Structural Engineering
As professional structural engineers, AC Design Solution have over ten years of hands-on experience in delivering top-quality residential property projects. We take pride in designing and constructing structures that adhere to the highest safety standards.
We have experience with both residential and commercial sectors. Our project value range from small load bearing wall removal to £10mil projects We worked with various structural systems, such as RC Concrete, SFS, and RSJ’s. Our solutions are tailored to your needs, with value engineering a top priority.
Our Structural Engineering Services
Astructural engineer plays a vital role in guaranteeing the solid groundwork of an extension. New foundation design must possess the same resilience and stability as the existing ones. Their primary function is to support the architectural design created by your architect and expand the living space of your property.
AC Design Solutions provides dependable retaining wall services in London, serving both residential and commercial properties. We specialize in designing retaining walls for a range of applications, including 8-metre-high earth retention and double basements without the requirement for piles. Count on us for all your retaining wall requirement
Our professional service includes load-bearing wall removal for residential properties. Our skilled team of residential structural engineers specializes in providing structural calculations and drawings to safely and efficiently remove load-bearing walls, ensuring your property’s structural integrity and safety
In London, where space is at a premium, going higher is not always feasible. However, going underground is an option. We specialize in designing double basements and basements within terraced properties. We can deliver comprehensive basement designs, including underpinning and liner wall construction..
Steel Frame
During property renovations, the traditional brick and mortar approach often necessitates significant steel frame and portal frame usage. Our experience extends to residential projects, including up to seven-story new builds, where we have successfully implemented steel frames to ensure structural integrity and efficient construction.
RC Concrete
Our residential structural engineers London have expertise in designing reinforced concrete frame houses and hotels. Additionally, we offer the provision of rebar shop drawings as part of our comprehensive packages, ensuring precise construction details if needed..
The benefits of a residential structural engineer in 2023
Value Engineering
Given the escalating cost of living and skyrocketing material prices, value engineering remains a focal point in all our projects. With ample access to BIM software, we adeptly model a range of residential structures to identify the most cost-effective solution. This approach allows us to effectively address the challenges posed by the rising cost of living, ensuring optimal value and cost efficiency.
On time
Each job is meticulously managed and assigned to a residential structural engineer with the necessary expertise and resources to finish it within a specified timeframe. Unlike other firms, we utilize project management software and gantt charts to ensure that our clients are informed about the exact delivery time of their structural drawings.
Clash Detection
Clash detection is vital in construction, identifying conflicts between building elements like structural systems. With architectural BIM and structural engineering software, we integrate seamlessly, eliminating misplaced beams, improving on-site coordination, and ensuring smoother construction. This optimization minimizes errors and enhances project efficiency for successful construction outcomes.
Experience
With extensive expertise in various structural systems, including reinforced concrete design and steel structures with PCP planks, our experienced team possesses over 12 years of diverse skills. Furthermore, we have successfully designed crane bases for temporary conditions.
Structural Engineers who can help your project
- We can provide a value-engineered design that has the potential to save you thousands of pounds, enabling you to allocate the saved funds towards other areas of your property.
- Unlike other engineers who may provide overnight packages that are expensive once the project begins, we offer detailed structural drawings to help keep costs down from the outset.
- Our support doesn’t end there; we are dedicated to assisting you throughout the entire process until Building Control Sign off, ensuring a smooth and seamless experience from start to finish.
Compliant with regulations
At AC Design Solution, we provide comprehensive compliance support for both residential and commercial projects, such as loft conversions, property renovation, and house extensions.
Our team of structural engineers for residential properties ensures that every building is safe and able to withstand internal and external forces and elements. We take pride in delivering top-notch services and ensuring that all our projects conform to building regulations.
Structural engineer or a civil engineer?
The primary distinction lies in the area of expertise between a structural engineer and a civil engineer. Structural engineers specialize in the analysis and design of load-bearing structures, prioritizing their strength and stability. Conversely, civil engineers have a broader scope, encompassing the planning, design, and construction of various infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, and water systems. While structural engineers focus specifically on ensuring structural integrity, civil engineers handle a wider range of engineering disciplines within their field.
What does residential structural engineers do?
Residential structural engineers assess and ensure structural integrity, analyze existing structures, design new constructions, and calculate load capacities. They evaluate foundations and design new foundation extensions, conduct inspections, provide construction support, assess risks, and ensure compliance with building regulations for safe and stable residential properties.
Structural drawings and calculations
Structural drawings provide visual representations of a building’s design, illustrating the placement and dimensions of structural elements. They serve as a guide during construction. On the other hand, structural calculations involve mathematical analyses performed by engineers to determine load capacities, material specifications, and structural integrity. These calculations ensure that the design can withstand the expected loads and meet safety standards. Both drawings and calculations are crucial in the structural engineering process.
When to use a residential structural engineer?
For most construction projects, especially extensions or wall removals, it is advisable to consult a residential structural engineer. They play a crucial role in ensuring the structural integrity of your home. Additionally, when dealing with tasks like chimney removals, a structural engineer can design the necessary supports such as gallow brackets or RSJ beams. Working with a residential structural engineer also provides the added benefit of professional indemnity insurance, offering you peace of mind throughout the project.
How much do Residential Structural Engineers cost?
The cost of hiring a residential structural engineer varies based on factors such as project complexity, size, property age (including listed buildings), and the chosen structural system.
Our approach includes offering fixed fees instead of hourly rates, which can range from £200 to £350 per hour with other engineers. Opting for a fixed fee provides cost efficiency and potential savings, ensuring transparency and financial peace of mind.
AC Design Solution Structural Engineers
With expertise across various disciplines such as geotechnical engineering, new builds, piling, raft slabs, and reinforced concrete, our experienced structural engineering team has successfully handled projects of various scales, from small contracts to multi-million pound ventures. We prioritize timely delivery and maintain constant communication with our clients. Setting us apart, we include steel connections as part of our package, eliminating the need for separate fabricator involvement in their design.
Clear, concise communication.
AC Design offers expert guidance for complex home renovations involving structural engineering. We conduct an initial site visit, produce structural designs, assess proposed alterations, and provide building control calculations. Our team also conducts impact assessments and complies with all necessary regulations.
How do I find the right structural engineer ?
Choosing the design engineer for your commercial or residential project is vital to the project. Even though Structural engineering is a mathematical equation and all engineers should reach the same sizes of structural members, this is not always the case.
A structural engineer should value engineer all their jobs and not just provide a one-size-fits-all project scenario.
The first thing you should look for is a track record of varied projects. This can be seen via their website, Google reviews, other site reviews, and social media. It can be quite difficult to pick the right engineers as all companies always show their best projects.
You should dig deeper and see what they are showcasing. For example, if they’re only showing large-scale projects and you’re looking for a load-bearing wall removal, chances are the structural engineer may overcharge and not be the best fit for you.
Experience is extremely important. Qualifications can only tell you the company is capable of designing a system, but with experience, they would have applied the degree into practice, therefore not putting lives in danger. An experienced engineer would be able to eliminate potential design risk and provide solutions to any unforeseen problems that may occur on site.
Do I need Structural engineer or architect
A structural engineer is a professional who specializes in the design and analysis of structures. They ensure that structures are safe and stable. On the other hand, an architect designs the building and its functions. An architect will generally get you planning permission, and the structural engineer will design all the structural systems.
You will always need a residential structural engineer if you’re building a new structure, extending your property, or removing a load-bearing wall.
If you’re designing a new building or renovating an existing one, you’ll likely need an architect. In some cases, you may need both. It is common to see architects adding beams on their drawings; however, these are indicative to show clients where support may be required.
This does not mean it will work or it is safe. It is the role of the engineer to design a structural system and produce structural calculations verifying that the system works and will be safe to execute on-site.
The architect will then overlay the structural system on their drawings and provide detailed construction drawings, letting the potential builder know what materials to use around the structure to meet approved document guidelines, such as achieving 60 minutes fire resistance around the beam and preventing cold bridging.
Does a Structural engineer need to visit a site ?
Majority of the works can be done remotely via computer aided software moving to BIM software, however an engineer must visit and conduct a inspection to avoid potential hazards in a structural system, the best time for a structural engineer to visit would be once areas are exposed to get a better understanding on the structural system within the building. Whilst inspecting the engineer will usually look at the Joist direction, Thickness of Joists, any steel beams and if so specific lengths, column, masonry wall and many more.
In a reinforced concrete structure, the structural engineer would visit to understand the column sizes, concrete beams, however are stair core support, thickness of a slab. Once a visit is conducted the structural engineer will send out a third party to provide a scan on the reinforcement within columns, slabs, rafts, pile caps so fourth.
Homeowners need a structural engineer for design, surveying, inspection, and calculations for major property alterations. Structural engineers are required for new constructions like porches or balconies.
