Anyone used an online steel beam calculation company?

rosie383

As the title says, has anyone used an online company? Our extension is on hold until we get calculations done, and I keep seeing ads for these companies.
Should be a fairly straightforward job. Only calculations for a beam above bifold doors in the extension. No full wall removals or anything like that.
It could save us a fair bit of time and let the builders get restarted.

phil24_7

I'd just bite the bullet and get a structural engineer do the clacs. It'll cost more but will be covered with their insurance and building control would likely want this.

rosie383

The online company we want to use has insurance too. We have been quoted £500 by the local guy that our architect uses.

Silver-Surfer_2

If the beam is just for a lintel over the door and it's only a ground floor build, is your builder being over cautious? Mine was 50/50 whether to install a lintel or beam. In the end we used a beam and a local structural engineer, the calcs were about £37.
Ring your local building control they may not be too concerned.

bouncydog1

We've just had calcs done by a local engineer. Wall is load bearing with an adjoining glass roof which needs to be supported. Total cost for drawings was £500. Probably best to use a local engineer as they will have worked with your building control team. Also local engineers will do site visits etc - what do the internet companies offer? If it's cheap there must be a reason.

teneighty

I have not used an online structural engineer but provided they are members of the Institution of Structural Engineers etc. and have the relevant P.I. insurance I cannot see a problem.

For such a simple beam a site visit would not be required just a copy of the drawings. The local engineers I work with on a regular basis work entirely from my drawings which I email to them, even for quite complicated designs, they never come out to site. A single beam design should cost about £150. Also if the span of the opening is no more than 3 metres you could probably use a standard steel lintel off the shelf.

rosie383

Thanks all for the replies.
We have very detailed technical drawings from the architect which we have sent to an online structural engineer. He also advised us to send the technical spec to a few companies who manufacture and supply lintels. If we get the same info from all of them, then that will help.
We spoke to our architect who works very closely with local building control. He is happy for us to use an online company as the build is quite straightforward.
The online guy is a member of the relevant bodies and has liability insurance. I have checked.

rosie383

Silver-Surfer wrote: »

If the beam is just for a lintel over the door and it's only a ground floor build, is your builder being over cautious? Mine was 50/50 whether to install a lintel or beam. In the end we used a beam and a local structural engineer, the calcs were about £37.
Ring your local building control they may not be too concerned.

This is also what we have been told by a few people with exactly the same dimensions and build as us. Builder and building control were all happy and there were no problems at all.

Silver-Surfer_2

rosie383 wrote: »

This is also what we have been told by a few people with exactly the same dimensions and build as us. Builder and building control were all happy and there were no problems at all.

What size is it? Ours is 5 metres.

rosie383

Width is 5.9m, bifolds 3.2m and depth from main building is 3.9m.

Silver-Surfer_2

Speak to your local building control and see what they'll accept.