Finding a Structural Engineer

[Entropy]

This is more a moan than a rant. I started looking for a structural engineer yesterday as a start to a possible loft conversion, currently putting together my drawings for a pre planning discussion with a planning officer.

So I called about 6 engineers in the local area and it just felt that they all were not that interested in my loft conversion, most said to call back in 6 to 8 weeks time as they were busy. It does turn out that I was asking for appears to be very difficult and I now appreciate that, but it just felt that they were disinterested and would even be if I asking about a standard type of solution. Now I feel that I need to look further afield for someone to work with after speaking with them.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The reality is whilst SE's are busy, a loft conversion really is chicken feed to most engineers, it's probably a half days work or thereabouts. Try ringing a few local architectural technicians and ask who they use, we assume you're only bothering with the one-man-band type of engineers? Respectfully I doubt a loft conversion can ever be that complicated. Don't know why you're bothering with a Pre-App either, if that's what you mean.

 

[Entropy]

The reality is whilst SE's are busy, a loft conversion really is chicken feed to most engineers, it's probably a half days work or thereabouts. Try ringing a few local architectural technicians and ask who they use, we assume you're only bothering with the one-man-band type of engineers? Respectfully I doubt a loft conversion can ever be that complicated. Don't know why you're bothering with a Pre-App either, if that's what you mean.

Thanks for the quick reply. Yes they were all one man operations as was looking for locally based skills. My issue is that I am planning to do the conversion on my own so did not want to hire 4ish builders to install steel. I enquired if a flitch beam could do the job, so I can assemble in situ, but it turns out the span would be 6m would make it very difficult. Even if the steel was split down it will be about 50kg per meter so hired help would still be needed.

 

[^woody^]

How do you know that you need a beam, let alone an engineer?

 

[Entropy]

How do you know that you need a beam, let alone an engineer?

Its a cut roof with 3x2 rafters going from the outside wall to a non load bearing wall in the middle of the loft. So it looks very likely that I need support for a full loft conversion and need an experts input as BC will want to see calcs.

The post was more about the disinterest in my enquiry rather than a solution.

 

[Entropy]

Don't know why you're bothering with a Pre-App either, if that's what you mean.

I am in an AONB so extra guidelines also apply plus I have another piece of work I want to do and want to discuss how I do it so it falls under permitted development.

 

[Notch7]

You might be best looking for a structural steel installer specialist - getting steels into lifts is a really difficult and dangerous job.

 

[^woody^]

The post was more about the disinterest in my enquiry rather than a solution.

We the way things are, engineers are not that interested in mundane work, just like most other building trades are not interested in quoting or even turning up.

The point is, rather than moan about a problem that you wont resolve easily, the obvious thing to do is determine if you actually need an engineer in the first place, there are often other options to avoid beams - but you are not looking for a solution here. You need advice on that if you don't have the knowledge. ie you need a suitable designer experienced in loft conversions.

 

[tony1851]

Your problem is that most SEs want to work off plans/drawings supplied to them, rather than going out to look at a job for someone who is 'considering a possible' loft conversion.
So far as they are concerned, the site visit might be a waste of their time.