Openings and wall removals
Beam, padstone and propping design when you open up a kitchen, take out a chimney breast or widen a doorway.
Beam designfrom $550
Structural and civil design you can build from
Keel and Beam designs beams, frames, foundations, retaining walls and drainage for homes, commercial buildings and public works. Every calculation is checked by a second engineer, and every drawing is written for the builder who has to read it on site.
Fixed feesfor most home projects
Checked twiceevery calculation set
5 to 10 daysfor a typical beam design
- Every design checked twice
- Calculations with every drawing
- Structural and civil in one firm
- Site visits during the build
Engineering for buildings and the ground beneath them
Fees below are for straightforward projects with clear access. Larger or unusual work is priced in a written fee proposal.
Extensions and loft rooms
Floor joists, roof structure, foundations and connections for extensions and new rooms in the roof space.
Structural packagefrom $1,900
New buildings
Frames in steel, concrete, timber or masonry for houses, shops, offices and warehouses, from concept to construction drawings.
Staged feesfrom $6,500
Civil and drainage design
Stormwater, soakaways, access roads, car parks and site levels, designed to the requirements of the local authority.
Drainage designfrom $1,200
Retaining walls and foundations
Walls that hold back ground and foundations for difficult soils, designed from site investigation data.
Retaining wall designfrom $1,400
Structural inspections
Cracks, sagging floors, movement and storm damage assessed on site, with a written report on cause and repair.
Inspection and reportfrom $480
Three ways we price our work
Every fee is confirmed in writing before we start, stating what is included and what would change it.
Single element design
fixed fee from$550
One beam, one opening or one retaining wall, designed and drawn for your builder and the building authority.
- Site visit or survey photos reviewed
- Calculations and a marked up drawing
- Answers to the builder's questions
Home project package
fixed fee from$1,900
Everything structural for an extension, loft room or major renovation, coordinated with your architect or designer.
- Foundations, frame and roof checked as one
- Drawings for approval and for building
- Two site visits during construction
Commercial and civil
staged fees from$6,500
Buildings, site works and infrastructure, priced stage by stage from concept through to completion.
- Concept options with cost notes
- Detailed design and specifications
- Construction support and inspections
Fees exclude authority charges, soil testing and surveys by other firms, which we can arrange and pass on at cost.
Which service fits your situation?
Not sure where to begin? Find the line closest to your project.
| Your situation | What we provide | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Opening up a wall between two rooms | Beam design with calculations and a drawing | 5 to 10 working days |
| Cracks appearing in walls or ceilings | Inspection and a written report | Visit within 2 weeks |
| Planning an extension or loft room | Structural package for approval and building | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Buying a property with signs of movement | Inspection report before you commit | Within 1 week |
| Building on a slope or soft ground | Foundation or retaining wall design | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Developing a site or a new building | Staged fee proposal | Proposal within 1 week |
Drawings written for the people who build them
A good structural drawing answers a builder's questions before they are asked: sizes, grades, bearing lengths, connections and the order of work. We mark every drawing with the propping and temporary works a site team needs, not just the finished structure.
Engineering titles and licences differ between countries, and so do the rules on who may sign off a design. Each project is led by an engineer holding the registration required where it will be built, and the fee proposal names that person.
- A second engineer checks every calculation
- Drawings sized to read on site, even on a phone
- Builder questions answered within one working day
- Site inspections recorded with photos and notes
From first call to final inspection
Brief and fee
Tell us about the project, and a fixed fee or staged proposal arrives within a week.
Survey
We visit to measure, inspect the existing structure and note the ground conditions.
Design and check
Calculations and drawings are produced, then checked line by line by a second engineer.
Approvals
We supply what the building authority asks for and answer its queries.
On site
Inspections at key stages, such as foundations and steel, with written notes after each.
The kind of work on our desks
Photos from typical projects. Client names and site locations are kept private.
Clients and collaborators (example reviews)
The drawing showed the beam, the padstones and the propping sequence, so the builder had no questions at all. The kitchen wall came out in a single day.
As an architect, it matters to have an engineer who answers emails quickly and explains the options in plain words. Their notes saved the roof from a redesign.
Cracks over two doors had the family worried. The inspection traced them to a leaking drain softening the ground, and the repair cost far less than feared.
Questions clients ask engineers
Does removing a wall need a structural engineer?
If the wall carries any load, almost always. Building authorities in many countries ask for calculations, and even where they do not, the beam and its supports still need sizing properly.
What is the difference between structural and civil engineering?
Structural engineering deals with the frame of a building: beams, columns, floors and foundations. Civil engineering covers the ground and infrastructure around it, such as drainage, roads, levels and retaining walls.
Who signs off the design?
The engineer leading your project, who holds the registration required where the work is built. Titles and licensing rules vary by country, so the fee proposal states who signs.
Do you work with architects and builders?
Yes, on most projects. We share drawings in the formats they use and answer their questions directly, which keeps the build moving.
How long does a design stay valid?
A design suits the structure and loads it was made for. If the plans change, or the build is delayed by several years and the rules are updated, we review it before work starts.
How are fees paid?
Small fixed fee jobs are invoiced when the drawings are issued. Larger projects are billed stage by stage as set out in the proposal, paid directly to us.
Request a fee proposal
Outline the building and what you plan to change or build. An engineer reads every request and answers within two working days, either with questions or with a fee.
- A written fee before any work starts
- A named engineer for your project
- Easier on the phone? +1 555 0107
Talk to an engineer
Calls are answered by an engineer, so you can describe the project straight away and get a sense of what it needs.
Phone and email
Design office in the town centre, site visits within about 150 km
Office hours
| Monday to Friday | 08:30 to 17:30 |
| Saturday | By arrangement |
| Sunday | Closed |
Where we work
Site work within about 150 km of the office. Projects further away are taken on for design when a local engineer can carry out the inspections.