Structural engineer to expose, inspect and advise on existing RSJ

spursfan323

Had RSJ put in to opening between dining room and lounge by a firm of not very good builders. They told me they used Engineer's Calcs but despite numerous requests have not supplied anything (tried to trick me by giving docs from another job instead) so I suspect they were lying. They also did not involve Building Control.
I now want to get BC to regularise it (to be sure it has been installed safely). As such I need to bring in a new Structural Engineer to inspect, expose and calculate if the RSJ is sufficient.

1st quote:

Initial site visit to inspect the property,
opening up works to expose beam and support detail,
subsequent assessment calculations suitable for Building Control submission -
£525 + VAT

2nd quote:

£460+vat to visit and inspect, after the RSJ has been exposed by someone else, as this Engineer doesnt want to expose it in case 'he is accused of causing damage'

Are either of these quotes reasonable? I am based in N London.
Many thanks.

Amphion

Very expensive!

But seeing as you reside in the big smoke and everything in London comes at a premium, I’d say they are fairly reasonable.

As an example I charge £200 + vat for what you require based on 4 hours work at £50 per hour.

I also always recommend to my clients that they expose the beam as it saves time and cost. You don’t want to be paying an engineer £50+ an hour to carry out demolition works.

As a word of caution, make sure the engineer you appoint has adequate professional indemnity insurance to cover the calculations

mjfibsb2

Hi, we live in NE London... just had structural calcs done for installing rsj when knock down internal wall. Cost 180 quid for the lot (was calculating window lintels too as need metal in above window to support rsj as sits above it). Anyway, the guy was good (if a tiny bit slow - was called away for a week so took 3 weeks to get figures!). Definitely trust worthy in terms of the work though.

I'm a bit wary of people who quote w/o VAT as if they can't work out I'm not a business they can't be any good!

phill99

mjfibsb2 wrote: »

I'm a bit wary of people who quote w/o VAT as if they can't work out I'm not a business they can't be any good!

Virtually all business to business companies (including structural engineers) will quote ex-vat, and add the vat on, as most business will be vat registered and therefore only interested in the NET figure.

He won't change his quoting procedure just because you may not be VAT registered. And he is not to know your situation. He won't know if you are employed, self employed, a limited company, limited liability partnership etc. It would be wrong of him to make an assumption that you are any of these so he will simply quote an ex-vat figure. So stop being so arrogant.

mjfibsb2

Lol, subjective aren't you phill99... it should be obvious if someone's a business or not. I don't walk into a shop and get quoted prices ex VAT in the hope that the average Joe is a business!

I was only professing an opinion - wasn't suggesting he follow it. Reckon you might need to get off your high horse, or that might be called arrogance too! Anyway, was really only referring to 600 + VAT guy. At least Amphion was offering a competitive quote.

leveller2911

mjfibsb2 wrote: »

I'm a bit wary of people who quote w/o VAT as if they can't work out I'm not a business they can't be any good!

Phil is actually right as very few if any businesses in the construction industry will include VAT on a quote .This is down to the fact that the VAT rate can change at any time and also clients can sit on the quotes for weeks if not months ,in which time the vat rate may have changed...

On what basis do you form that opinion? very sweeping statement indeed....

mjfibsb2

IT WAS AN OPINION - i.e. based on personal experience.

I don't care either way - I know the area from several mates working in it, plus family. In the past we didn't have much of a VAT up and down issue but I certainly see your point at the moment.

mjfibsb2

Oh, BTW - I don't see any need to have a go at people for professing an opinion. I just wouldn't like people to quote me 'plus' VAT. Met enough people doing this work to know the difference but maybe it's common in London... who knows.

Think maybe everyone's entitled to their own view. Just seems a little childish to say otherwise.

Have a nice rest of the day.

keystone

VAT is charged at the rate prevailing at the time of invoicing NOT the time of quoting. I think you may have led a slightly sheltered life but you are entitled to your opinion.

Cheers

dave82_2

Have you spoken to your BC? We had a single door way opened up to a 6ft opening between dining room and lounge and we didn't need any calcs as it was a standard opening it just needed a steel of a minimum spec for a 6ft opening (can't remember the steel dimensions off the top of my head!).

BC might be able to sign it of just by inspecting the steel. This is assuming there are no abnormal loads above the opening.

If this is the case all you have to do is expose the RSJ and get building control round. They might require two visits one to see it when exposed and one when it is boxed back in and made good before they will sign it off.

P.S. all this arguing about VAT isn't really helping the OP!

P.P.S. Oh no I just helped a Spurs fan :-(

P.P.P.S the building control certs and inspection are usualy a fair whack themselves! £250ish depending on the council.

myhouseextension

I apologise if I am meant to start a new thread but this covers the question I have. I need a quote for a structural engineer for one dormer roof over an extisting garage, to rebuild existing dormer on main house roof and extend to include a bedroom window (as I will lose a window with the garage roof extension) and put rsj between lounge diner, there is currently an rsj resting on two side pillars which I want to remove. Hope that makes sense. Any idea of what I might be looking at in the way of calculation costs? or an hourly rate. I live in Norfolk (East Anglia)