Structural Engineering Services — West Yorkshire
Chartered expertise for domestic renovations: calculations and details you can take to Building Control.
A Note on 'Builder Estimates'
Experience alone is not evidence of compliance with Building Regulations Part A. A steel beam normally needs project-specific calculations and details for Building Control. Unapproved structural alterations can cause problems with Building Control, insurance and a future sale.
Steel Beam (RSJ) Calculations
From £295
Precise engineering for load-bearing wall removals. Desk-based calculation pack from drawings and photos, including full Eurocode 3 calculations, padstone design, and Building Control PDF — ready in 5 working days of acceptance and receipt of all information. Site visit charged separately if dimensional verification is required.
Engineering Insight
Required for: Kitchen knock-throughs, bifold door openings, and internal reconfigurations.
- Eurocode 3 (Steel) Compliance
- Padstone Bearing Check
- Timber-to-Steel Detail
- Building Control PDF Report
Multi-Beam Bundle (2–3 Beams)
From £495
Bundle discount for multiple steel beams on the same property. Desk-based calculation pack from drawings and photos. Save when combining two or three wall removals into one design package. Site visit charged separately if dimensional verification is required.
Engineering Insight
Ideal for: Multiple knock-throughs or open-plan conversions requiring more than one steel beam.
- Eurocode 3 (Steel) Compliance
- Padstone Bearing Check
- Timber-to-Steel Detail
- Building Control PDF Report
Structural Engineer Reports
From £450
Desk-based written structural report (signed PDF deliverable) on a single structural concern at your own property, for your own decisions about the building. This report is not written for, and may not be relied on by, a mortgage lender or anyone lending against the property, a valuer, a buyer, or an insurer. If a lender needs a report, tell me before you instruct and I will point you to the right professional. Where the question needs a site visit to answer — cracking, movement, or a cause you want identified — see Defect Investigation below. A Tier 1 attendance fee is credited in full against this report fee if booked together.
Engineering Insight
For a cause you want identified on site, see Defect Investigation.
- Single-Concern Written Opinion
- Signed PDF Deliverable
- For Your Own Decisions
- Not For Lender Or Insurer Reliance
- Tier 1 Visit Credited If Booked
Extension Design Packages
From £650
Desk-based structural design for extensions, priced by scope. A compact single-storey extension starts at £650; larger or multi-storey projects are £800 to £1,500; exceptional scope is quoted individually. Integrated foundation and superstructure analysis. Most extensions need at least one half-day site visit (Tier 2). Bundle available: Extension Design + one half-day site visit (Tier 2) — £995.
Engineering Insight
Ideal for: Homeowners moving from Architect's sketch to construction stage.
- Foundation Loading Tables
- Roof Structure Calculations
- Gravity & Lateral Load Analysis
- Detailed CAD Sketches
Loft Conversion Structural Design
From £450
Desk-based structural design for loft conversions, priced by scope. A straightforward loft, where the existing roof structure stays where it is, starts at £450. Larger dormers, hip-to-gable conversions and trussed roofs that have to be replaced rather than worked around are £1,200 to £1,800. Mansards and other exceptional roofs are £1,800 to £2,200. Building Control-ready documentation included. Most lofts need one site visit (Tier 1 or Tier 2), charged separately.
Engineering Insight
Covers: Velux lofts, rear dormers, hip-to-gable, and full attic truss conversions. A trussed rafter roof usually cannot be opened up without replacing structure, which is why those sit at the upper end rather than the £450 floor.
- Attic Truss & Ridge Beam Design
- Purlin Removal Analysis
- Floor Joist Strengthening
- Building Control PDF Report
Chimney Breast Removal
From £395
Structural calculations for removing a chimney breast. Priced by scope across three bands: single-storey removal from £395, multi-storey or party wall stacks from £550, and full stack removal from £695. More involved than a plain steel beam — the retained stack above still has to be supported.
Engineering Insight
Gallows brackets are increasingly rejected by Building Control. Where proposed, they must be justified by calculation and pull-out testing.
- Retained Stack Load Takedown
- Beam & Padstone Design
- Propping & Needling Sequence
- Building Control PDF Report
Retaining Wall Design
From £650
Eurocode 7 retaining wall design, banded by retained height and surcharge. Band A (up to 1.0 m) £650, Band B (1.0–1.5 m) £850, Band C (1.5–2.5 m or vehicle surcharge) £1,150, Band D (complex) from £1,400. Design fees only — excludes ground investigation and geotechnical reports.
Engineering Insight
Retained height and what sits behind the wall are the dominant fee drivers. A wall forming part of a basement needs a Basement Impact Assessment instead.
- Eurocode 7 Earth Pressure
- Sliding & Overturning Checks
- Bearing Capacity Check
- Eurocode 2 Reinforcement Design
Drainage & Build-Over
From £275
Foul drainage layout from £275. Soakaway and percolation design from £295. Build-over / build-near agreement support from £495 — for extensions over or close to a public sewer. Surface water and SuDS design from £595. Sold alongside a design package or standalone at the same price. Yorkshire Water charges its own build-over application fee (£144 desktop, £449 with site inspection) directly to you.
Engineering Insight
Excludes all site testing (BRE 365 soakaway infiltration tests and drainage-field percolation tests), which is carried out by a separate specialist; Yorkshire Water application fees; and CCTV drain surveys.
- Pipe Sizing & Gradients
- BRE 365 Soakaway Sizing
- Sewer Bridging & Foundation Detail
- Building Regs Part H Compliance
New Roof Structure Design
From £600
Full rafter and purlin design for a new roof on a new-build dwelling — not an existing-loft alteration (see Loft Conversion) and not a full extension (see Extension Design). Graduated by scope: simple mono-pitch or gable up to 4m span £600–£900; standard hip or gable, 4–7m span £900–£1,400; complex multiple hips, dormers or span over 7m £1,400–£1,600. Multi-unit schemes and steel portal hybrids are quoted individually.
Engineering Insight
Where a prefabricated truss package is used, calculations usually come from the truss manufacturer — I then cover only the bespoke elements, quoted individually.
- Rafter & Purlin Design
- Point Load & Dormer Analysis
- Wind & Lateral Stability
- Building Control PDF Report
Site Attendance
From £250
CEng MIStructE attendance on-site — tiered by duration. Tier 1 (up to 2 hrs) £250, Tier 2 (half day) £395, Tier 3 (full day) £595. Travel policy applies. Credited in full against the Structural Engineer Report fee if booked together.
Engineering Insight
Site visit notes within 2 working days, a record of the visit, not a report. For a signed PDF report on a single question, see Structural Engineer Reports above; for the cause of cracking or movement, see Defect Investigation.
- Visual Structural Inspection
- Dimensional Verification
- Dated Annotated Photographs
- Verbal Walk-through On-Site
- Site Visit Notes Within 2 Working Days
From The Beam Doctor Blog
Expert guides to help you understand your project before instructing an engineer.
The Structural Workflow
1. Data Intake
I review your drawings and photos. If a site visit is needed, I'll tell you why and what it costs, and book it only once you agree.
2. Calculations
Analysis of permanent, imposed and, where relevant, wind loads to the Eurocodes.
3. Verification
I check section sizes and deflection limits before issue.
4. Issue
Calculation pack for Building Control submission.
Secure Your Property Today.
A structure is only as strong as its weakest calculation. Ensure yours is designed by a Chartered Authority.
Consult a CEng Engineer