matthyde83 Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 We are now well into our build and I’m having some issues with the structural engineer. I have some questions around locations of beams and possible alternatives and I cannot get him to respond to emails or phone. He was recommended by my architect but has apparently taken offence to my questions and now won’t respond at all. We don’t have final calculations and some of what was in the initial calculations simply doesn’t make sense! Help! Do I bite the bullet and go for a second opinion (probably at a reasonable cost). If so who, any recommendations?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 I hope you have not paid him? You have no choice but to find another S.E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 13, 2022 Author Share Posted April 13, 2022 1 minute ago, joe90 said: I hope you have not paid him? You have no choice but to find another S.E. Unfortunately yes paid. Really not happy but at a loss as what to do if he won’t respond really. We’re now at the point where some steels are on site and up so I need some questions answered asap… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe90 Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 28 minutes ago, matthyde83 said: so I need some questions answered asap… Can you’re architect recommend anyone else? Yellow pages? 🤷♂️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted April 13, 2022 Share Posted April 13, 2022 How long has he been AWOL? He's not just on holiday or down with Covid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 Post drawing extracts and your main questions. We can't do the work itself but might be able to suggest whether it is worth getting that second opinion. Although with steel on site, there is likely to be a cost for changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 6 hours ago, Temp said: How long has he been AWOL? He's not just on holiday or down with Covid? It’s been a month… plus architect has said he’s talking to him on other jobs. He’s trying to talk to him about mine also and getting no luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 7 hours ago, joe90 said: Can you’re architect recommend anyone else? Yellow pages? 🤷♂️ He can’t. One of my questions is recommendations on here really. I can google obvs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 1 hour ago, George said: Post drawing extracts and your main questions. We can't do the work itself but might be able to suggest whether it is worth getting that second opinion. Although with steel on site, there is likely to be a cost for changes. Ok… one of my main questions is B14 and B15. Where are they? They’re labelled as in the gf ceiling but also labelled on the roof plan as ‘under’. Also what is their purpose? They are below a stud wall, if it’s support for that then can we not double joist to allow for MVHR etc.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 Also Trimmers shown. I’m assuming they’re to support the ridges but it’s a hipped roof so they can’t be at ridge height else they’ll be sticking out the side. Also ceilings will be sloped as eaves height is quite low so they’d need to be below that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miek Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 I'm not an expert. But from the notes B14 & B15 are '203 VC 71' So steel columns Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 7 minutes ago, Miek said: I'm not an expert. But from the notes B14 & B15 are '203 VC 71' So steel columns That might make more sense but a lot are labelled as UC and they’re definitely not. B5 etc. Below is the connection detail which also indicates it’s in the gf ceiling… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 (edited) Looks like he is speccing a channel which would be RSC never seen VC. Channel would make sense but a 254 is a biiiig channel. 16mm end plates? Are you building a nuclear bunker? I would be getting a new SE and probably save you a fortune in steel fab and erection costs Edited April 14, 2022 by markc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 6 minutes ago, markc said: Looks like he is speccing a channel which would be RSC never seen VC. Channel would make sense but a 254 is a biiiig channel. 16mm end plates? Are you building a nuclear bunker? I would be getting a new SE and probably save you a fortune in steel fab and erection costs i suspected over engineering as much. So far we’ve had a slab with two layers of 10mm mesh and B5 has changed to a 451 UB 97. Fabricators struggled to locate one so short as they usually come in 30m length for railway bridges!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miek Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 a column would be UC (universal column) but maybe it reads as VC because its done in handwriting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 14, 2022 Author Share Posted April 14, 2022 Just now, matthyde83 said: i suspected over engineering as much. So far we’ve had a slab with two layers of 10mm mesh and B5 has changed to a 451 UB 97. Fabricators struggled to locate one so short as they usually come in 30m length for railway bridges!! Oh and 20mm plates and stiffeners everywhere. Over 5m and 300kg of 20mm plate in the one beam and connections. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 Omg! This is ridiculous! Get another SE quick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 @matthyde83 you need a new engineer sharpish !!! Lintel notes “all lintels require 3 courses Class B” is ridiculous, as is the use of bolted 150/50 next to Velux windows and 400mm centres on sloping roof sections. He should have upped the sizes to the next size and you can then at least insulate properly too. I don’t want to know how much you have paid but this is serious overkill on engineering….!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Posted April 14, 2022 Share Posted April 14, 2022 It might be they've accidentally used B14 & B15 references twice. From what I can see, at GF B14 is a catnic lintel and B15 is a steel beam spanning from C1 to masonry wall. The next B14 and B15 steels are in the ceiling at roof level. They're probably there because the ceiling joists can't span and they wanted the ceiling joists to align through in the same direction as the rafters. I can't quite work out the roof structure but it might have been subcontracted to a roofer. The additional beams may help support there. 3 courses of engineering brick under lintels is a bit OTT but no reason not to in a new build. If the windows are ~2m+ wide then sensible enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthyde83 Posted April 15, 2022 Author Share Posted April 15, 2022 Does anyone have any recommendation for an SE I could get a second opinion from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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