structural engineer's quote

cayennepepper

We obtained planning permission to extend the lower ground floor by 2 metres across the back of the house.
The extension will be 2x8 meters approx.

I asked a local structural engineer who already has the plans for my house as he did some calculations for the previous owners and he came back with £4000 + VAT :eek:

Am I being taken for a ride? Can anyone recommend a structural engineer in the London Borough of Barnet please?

DRP

What is the work though? what are you asking him to do?

If just a knock-through plus a roof, then that is a horrendous price.

Furts

The price may be excellent, but nobody can comment because you do not say what is involved, nor if you have Buildings Regulations.

As a general rule extending a lower ground floor requires an enormous amount of civil engineering, relative to the size of a property. Think retaining walls and light shafts/glazing. The costs of the work, the cost of the professional fees and the London premiums all add up to a considerable sum.

cayennepepper

Thanks for your replies. Yes they need to remove the existing French doors and knock down the wall and reposition them 2m further and build a flat roof on top (terrace). My architect is doing the building regs plans, the engineers I believe would have to do the calculations for the RSJ and foundations and obviously make sure the house can stand up.
I am going to get more quotes.

teneighty

Surely its a typo, £400 would be reasonable.

cayennepepper

You'd think! It wasn't a typo.

Waiting for more quotes now, thanks everyone.

HaydenB

Sounds excessive. I am just working my way through a house renovation which has seen 6 RSJ's put in. Our Structural Engineer charged £60 for visiting the house to do measurements and then £50 per calculation required.

cayennepepper

Thanks Hayden.

boam

i will pm you a recommendation.

Clive_Woody

cayennepepper wrote: »

Thanks for your replies. Yes they need to remove the existing French doors and knock down the wall and reposition them 2m further and build a flat roof on top (terrace). My architect is doing the building regs plans, the engineers I believe would have to do the calculations for the RSJ and foundations and obviously make sure the house can stand up.
I am going to get more quotes.

We had similar done with a slightly larger extension (4x5m) and we used the engineer that our architect recommended, I think it cost around £400+vat. From memory he did the calcs for foundations (2m deep thanks to some big trees), roof structure, RSJ over new large window, widening existing opening from the house into the extension and new RSJ.

We live in Sussex but the engineer was based in London.

Unless there is something very odd about your extension then I think that price is crazy.

AmyLeigh_2

Clive Woody and Boam, please could you kindly post the details of these structural engineers as I also live in Barnet and have been quoted near to £5000 for drawings and calculations for a 4m x 6m rear extension, 2m RSJ to replace an internal wall and retainer wall calcs to level the back garden. This is all based on the existing drawings that have been submitted and approved. I understand that each site visit by the engineer will incur a further fee and I am worried that this will blow our budget.

Your advice will be greatly appreciated.