Owning or leasing property needs constant attention to maintenance, maintaining condition of the fabric, services, and structure, etc.
There will be times when structural advice is required, from an engineering viewpoint. Additionally, as a property owner you may wish to extend, adapt, improve or alter your home. Calculations and drawing designs may be required to be submitted by an engineer to building control prior to works commencing.
Perhaps you are considering a basement enlargement of your home, and if so, need to ensure it is done safely, considering the ground conditions, water table, foundations, and the adjoining neighbouring properties. A detailed inspection and structural calculations may be required to satisfy the local authority, and to manage and control the increased loadings on the structure. Arun Associates’ qualified structural engineers can arrange all necessary inspections, calculations and submissions of designs to building control.
Then, there are cracks in walls, ceiling plaster, around stairs, window and door openings, which might become apparent, which maybe were not there before. Or, they might have been there, but you just didn’t notice them. Now you notice the cracks widening, and perhaps some plaster-dust falling nearby.
You need reassurance from a professional that the defect is minor, and the wall or plaster can just be filled. If it is more significant, then advice will be needed as to what is causing the problem, and will it affect your home, it’s value, or not? Drying out of clay subsoil, tree-root damage, neighbours positioning scaffolding on your land, and more. All can be stressful, but with a professional supporting you, the problems are manageable, and you can plan ahead, with some degree of certainty.
Installation of new windows is better controlled nowadays, as compared with previously, but there have been cases of builders installing windows without proper lintel support to the openings, and eventually this will probably show up in some form of distress to finishes and structure. Reinstating the beams and lintels, and rebuilding the pier supports may need specialist advice.
Building surveyors and structural engineers are different disciplines, yet they understand each other’s role in solving building-related issues. It’s called teamwork. Arun Associates are here to help, offering professional services with Structural Engineers London and Home Counties. Where necessary, to bring in a qualified structural engineer to support you, and your family, in having the facts. In making some of the key decisions, too. We like to give our customers and clients a degree of choice, presenting them with realistic and practical options. That way, you have some control of the costs, timescales, and how to move forward. If building insurers or loss-adjusters are involved, we can help there too. Even if you are not insured for the damage or defects, we can advise you, on your options.
Designs will inevitably involve affecting the building structure in some way. Whether this is just forming a through-lounge by removing a load-bearing partition, or removing chimney breasts, widening doorways, relocating stairs, putting in an additional floor, it is imperative that the work is pre-planned and complies fully with current Building Regulations. Not all alterations will require the input of a structural engineer, but when they do, you can rest assured that we can manage that process for you, relatively painlessly. We are able to provide you with Structural Engineers, London and Home Counties geographical area.
