Questions, answered properly.

Crane is a property-planning and project-intelligence platform. You can start with an idea or property and use Crane to understand what may be possible, what may affect the project, what it could cost, which professionals may be needed, and what to do next.

Crane is designed for homeowners, property owners, buyers, developers, investors, and professionals working through property-related projects. The experience can adapt based on the type and complexity of the project.

No. You can begin exploring with Crane before creating an account. An account becomes useful when you want to save projects, return to previous work, keep reports, manage documents, or use deeper project tools.

Examples include additions, casitas and ADUs, garage conversions, remodels, wall removals, second stories, custom homes, vacant lots, redevelopment, and other property projects.

Crane can provide a preliminary feasibility assessment based on the property, project goals, available public information, applicable rules, and known constraints. Crane may classify a project as having strong potential, likely possible, possible with constraints, needing more verification, or having significant constraints.

Yes. Crane should provide the best preliminary answer available rather than withholding an answer simply because every detail is not yet known. Crane will explain what supports the answer, what could make the project difficult, and what still needs verification.

No. Crane provides preliminary project intelligence and preparation. Final determinations are made by the applicable jurisdiction, reviewing agency, and licensed professionals where required.

Crane uses property information to identify the actual reviewing jurisdiction. This is important because a postal city does not always match the government agency responsible for planning, building, or permitting.

A Crane Brief is a concise project summary that organizes your property, project goal, possible approaches, preliminary costs, key considerations, likely professional needs, sources, and items that still need verification.

A Feasibility Report is a deeper property-specific review. It may include development standards, relevant code considerations, process information, property constraints, project risks, costs, professional needs, sources, and questions that still require verification.

Crane Generated uses project information and available sources to create preliminary analysis. Crane Verified adds deeper automated source checking and cross-referencing. Crane Reviewed means a Crane team member has reviewed the analysis. Crane Assisted includes additional human help refining or preparing the project for its next step.

Yes. Crane reports and handoff packages are designed to help carry project context forward. They can organize your goals, property information, documents, findings, questions, and sources for professional or agency conversations.

Crane evaluates the project type, property, jurisdiction, scope, complexity, documents, and likely technical requirements. It may recommend architects, residential designers, engineers, contractors, surveyors, consultants, or other specialists depending on the project.

No. The need for an architect depends on the project type, scope, jurisdiction, building type, and applicable professional licensing requirements. Crane should identify when architectural or design services appear likely to be useful or required.

A structural engineer may be needed when a project affects load-bearing walls, foundations, framing, structural additions, retaining walls, unusual spans, second stories, or other structural systems.

A civil engineer may be needed for grading, drainage, site utilities, public improvements, access, site development, stormwater, or other civil/site-related work.

Mechanical engineering may be needed for more complex HVAC systems, ventilation, exhaust, energy-related systems, commercial projects, larger additions, or projects where mechanical design goes beyond typical residential prescriptive work.

Plumbing engineering may be needed for complex plumbing systems, major additions, commercial projects, unusual fixture loads, water or sewer design, gas systems, or projects where plumbing calculations and engineered design are required.

Electrical engineering may be needed for larger or more complex electrical systems, service upgrades, load calculations, commercial projects, specialty systems, or when the project exceeds typical prescriptive residential work.

A geotechnical or soils report may be needed when soil conditions, foundations, grading, slope, expansive soils, fill, retaining conditions, or jurisdictional requirements warrant further investigation. Crane should identify when this appears worth verifying.

A surveyor may be needed to verify property boundaries, easements, existing improvements, topography, building locations, setbacks, or site information needed for design and permitting.

Yes. Projects often require more than one discipline. Crane should identify the likely sequence of professionals and explain who may be useful first, later, or only if a specific condition applies.

Depending on the project, useful documents may include surveys, site plans, floor plans, architectural drawings, structural drawings, civil drawings, mechanical drawings, plumbing drawings, electrical drawings, geotechnical reports, HOA documents, previous permits, inspection reports, photos, sketches, and related property documents.

Crane can perform preliminary document analysis and use uploaded drawings as project context. Crane does not replace licensed architectural, engineering, or official plan review.

The required drawings depend on the project. A project may involve architectural, structural, civil, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, site, landscape, or other discipline-specific drawings. Crane should identify likely document needs based on the project scope.

A geotechnical report evaluates soil and site conditions that may affect foundations, grading, retaining systems, and other site or structural design decisions. It is generally prepared by a qualified geotechnical professional.

Yes. Crane includes a free starting experience so users can ask questions, understand a project, see preliminary possibilities, review key considerations, and begin building a project record.

Higher membership levels can add deeper analysis, stronger source verification, more detailed document review, revisions, visual studies, project comparisons, professional handoff tools, agency preparation, and human review or assistance depending on the plan.

AI can efficiently organize and analyze large amounts of project information. Human review becomes most valuable when sources conflict, a project is complex, assumptions need closer attention, or the user wants another set of eyes before taking the project to a professional or agency.

No. Feasibility Reports are separate project purchases. Members pay a reduced member price, but a membership is never required.

Previously saved projects and purchased reports remain available, subject to Crane's data retention policy.

No. Allowances reset at the start of each billing cycle and do not roll over unless your plan says otherwise.

Yes. Additional Document Reviews, Detailed Analyses and Visualizations can be bought individually without changing your plan.

Crane may use official building codes, local amendments, development codes, zoning information, public property data, permit guidance, public plans, studies, programs, and other reviewed sources relevant to the project.

Yes. Where applicable, Crane may consider adopted building, residential, fire, mechanical, plumbing, electrical, energy, accessibility, and other codes along with local amendments and development regulations.

Crane should identify conflicts rather than silently choosing one source. Conflicting or uncertain findings can be marked for verification or human review.

Yes. Material findings should identify the source, source type, why it matters, confidence level, and an official link when available.

Crane can help organize project information and prepare users for permitting or agency conversations. Crane should not claim to submit or approve permits unless that specific service is actually offered and authorized.

Yes. Crane can help organize the project description, property information, relevant sources, open questions, documents, and verification items into an Agency Preparation package.

Crane does not guarantee review speed or approval. Better-organized project information may help reduce avoidable back-and-forth and make early conversations clearer.