Affordable, Professional Advice
BrightWork Building Engineering LLC
Discovery
Do you have concerns about your house? Need reassurance or advice?
Our Initial Visit and Discussion service is affordable and quick!
Reports
Are lenders, insurers, or building authorities requiring a report on the condition of your building? We can help cut through the obstacles and get your project on track!
Design
Are you planning a new-build or remodel project? Do you need design plans and/or engineering to propel your project forward? Our integrated design and engineering process saves steps, time, and money!
What Our Clients Say
We Are an Integrated Engineering & Design Firm
BrightWork offers engineering and design services covering all elements of constructing, maintaining, and restoring homes and small buildings. We are licensed throughout the southeastern United States, but we focus on Alabama and the Florida panhandle, specifically the greater Birmingham area, Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama, and Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties in Florida. No job is too small, and we take pride in delivering prompt, friendly, and professional service.
Small Projects, Big Results
Whether you need help designing your project or require engineering services, we have got you covered. Our team is experienced and multi-disciplined, offering services such as structural design, special inspections, and more. Our clientele includes homeowners, homebuilders, owners of small commercial buildings, contractors, and real estate professionals, among others.
Tell us how we can be of assistance to you.
Experience
Expertise
Professional Consultation
About Us
We offer engineering and design services to homeowners and businesses. Our mission is to provide expert advice and guidance concerning structural or performance issues you may be experiencing with your property. We offer an independent viewpoint with a focus on affordability and responsiveness.
Meet your BrightWork Building Engineering LLC team!
Bart Berneche
Principal Engineer
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Bart is Principal Engineer at BrightWork Building Engineering LLC. He earned his degree in Civil Engineering from the University of South Florida in 1995. He is currently licensed to practice engineering in 8 Southeastern states, which includes a Structural Engineering License in the State of Georgia.
Bart is an experienced homebuilder and technician. His design experience includes foundations and structural systems as well as Mechanical, Electrical Plumbing design for residential and commercial buildings. His range of experience includes building prefabrication, standards development, product certification, alternative materials designs and methods of construction, and quality audits.
Bart began his engineering career with the Army Corps of Engineers as a soil, concrete, and asphalt technician on projects in the USA and abroad. He is a licensed journeyman electrician and ICC-certified residential and commercial inspector and plans examiner and has assisted builders and building code officials on technical issues.
Bart is a member and past president of the Structural Engineers Association of Alabama. He is a military veteran, has extensive experience in building and engineering, and enjoys working with builders and homeowners to find solutions to their challenges.
Brad Berneche
Managing Partner
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Brad began his career in drafting and design and has led design teams responsible for custom home design, project development, building code compliance, design of Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing systems, certification, and technical support. He took on roles in quality, logistics, and sales before he was named CEO of Alouette Homes, a Canadian home manufacturer and builder. Under Brad’s leadership, the company expanded its activities to five Canadian provinces, six American states, and six additional countries around the globe. During his 28 years as the head of that company, Brad oversaw product and market development, new company start-ups, business acquisitions, and divestments, culminating eventually in the sale of the company to new owners.
Brad’s technical and manufacturing know-how led to a collaboration between Canada Mortgage and Housing, Concordia University’s School of Engineering, and BASF Corporation to design, build, and bring to market Canada’s first EQuilibrium Net-Zero Sustainable Home. This award-winning home design utilized advanced pre-fabrication techniques, high-performance materials and components, geothermal and solar energy sources, and innovative systems to produce an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly home.
Brad’s role at BrightWork is to manage business growth and sustainability and to provide design services. As an experienced home builder and multi-engine, instrument-rated pilot, managing complex issues and decisions, and bringing projects to a successful conclusion, is second nature. He enjoys bringing this experience to bear in helping customers successfully complete their own projects.
Matt Berneche
Building Designer
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Matthew began his career with Alouette Homes, working on the design and technical side of the manufactured housing business and serving as Technical Director, where he coordinated a multidisciplinary team involved in architectural and shop drawings, building code compliance, product development, certifications, quality, and technical support. This work involved wood-frame residential construction across Eastern Canada, New England, and the United Kingdom.
Matthew’s career has also taken him into the field, working as a site supervisor on aluminum and glass balcony systems for high-rise residential buildings. That experience provided a different perspective on building design, particularly where drawings, site conditions, installers, and the practical realities of construction all had to come together.
Matthew’s role at BrightWork includes architectural and structural design for new homes, additions, renovations, and other residential and light-frame building projects. Using CAD and building modeling tools, he develops construction drawings based on the needs of the customer while working with engineers, architects, builders, contractors, and trades to bring the project together.
Matthew’s background in design, manufacturing, and field construction has given him a practical understanding of how buildings go from an idea on paper to construction in the field. He enjoys working through challenging design and construction issues and finding practical solutions that help builders and homeowners successfully bring their projects together.
Luke Berneche
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Luke Berneche brings experience in business operations, customer service, technical field work, and project coordination to BrightWork Building Engineering. Prior to joining BrightWork, he managed the daily operations of an automotive repair facility, where he was responsible for customer relations, scheduling, and workflow coordination. He later entered the life-safety industry, becoming a certified Level I Alarm Technician before transitioning into commercial fire alarm sales and client support.
His background in operations, field service, and customer-facing roles has provided valuable experience working with homeowners, contractors, technicians, and business owners. At BrightWork, Luke works closely with clients and project teams to coordinate engineering projects, support business operations, develop proposals, and assist with project planning and scheduling.
Luke enjoys helping clients navigate the engineering process and working with builders, contractors, and property owners to move projects forward. Outside of work, he is active in his local church and serves in a leadership role within the usher team.
Delivering Engineering & Design Services for Constructing, Restoring, & Maintaining Your Property
BrightWork Building Engineering LLC delivers engineering and design services for constructing, restoring, and maintaining homes and light-frame structures to clients throughout the greater Birmingham area and the Gulf Coast from Grand Bay to Destin. If you need help getting your project up and running, we can validate the feasibility of your project, provide the necessary reports, plans and engineering seals, and more! We deliver prompt, friendly, and professional service on jobs both big and small.
Serving the Greater Birmingham area, and the Gulf Coast from Grand Bay to Destin
From The Field..
What Is a Foundation?
The Intentionally Designed and Built (Engineered?) Interface Between Your Home and the Earth Most people think of a foundation as the concrete, block, slab, crawlspace wall, basement wall, pier, or footing beneath a house. That is true, but it is only part of the...
Why You Might Need a Structural Engineer
How We Can Help and What to Expect Owning a building comes with questions—especially when something doesn’t seem quite right. A structural engineer helps you move from uncertainty to clarity by evaluating how your structure is performing, what’s normal, and what (if...
The Truth About “All I Need Is an Engineer to Sign Off”
Why Engineers Don't Do Drive-By Sign-Offs We hear this all the time: "I just need an engineer to stamp it.""Can you come look at it and sign off?""The city just wants something in writing." It sounds simple. It rarely is. When a building official says, "You need an...
