What are structural calculations?

For the past decade, the number of homeowners choosing to improve their home rather than to move home has increased from 3% to 15%. For most homeowners, choosing to improve their homes with building extensions and loft conversions is a way to maximise their living space. Also, improving home environment means that you avoid the hassle of moving home and substantial costs associated with it.

By taking on a home improvement project, homeowners give themselves the chance to save money while increasing the level of equity held in their home. But this will only work by investing in the right home improvements and making sure the work they undertake is structurally safe and of high-quality.

This means they need to ensure they hire a competent structural engineer and later a construction company to execute the works on site.  A qualified and experienced structural engineer also compliments architect’s work by providing set of calculations and Building Regulations (Part A) drawings for the contractor to follow.

Structural calculations explained

Making structural calculations is a way to look at every aspect of the project in fine detail to ensure safety and longevity of the structure is not compromised.

The person responsible for producing calculations report will be structural engineer you hire for the job, such as GL Design Services. The calculation output covers specification of critical components of the building fabric and integration of any new structural elements into it. Calculated key elements and its minimum requirements are presented on structural plans to allow builder execute the works on site.

How structural calculations are applied

Let’s say for example that you want to add a kitchen extension to your home but your plans involve removing a wall to open up the available space. Your construction team can check the report to quickly see if the wall is load-bearing, and if it’s not, they will know it is safe to go ahead with the wall removal.

However, if the wall is load-bearing, then more work will be needed to make it safe which will be more expensive and will increase your building quote from them. Having a structural calculation report to hand will help you to save a lot of time, money and any confusion when it comes to raising quotes or buying in materials for your building project.

While it isn’t necessary to have structural calculations for every home improvement project some jobs absolutely do need them!. For any homeowner planning on any major home improvements, it is their responsibility to ensure that a structural engineer, such as GL Design Services, completes any structural calculations before the work begins.

You will certainly need a structural calculation report if you plan to remove a load-bearing wall or an old chimney breast from your home.

Do not hesitate to get in touch with our team at GL Design Services. If you need more information about our structural calculation report services.

3 thoughts on “What are structural calculations?

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