How can I find a civil engineer to consult on a small residential project?

I'm in the LA area. Building a workshop and need an engineer to consult on beam sizes: either steel beams or wood trusses so I can do a cost comparison. Eventually I will need more formal calculations to submit plans.

How can I go about finding an engineer to consult?

i'm assuming you want more info than just finding phone numbers that you can find with google maps. if it's just cost comparisons, you can talk to a supplier or builder or even city inspectors. simple designs are basically provided on a spreadsheet based on lengths. if it's a formal complex design, you may want to verify the design before you spend anymore time. check for nearby companies that you can visit with a structural engineer for a free initial consultation, and talk to their references and themselves about how they conduct business on small projects. like any business, some are large, and some are small. the engineering will be typical, but it sounds like you're concerned with the business service, so find one you're comfortable with.