Have you found your structural engineer yet? When planning a building project you will, no doubt, think about obtaining the land where you are going to build and locating a company to carry out all of the relevant surveys. You may have even engaged a building company to carry out the construction work but unless you have also engaged a structural engineer you have no way of being certain that what you are building is being constructed correctly and that the work will stand the test of time. You may also need the services of a structural engineer if you have chosen to renovate an existing property and would like an assessment of how safe the structure is and whether it can be repaired or must be replaced.
What can a structural engineer do for your project?
If you think that your building project might benefit from the input of a structural engineer then it is best to bring them into discussions at the earliest stages. The structural engineer will be able to help with both the planning and designing of your building or other structure. The structural engineer will look at everything from the ground conditions on the building site to the materials to be used in construction and the chosen design for the structure. Once the construction stage of the project is underway they will ensure that construction proceeds as agreed using the specified materials and procedures so that everything that you do follows the appropriate building regulations so that the final structure will be safe for everyone who comes into contact with it.
Understanding the detail
While you may want to focus on the 'big picture' as far as your building project is concerned it is the role of a structural engineer to take a very different approach. The structural engineer will be focused on the details of the project specifications. They will want to be certain that the chosen materials are capable of bearing all of the loads involved in the design so that the structural integrity of the building will be maintained. The structural engineer will often come alongside other professionals to suggest alternative building materials and advise on the durability of each material so that you can be sure that the final design and construction are exactly what you need.
Not every construction project will need a structural engineer, but if what you are working on is a new build or will affect the structure of an existing property, contact a local structural engineer.