When are beam calculations required?
If a wall, floor or roof is being supported on a new beam, Building Control will require calculations demonstrating the beam is adequate - covering bending, shear, deflection and bearing. That applies to load-bearing wall removals, new openings in external walls, beams supporting floors in loft conversions, and ridge or purlin beams in roof alterations.
It isn't just red tape. An undersized beam deflects - cracked plaster, sticking doors, bouncing floors - and an oversized one wastes money and headroom. Correct sizing is cheap compared to either.
How loads are assessed
We build up the loads the beam actually carries - roof, floors, walls above, snow and imposed loads - following the building's load paths, then design the beam and its bearings to suit. The result is an economical section, properly checked, with padstones or spreader details where the masonry needs them.
What you and your builder receive
A calculation package specifying the beam size and grade, bearing lengths, padstone sizes and any connection details - ready for Building Control and clear enough for your builder and steel fabricator to order from. If Building Control queries anything, we respond directly.
What we need to quote
Drawings or dimensioned sketches of the existing and proposed layouts, photographs of the wall or opening, and what's above it (floor, roof, another wall). Send those over and we'll return a fixed price.
Frequently asked questions
Can my builder just 'use a big enough beam'?
Building Control will ask for calculations, so a guessed beam still needs an engineer to check it - and retro-checking an installed beam that turns out undersized is the expensive version. Getting calculations first is quicker and cheaper.
Do you design the padstones too?
Yes - bearing design is part of the package. The beam is only as good as what it sits on, and crushed masonry under a beam bearing is a classic defect we see in surveys.