What Happens During a Structural Survey
A structural survey is often the first practical step before an extension, loft conversion or knock-through. Here's what a structural engineer actually looks at.
Short answer: a structural survey is a site visit by a structural engineer who inspects the building's foundations, load-bearing walls and roof structure, records any cracking or movement, and produces calculations or a report that feeds into your design and Building Regulations application.
When you typically need one
- Before a knock-through, extension or loft conversion that affects load-bearing walls or the roof structure
- Where you've noticed cracking, sloping floors, or doors and windows that have started sticking
- Buying an older or listed property, where a full structural assessment gives peace of mind before committing
- Where Building Control specifically requests structural calculations for a proposed alteration
What's inspected
The engineer looks at foundations where accessible, the condition and layout of load-bearing walls, the roof structure and how loads are currently carried through the building, and any visible signs of movement such as cracking, especially around openings like doors and windows. On an extension or knock-through, they'll also assess how the new structure, such as a steel beam, needs to tie into the existing building.
What the report contains
For a straightforward alteration, this is usually a set of structural calculations showing the size of beam or support needed, which gets submitted alongside your Building Regulations application. For a general condition survey, it's a written report describing what was found, the likely cause of any movement, and recommendations for further investigation or repair where needed.
How this feeds into your project
Structural calculations are a required part of a Building Regulations application for anything affecting a load-bearing wall or the roof structure, so this step generally happens early, once a design is settled but before the application goes in. We work with structural engineers as part of the design process, so calculations are ready at the right stage rather than causing a delay later.
Talk to us about your project
Tell us about the property and what you have in mind. We'll arrange a site visit and provide a written, itemised quotation.