WHAT IS A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, AND DO I NEED ONE?
Structural Engineers have multiple purposes when it comes to a build. They play a vital part in a renovation, building project or extension and without them leaves room for dangerous mistakes.
Structural Engineers analyse, plan, research and design structural components and structural systems to achieve design goals required for clients.
Picture the Shard building located in Central London… how does it stand and fit safety requirements with it being 310m tall? A Structural Engineer would have been heavily involved in the process and a lot of the planning would have been supplied by the Structural Engineer.
Structural Engineers create drawings and specifications, perform calculations, check the load bearing of walls and observe construction sites.
In what situations and scenarios would a Structural Engineer be needed?
- Renovating your home
If you have plans for an extension or major renovation on your home, you will need a Structural Engineer to make sure the property is safe and in the right condition for the works to go ahead.
In some renovations, building requirements may need structural calculations and drawings given to the local authority and planning officials to acquire planning/building conditions. Things like this include extensions to houses, fitting solar panels to the roof of your house and loft conversions.
- When you need an expert witness
A Structural Engineer can provide the court with an unbiased opinion if a legal conflict with your neighbours, which involves a structural matter in your property.
The Structural Engineer can produce an independent report on the problems, what caused it and detailed recommendations on how to rectify the issue.
The cost of a Structural Engineer can differ depending on the severity of work and the nature of the work.