Since graduating in 2021, I moved to Washington, DC to pursue a civil engineering career and am now feeling like I am in more of a position to start learning and pursuing real estate investing seriously.

You should connect with a structural engineer to take a look.

You can read about the differences here: Cost Segregation Study Approaches ExplainedLet’s first start with what the approaches:Detailed Engineering Approach from Actual Cost RecordsDetailed Engineering Cost Estimate ApproachSurvey or Letter ApproachResidual Estimation ApproachSampling or Modeling Approach"Rule of Thumb" ApproachSo which of these approaches is required by the IRS?

Is it as simple as getting the site designed and engineered for the footprint, cleared and graded (all of which I am comfortable with), and then hiring a GC to build the building?

➡️Reverse engineer investment strategies.

They have installers as well.Take a look at Engineered Wood floors since this is your personal residence.

I started as an electrical engineer, but the entrepreneurial fire inside me couldn’t be ignored.

Search engines index the site VERY quickly. 

As @Tom S.eluded, I wouldn't be surprised if there are major issues to be uncovered.In addition to construction costs, there will be additional filing fees and architect/engineer expenses.I'd be happy to recommend a contractor, shooting you a DM now.Best,Abel

A little about myself, I graduated from North Carolina A&t with a degree in Computer Engineering.