How We Got Started
Souhegan Valley Engineering, Inc. had its beginnings in the region of Milford and Amherst, New Hampshire, in 1990. Although located in the area of the Souhegan River, we provided site design engineering services throughout the New England region. Our projects ranged from single family house lots to residential subdivisions, shopping malls, and commercial plazas. We also specialized in conversions and upgrades for gas stations and convenience stores. We performed work for our own clients as well as subcontracting with area engineering firms.
In 1994, we began designing segmental, earth-reinforced retaining wall systems. This grew out of a need to construct walls on those “few remaining good lots”. These wall systems have quickly become the favored retaining wall installations due to their ease of installation and, compared to cast-in-place concrete, their reasonable cost.
Where We Are Today
We are now one of the largest segmental wall design firms in New England. We have engineers registered in the six states of New England, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Florida. We have also provided expert testimony regarding wall installations. Wall designs produced by SVE include walls as high as 50 feet, longer than 1400 feet, single walls upwards of 33,000 square feet and tiered walls upwards of 30 feet in height. Site conditions have been as varied as they can be in the northeastern United States.
Our corporate office is located in western New Hampshire, but we still provide all of our services to projects throughout the states where we provide designs. We are ready to provide the segmental retaining wall design services that you need.
Our Philosophy
From day one, our goal has been to provide professional engineering services at a reasonable cost. We work hard and don’t waste time on any project, thus reducing the final cost of services to the client. Design is performed directly on the CADD system by the designing engineer, allowing the design and drafting to be done in unison. We perform work for our own clients as well as subcontracting with area engineering firms. We pride ourselves in these relationships because it demonstrates our professionalism and integrity. These are important aspects of our firm.
We also pride ourselves on our responsive turn-around time. We typically provide completed wall designs within fourteen days of receiving plans.
Our Engineers
Randall H. Bragdon, PE, is the president of the firm, and provides design oversight on all wall designs. He graduated from Northeastern University (Boston) in 1984, earned his Professional Registration in 1989, founded Souhegan Valley Engineering in January, 1990. He has since become registered in the six New England states, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Florida, regularly attends seminars and conferences regarding segmental wall designs and construction, and has been asked to provide presentations at wall seminars held for architects, engineers, and contractors. The National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA) is the standard-bearer for the design of segmental retaining walls and Mr. Bragdon is a past member of the NCMA Standards Committee.