Structural and Civil Engineering Case Studies in London

The homeowners wanted to remove the internal wall between the rear reception room and the kitchen to create an open-plan living space. Their builder had indicated the wall was 'probably load-bearing' but had not confirmed this.

Site visit and load path assessment confirming the wall as load-bearing, carrying a floor joist at mid-span. Universal Beam design with padstone specifications at each bearing, full calculations, coordinated drawings, and Building Control-ready submission pack. Temporary propping sequence included in notes to the contractor.

Building Control approval obtained without queries. Works completed without on-site structural issues. The open-plan space was delivered on programme and within the original contractor estimate.

An Edwardian mid-terrace property requiring conversion of the loft into a habitable bedroom. The architect required structural input for the ridge beam, new floor joists, staircase opening steel, and a rear dormer frame — coordinated with the planning drawings before Building Control submission.

Structural design for the ridge beam, new floor structure, trimming joists around the staircase opening, and the dormer structural frame. Calculations and coordinated structural drawings issued as a complete Building Control pack.

No Building Control queries. The structural package was issued to the contractor in time to proceed immediately after planning consent. Project completed on programme.

A homebuyer's RICS surveyor had flagged diagonal cracking above the rear ground-floor window opening and at the junction between the rear extension and the original structure, recommending a structural engineer's opinion before exchange.

Structural inspection and written report identifying the cracking above the window as consistent with lintel corrosion expansion. The extension junction cracking was assessed as cosmetic differential settlement, stable and requiring monitoring rather than intervention.

The client proceeded with the purchase with confidence, having negotiated a modest reduction in the asking price to cover lintel replacement.

A homeowner in Bromley required a full structural engineering package for a two-storey rear extension to an inter-war semi-detached property. The architect had completed the planning drawings and required structural design for Building Control submission.

Foundation design, new structural frame calculations for the two-storey extension, steel beam design for the opening, roof design, and a complete coordinated structural drawing set issued alongside the architectural package.

Building Control submission approved. Site works proceeded without structural queries or design changes.

A property in Eltham had developed a pattern of diagonal cracking in the external brickwork at the rear corner. The owner was concerned about subsidence and required a clear diagnosis.

Structural inspection and written report diagnosing the cracking as consistent with differential settlement, with recommended monitoring period and indicative remedial options.

Following a six-month stable period, movement was confirmed as historic and complete. No underpinning was required.

A developer converting an upper-floor commercial space to two residential units required structural assessment of the existing floor structure, design of partition support arrangements, and a structural report for the change-of-use Building Control submission.

Assessment of the existing floor structure against residential imposed loading, confirmation of adequacy, design of load-bearing partition arrangements, and a structural report for the Building Control submission.

Building Control submission approved. The structural assessment confirmed that no major structural intervention was required — directly affecting the project's financial viability.