Structural Engineers in the UK
The calculations for the steel where the wall is coming out, the loft conversion signed off by building control, a crack the surveyor did not like, a report the mortgage lender is insisting on, the foundations for the extension, or an old building someone wants to be sure about: find a local structural engineer people trust.
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Finding a good structural engineer in the UK
A structural engineer works out what holds a building up and what it takes to change it: the size of the steel beam when a wall comes out, the floor joists and roof for a loft conversion, the foundations for an extension, whether a crack is movement or plaster, what subsidence and a leaning wall need, and the reports that lenders, insurers, buyers and building control require. Most domestic work is calculations and drawings for a builder, produced from a visit and submitted to building control; the rest is surveys and reports on problems, and the design of the larger jobs with an architect.
Choosing one is about qualification and fit: a chartered engineer — CEng with the Institution of Structural Engineers or the Institution of Civil Engineers, or an incorporated engineer — carries professional indemnity insurance and produces calculations that building control and lenders accept; a small practice or sole trader that does houses all week is usually quicker and cheaper for a beam than a firm that designs bridges. Ask for a fixed fee for the job, what it includes — visit, calculations, drawings, building control submission, site inspection — and the turnaround, and give them the architect's drawings if there are any.
The listings here show each engineer's qualifications and specialisms, services, fees and contact details, so you can see who is nearby, who does domestic calculations or surveys, and whose reports builders and building control in your town are used to.
What structural engineers do
Calculations and design: beams for wall removals and openings, loft conversions, extensions, basements, garage conversions and new builds, with drawings for the builder and building control.
Surveys and reports: inspections of cracks, subsidence, bowing walls, sagging floors and roofs, with a report on the cause and the remedy, for owners, buyers, lenders and insurers.
Working with others: designs with architects, specifications for builders, submissions to building control, and site visits to check the steel and the foundations before they are covered.
Specialist: underpinning and subsidence remediation design, timber and masonry repairs, listed and historic buildings, retaining walls, and temporary works.
Commercial and civil: shop and office fit-outs, mezzanines, structural alterations, and the larger buildings and civil works of the bigger practices.
Before you instruct a structural engineer
- Check they are chartered or incorporated and carry professional indemnity insurance; building control and lenders expect it.
- Say what the job is — a beam, a loft, a crack, a report for a lender — and send any drawings or the surveyor's comments.
- Ask for a fixed fee and what it includes: visit, calculations, drawings, building control submission, inspections, revisions.
- Ask the turnaround; a beam calculation is a week or two, a report similar, a full design longer.
- Ask whether they liaise with the builder and building control; most do, and it saves questions on site.
- For a survey, ask for a written report with photographs and a clear recommendation, in language a lender accepts.
What structural engineers charge in the UK
As a rough guide, calculations for a single beam or a wall removal cost £250 to £500 including a visit and drawings for building control, a loft conversion or single-storey extension £500 to £1,200, a two-storey extension or a basement £1,000 to £3,000, and a full new-build design 1 to 3 per cent of the build cost; a structural inspection and report on a crack or a specific concern £250 to £600, a full structural survey of a house £600 to £1,500, and a subsidence investigation with monitoring more; site inspections £100 to £250 each; hourly rates £80 to £150. Fees are higher in London and for listed buildings.
A £400 beam calculation is the cheapest part of a £15,000 knock-through, and the part that stops the ceiling coming down.
Structural Engineers — frequently asked questions
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How do I find a structural engineer near me?+
Look at the structural engineers listed for your town, check chartered or incorporated status and insurance, and see whether they do domestic calculations, surveys or both, with reviews from homeowners and builders. Ask two for a fixed fee for your job with the turnaround, and send any drawings you have.
How much does a structural engineer cost?+
Typically £250 to £500 for the calculations and drawings for a single beam or wall removal, £500 to £1,200 for a loft or single-storey extension, £250 to £600 for an inspection and report on a crack, and £600 to £1,500 for a full structural survey; hourly rates are £80 to £150 and site inspections £100 to £250.
Do I need a structural engineer to remove a wall?+
If the wall is load-bearing, yes: the engineer sizes the beam and its bearings, produces the calculations and drawings building control requires, and the builder installs to them; a builder cannot lawfully guess the beam. If you are not sure whether the wall is load-bearing, the engineer's visit tells you, and many will say for the price of a call.
What is the difference between a structural engineer and a surveyor?+
A surveyor inspects a property's condition and flags concerns; a structural engineer investigates the structure itself, diagnoses cracks and movement, and designs the fix or the alteration with calculations. Lenders and buyers often ask for an engineer's report when a survey has found a structural concern.
Is a crack in my wall serious?+
Hairline cracks in plaster and around openings are usually settlement or seasonal and not serious; cracks wider than a few millimetres, stepped through brickwork, growing, or with sticking doors and sloping floors may be movement or subsidence and need an engineer's inspection, at £250 to £600 for a report that says what it is and what to do. Insurers require an engineer's view for a subsidence claim.
Does a structural engineer deal with building control?+
Yes: the calculations and drawings are submitted to building control with the application, the engineer answers their questions, and inspects the steel, foundations or timbers on site before they are covered if instructed; most fixed fees include the submission and one or two inspections. Ask what is included.
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