Structural engineer mistake

chickenpie81

Hi,

I am having a chimney breast removed in a downstairs room. I obtained structural calcs from a structural engineer determining the size of steels to be installed to support the chimney breast upstairs, which is remaining.

The chimney breast upstairs is substantially smaller than the one downstairs and the steels have been made to fit the downstairs breast dimensions. Thus it now seems the steels are the wrong size (too big) and the weight its supporting will not be distributed properly.

So, the builders are not 100% yet (they are currently removing breast), but if i need to get new steels made will the engineer be liable for cost?

He had done different calculations earlier this year for a separate part of the room and did the chimney breast calculations at no extra cost, he didn't come to the property to assess chimney breast instead asking me to send him its dimensions, which he based his calcs on. He did this as I needed the calcs fairly quickly and was good of him to turn things around quickly for me but unfortunately now might have caused extra cost in the long term.

Any one any thoughts on the legalities of this?

Thanks.

chickenpie81

Having checked spam emails the engineer sent correct specs later, so no recourse.

Not sure why went to spam when we have emailed each other alot.

Aylesbury_Duck

Thanks for updating. Most wouldn't have done.

As a layman, I can't see why oversized steels would be a problem. Undersized would be a problem, of course, but why would oversized be a problem? Any experts out there good enough to explain?

chickenpie81

I think its to do with the way weight is distributed. Also its not a long straight steel and is made to fit the bigger chimney breast and so there will be no support in side of this which is where the smaller one would be. Hard to explain in words.

born_again

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Thanks for updating. Most wouldn't have done.
I can't see why oversized steels would be a problem.

At a guess Cost.:T

chickenpie81

Already bought and paid for and on site.