Best For
Poor surface soil, high frost depth, expansive clay, hillside sites.
Slab-on-Grade
Monolithic or post-tensioned slab that serves as both floor and foundation. Column loads transfer through thickened-edge or haunch sections.
Best For
Flat sites with good bearing, warehouse and shop applications, minimal column uplift.
Hybrid
Combination of two or more systems within the same building footprint. Common when site conditions vary across the building pad.
Best For
Sites with variable soil, split-level grades, or multi-use building layouts.
PDF Output
A Report a PE Can Actually Work With
The Foundation Designer PDF isn't a data export — it's a structured report designed to communicate. Engineers who receive it know exactly what was assumed, what was calculated, and where to start their review.
The PE-review disclaimer is built into the report and the workflow. Foundation Designer doesn't pretend outputs are engineered drawings. It produces credible starting points and makes the path to a stamp as clear as possible.
What's in the PDF
- ▸Project cover page with building name, location, and engineer of record fields
- ▸Input summary: all geometry, load values, and soil parameters entered
- ▸Foundation system selected and recommendation rationale
- ▸Preliminary footing dimensions with sketch callouts
- ▸Rebar schedule: bar size, spacing, coverage, and hook requirements
- ▸Anchor bolt pattern: diameter, projection, and embed per column
- ▸Concrete takeoff: yardage by footing, grade beam, and slab sections
- ▸PE-review disclaimer: clear statement that outputs require engineering stamp before permit submission
Mobile-First Design
Built for the Field, Not Just the Office
Foundation Designer is built in Expo React Native — it runs natively on iOS and Android. The wizard is designed for one-thumb operation on a phone, with large tap targets, inline validation, and no multi-screen form sprawl. Engineers can run it on a job site walkthrough or a client call without needing a laptop.
iOS & Android
Native Expo app — no browser required, no responsive hacks.
Inline Validation
Inputs are validated in-step. You can't proceed with missing or invalid data.
Offline-Capable
Core wizard functions work without a network connection. PDF generation requires connectivity.
Real-World Scenarios
Who Uses Foundation Designer and How
Engineer Starting Point
A structural PE receives a call for a 60×120 PEMB on expansive clay in Colorado. Rather than starting from a blank spreadsheet, they run the Foundation Designer — enter the geometry, ASCE 7 inputs, and soil data — and get a preliminary design with takeoff in under an hour. The PE reviews the outputs, stamps where appropriate, and delivers to the contractor.
Contractor Pre-Construction Estimate
A contractor is bidding a PEMB job and needs a concrete cost estimate before the engineer is engaged. Foundation Designer gives them a credible preliminary takeoff — concrete yards, rebar, anchor bolts — that they can price without guessing or waiting weeks for engineering.
Client Credibility Before Permit
A DIY customer wants to understand what the foundation will cost before they commit to buying a PEMB package. The Foundation Designer produces a branded PDF report the customer can review and discuss with a local PE before writing any checks.
Now in Founder Testing
Request Access to Foundation Designer
Structural engineers, PEMB contractors, and industry professionals are testing Foundation Designer now. If you want in, reach out.