Structural engineers for property developers
Developers are buying certainty, not drawings. We front-load the structural risk so that what you underwrite at appraisal is what you build, and we say early when a site will not deliver what the appraisal assumes.
What we cover.
The structural engineer's real influence on a development is at appraisal, long before any design work. Foundation strategy, frame choice and floor construction move build cost more than almost any other decision, and they are set early. We aim to be involved at that point rather than after the numbers are fixed.
- Site feasibility and structural risk appraisal
- Foundation strategy and ground condition assessment
- Frame selection and comparative cost advice
- Residential development and apartment blocks
- Housing development infrastructure
- Warranty provider and Building Control coordination
- Modular and MMC structural design
- Due diligence on existing buildings and change of use
What developers actually involves.
The most expensive structural surprises on a development are in the ground. A foundation strategy chosen on assumption rather than investigation can move a scheme's cost materially, and it is usually discovered at the worst moment. We would rather look at the site investigation before you exchange than explain a piling requirement afterwards.
On conversion and change of use, the question is normally what the existing structure can carry. An office to residential change adds partitions, screeds and different loading patterns. A change of use to assembly or storage can add far more. We assess what the existing frame and floors will take and what has to be strengthened, so the appraisal reflects the building rather than an assumption about it.
We coordinate with warranty providers and Building Control from the start, because a structural approach that satisfies one and not the other is a delay you pay for twice.
We look at the ground and the existing structure before the scheme is priced rather than after, so the foundation strategy is a decision rather than a discovery. We coordinate with warranty providers and Building Control from the start, because an approach that satisfies one and not the other is a delay you pay for twice.
What moves build cost most on a residential scheme?
Foundations and floor construction, in that order, and both are decided early. Ground conditions dictate whether you are on strips, rafts or piles, and the difference between those is significant across a site. Getting an engineer's view on the site investigation before appraisal is fixed is the cheapest structural advice you will ever buy.
- Structural risk identified at appraisal, not on site
- Designs checked and signed by a Chartered Structural Engineer
- Foundation and frame comparison with cost implications
- Warranty provider and Building Control coordination
- £5m professional indemnity cover
From enquiry to sign-off.
Enquiry
Send drawings or describe the problem. We confirm the scope, the deliverables and a target timescale.
Information
We agree the survey, drawings or data we need and any site access required.
Engineering
Design, calculation or assessment to the relevant Eurocodes and UK National Annex.
Issue
A clear, defensible report or set of calculations, with assumptions and limitations stated.
Common questions
Can you review a site before we buy it?
Yes. Pre-acquisition structural review on existing buildings, and site investigation review on development land. It is a small fee against the risk it covers.
Do you work with warranty providers?
Yes. We prepare structural information to the standards warranty providers expect and coordinate with them alongside Building Control.
Can you handle a full site rather than a single unit?
Yes. We work on housing developments and apartment blocks as well as individual buildings.
Do you advise on modular and MMC?
Yes, including interfaces between modular units and traditional foundations, and the structural implications of choosing MMC on a given site.
Who else we work with.
Tell us what you are building.
Send the drawings or describe the project. We confirm scope, deliverables and a realistic timescale.
Start a project