Subservient dormers? Offsetting walls on steel?

[noseall]

I disagree, in my experience the input of a structural engineer at early design stages can be invaluable.

What - prior to planning approval? Why?

 

[canofcoke]

What - prior to planning approval? Why?

I’ve worked on many projects where in order to design extensions / loft conversion it’s been helpful to understand the existing structure. It’s often useful to get a structural drawing of the existing building. This can show what elements of a building can’t be removed, what can be removed with serious structural intervention, what can be removed with minimal structural intervention and what can be removed with no structural intervention.

With this knowledge it can be possible to design a scheme with less or no structural alterations. This can be more economical for a client. Especially those on limited budgets.

It’s better to design a scheme with the full structural knowledge of building than find out post planning that you need to use a huge amount of steel for example, when a different design approach that satisfies the brief could have avoided these unnecessary structural costs.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Sure but a good designer will know all of that and without any need to employ an SE.

 

[canofcoke]

Sure but a good designer will know all of that and without any need to employ an SE.

They won’t know everything, unless they are a structural engineer. We’ll have to agree to differ, I know my approach works.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Sure, I guess if you don't know so much.

 

[canofcoke]

Sure, I guess if you don't know so much.

You must know everything then

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I guess so, yes.

 

[catlad]

Lets just all agree there are a lot of lazy designers about!

 

[noseall]

I’ve worked on many projects where in order to design extensions / loft conversion it’s been helpful to understand the existing structure. It’s often useful to get a structural drawing of the existing building. This can show what elements of a building can’t be removed, what can be removed with serious structural intervention, what can be removed with minimal structural intervention and what can be removed with no structural intervention.

With this knowledge it can be possible to design a scheme with less or no structural alterations. This can be more economical for a client. Especially those on limited budgets.

It’s better to design a scheme with the full structural knowledge of building than find out post planning that you need to use a huge amount of steel for example, when a different design approach that satisfies the brief could have avoided these unnecessary structural costs.

Doesn't explain.
Designers know enough to show details on a plan drawing. No need for SE design input early on.

 

[canofcoke]

I guess so, yes.

only a fool...

 

[canofcoke]

Doesn't explain.
Designers know enough to show details on a plan drawing. No need for SE design input early on.

Explains very clearly, working around an existing structure rather than removing or altering parts of it unnecessarily can save clients money, knowing this in advance of designing something can be invaluable and avoid costly design solutions post planning.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

only a fool...

Come on, really, for an experienced designer what is there to know about loft conversions and dormers, it ain't brain surgery. This is actually pretty low brow stuff in the world of building design.

 

[canofcoke]

Come on, really, for an experienced designer what is there to know about loft conversions and dormers, it ain't brain surgery. This is actually pretty low brow stuff in the world of building design.

as i said, only a fool...you must understand every type of house construction that's ever been used, and every permutation of loft dormer and loft conversion design that could be possible then, silly me.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

If I'm doing a set of loft conversion drawings, as part of my survey I will establish exactly how the existing structure works, then you can understand where new beams are required etc for the proposed, like I said it's not brain surgery. SE's never need to make site visits to my jobs to determine how the structure works, it's all drawn on my existing drawings.

 

[noseall]

Explains very clearly, working around an existing structure rather than removing or altering parts of it unnecessarily can save clients money, knowing this in advance of designing something can be invaluable and avoid costly design solutions post planning.

But that is always solved with a wee bit of to-and-fro with an email or quick chat or text, between the SE and the designer. I have never heard of a client shelling out for an SE at the planning stage before. Unnecessary waste of money.