We are also looking for a structural engineer.  Located in the Leatherhead area, we have one recommendation but we understand they tend to over engineer solutions, which makes it expensive, on a limited budget.  Any recommendations much appreciated.

Hello.

You'll be aware of the answer I gave yesterday. Our SE  is in Cork, Republic of Ireland. We have never met, neither do we need to. The key thing is - does the SE  provide what you need. Not where he or she is based.

Good luck

Yes, many thanks, had read that thread.  I had assumed that SE would need to do a site visits.  As ours is an extension and recofiguration of our existing bungalow, was expecting a site visit to be necessary in order to confirm load bearing walls and exiting roof structure etc.

2 minutes ago, Jml said:

[...]

had assumed that SE would need to do a site visits.

[...]

 

I may be an Admin, but I'm no building expert.

You may be right in some circumstances. However, it is more common for Building Control to visit the site. They will need access to the SE's calculations and drawings. And that'll be accessed via email. So even if the SE lives next door to you, the data will be transmitted via email.

So  the SE could be  based anywhere.

Agree with @recoveringacademic. The chap that did our trusses carried out the calcs from my description and some discussions on required loading and free heights etc.

Not sure I would be confident enough for SE to rely on my descriptions.  Bungalow was built in 1955 and has all solid walls downstairs some of which we want to remove.  The roof and dormer, an existing extension, has a confusing mix of structural beams which even after crawling around with torch, am not sure how they work together.

Hmm. I’d be hesitant. Our SE was local and made some very useful observations about the state and span of the roof trusses that needed work. I’d be doubtful that would have happened if they were fully offsite.

Which ever way it needs to be someone you can trust and gets the vision. There were numerous ways to lay out the steels in our place and the architect had columns and downstands all over the place. 

The SE looked at it and commented that it didn’t fit the look he thought we were going for - with this in mind we then raised the floor in a couple of bedrooms. 

Doubt I would have got that in an email relatioship. 

That sounds like something we need.  We also hope to keep it simple by using existing window openings for new door entrances and hope not  to need too many pillars.

4 hours ago, Lesgrandepotato said:

[...]

Doubt I would have got that in an email relationship. 

 

Exactly. I made the mistake (sometimes fatal on BH) of assuming an architect would be involved. My apologies @Jml.

1 minute ago, recoveringacademic said:

 

Exactly. I made the mistake (sometimes fatal on BH) of assuming an architect would be involved. My apologies @Jml.

 

I think this might be the difference between renovation and new build. In our world we had an architect involved, but until we'd torn into the structure we didn't know what we didn't know. I suspect this then ramps up the SE involvement as the design is no longer in the full control of the architect - he has to respect the constraints of the current structure. 

No problem.  Just for piece of mind think I would need a site visit from SE, as would hate them to rely on my description of existing structure.  Any local recommendations, to me, welcome! Cheers.