No building regs cost of structural engineer?

ryantcb

Im a long way into buying a house. The homebuyers report mentions that there is a partial removed load bearing wall. The vendor has said (as they would) that it was done before they moved in. They have though added a full loft conversion with bathroom and so this also sits as added weight. As this is our first house we are paranoid and wanting everything checked and rechecked. I have been onto the local councils website where you can check back from building regulations approval since 1990. There is none granted for the removal of the load bearing wall and installation of the RSJ. It does though show the Loft Conversion application. I accept that if its been standing a number of years its likely to be ok. However I also think that if the loft conversion was added after that has increased the support level required.

What cost to get structural engineer to remove parts of floor and wall to expose and inspect and give a cert?

what cost to replace the walls/floor removed during inspection?

What cost if engineer determines current RSJ is inadequate and needs replacing?

Im not interested in indemnity insurance as this only get the local council off my back it don't the place collapsing. I have spoked to many and all have advised get the building regs or walk away even though I've already shelled out £3k in fees.

really appreciate your responses.

Doozergirl

A structural engineer may not need to expose the joist.

As much as I believe in doing things properly and always obtaining sign off, a structural engineer is more qualified than building control. Our structural engineer has been into our house when we bought it and okayed an opening visually. There was no need to go chasing for further consent. We've since made further openings using the SE and BC have no interest in the previous ones.

A structural engineer will not expose the joist for you, you'll need a plasterer on site if you go that route, but you should be calling SEs this morning.

Our SE would charge for an hour at £75 plus VAT for a visual inspection of an item. A calc is usually two hours money as would a written report on it, I suspect.

So, what is most important in your case is structural integrity, not the certificate. Building Regs and safe are not the same thing. Current Building Regs will be in excess of structurally sound. The building regs that your steel may or may not have been installed to are also likely to have been surpassed. You're using a cannon to kill a fly if you want it current - by that, you should rebuild the entire house!

The comments of Building Regs or Bust are naive.

phill99

Doozergirl bas provided some sound advice.

You need to put this in perspective. Assume that the house hadnot had a wall removed and steel inserted. If the loft extension had been done, then the wall (that no longer exists) would not need strengthening or improving in any way. The steel that has been inserted is equal too or (as is normally the case) stronger than the wall it replaces. Therefore, you are worrying unnecessarily about the increased load, as the steel is designed to acvommodate that.

In terms of your request for costings, its impossible for anyone to adbise as we don't know the work involved.

I'm not comvinced home ownership is for you.

ryantcb

I take your point on the steel beam being better that the original wall. Our concern is the structural integrity of the RSJ and so will need a structural engineers report on it. We are first time buyers and cautious as we've never been through this process before.
Thank you for your replies

P.S Im not here to convince you as to our suitability to be home owners.

teneighty

It really depends on the width of the opening and the load above.


An opening up to 2 metres is probably not too much to worry about in the typical residential property. If there is no sign of movement in the first 6 months it is probably OK.


For an opening larger than 2 metres I would want reassurance that the correct size steel beam has been inserted and not a random concrete lintel or timber joist the builder had laying around at the time.


Worst case scenario that beam is inadequate and needs replacement £1000 to £2000 so probably not a deal breaker in the grand scheme of things.

System

If the loft conversion was done with engineering input and the opening predates it, the engineer would have surely taken into account the loadbearing capacity of the walls supporting the floor