What Does a Structural Engineer Do & Do I Need One?
So….lots of our clients ask us questions about Structural Engineers so we thought we’d write a new article.
This article should help you all understand exactly when you are likely to need one and what his obligations are once he (or she) has been appointed.
What is a Structural Engineer?
A Structural Engineer is a professional who has the sufficient credentials to give advice on structural issues and provide the necessary calculations to ensure buildings are safely built (ie. so they do not sink, collapse, warp etc).
It is widely accepted that;
“Structural engineering is about ensuring a structure is capable of standing up and can withstand the pressures of use that the building is subjected to – including the potential weather conditions for the locality”
The Engineer will be able to advise on the safe removal of walls, chimney breasts etc. They will also cover groundwork issues like foundation types and solutions for refurbishing old damaged buildings.
Do I need One?
The answer to this question depends entirely on the complexity of your building project. If your new extension has no new steelwork/load-bearing beams or columns and the only new structural elements are timber joists & rafters then your Architect / Architectural Technician should be able to get by without a Structural Engineer. If however, load-bearing walls are being modified/removed, chimney breasts are being removed or other structural elements are being tampered with, it is crucial than you employ a structural engineer.
Not only will he be able to give valuable advice but he will also be able to prepare the necessary calculations required for Building Regulations Approval.
Note – Most house extensions will require some sort of structural calculation as the existing external wall will be punctured to provide access to the new building.
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When Should I Employ One?
This depends on the complexity of your project. Complicated structures or refurbishment projects may require early input from a Structural Engineer, however, If you are simply extending your home and your Architect / Technician is getting you Planning & Building Regulations Approval, they will either employ an engineer or advise you to employ one whilst they are producing your Building Regulations plans. It is likely that the engineer will make a site visit and then prepare some calculations. Sometimes they will obtain the CAD drawings from your Architect/Technician and produce their own structural drawings from these. These can either just be submitted in conjunction with the Building Regulations drawings or your Architect/Technician may also transpose the engineer’s information onto his extension plans to make it more clear to everyone involved where everything is going and how it is to be fixed.
How Much Will it Cost?
Unfortunately it is hard to say but one thing we can be sure of is that costs are likely to sky-rocket the more storeys that are added to your building. Structural Engineers can earn anything from £400-£800 per day for advising, designing and calculating. If you are building on a tight budget it would be worthwhile searching for a small local freelance/self employed Engineer. If it you are appointing them purely for Building Regulations calculations they can often do this without visiting the property (ie. No site visit fee) and will normally charge per beam/column.
We have heard figures ranging from £50-£100 per beam calculation from small-time engineers and site visits that are charged at £100-£150 a time.
Note – If you are renovating an existing building, a structural engineer will need to make a site visit and prepare a document proving to Building Control that the existing structure is sound and suitable for the building’s new use.
Where can I Find a Structural Engineer?
Most Architects or Architectural Services companies will be able to recommend a Structural Engineer. If not, you can find one by visiting the Institution of Structural Engineers.
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If you are having your extension plans produced by ArkiPlan.co.uk, we can normally recommend a suitable structural engineer that can work in the same way that we do (ie. no site visit, works from drawings & photographs). This should help to keep costs down. This may not be possible if your project is somewhat complex or unusual. If you are one of our clients (or plan to be) we will be happy to speak to you over the telephone should you have any more questions about Structural Engineers.
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Until next time,
