Cartlodge - SE for foundation design in Essex?

[Molynoox]

Hi All,

I need to build a cartlodge, 7m x 5.5m, Oak frame at front, 6 courses of brickwork and CLS framing for walls, dual pitch (45 degree) tiled roof (probably composite tiles), and Cedral cement board cladding.

I would like to get some structural engineer guidance to design adequate foundations for it - it would be great if we can just do 150mm type 1 with a 150mm metal reinforced concrete pad on top but maybe I need strip foundations depending on ground conditions and point loading etc

Does anybody know any structural engineers, ideally for Burnham area, that I could contact for this?

thanks
Martin

 

[Jameshow]

Hi All,

I need to build a cartlodge, 7m x 5.5m, Oak frame at front, 6 courses of brickwork and CLS framing for walls, dual pitch (45 degree) tiled roof (probably composite tiles), and Cedral cement board cladding.

I would like to get some structural engineer guidance to design adequate foundations for it - it would be great if we can just do 150mm type 1 with a 150mm metal reinforced concrete pad on top but maybe I need strip foundations depending on ground conditions and point loading etc
View attachment 167652

Does anybody know any structural engineers, ideally for Burnham area, that I could contact for this?

thanks
Martin

Do you mean a raft foundation? If so then 150mm deeper to 300 at the edge should be adequate?

If not then you need pads and strip....

I think you need pads on the corners near 600mm cubed, and then a strip foundation for the backs say 300mm x300mm.

That would be my haunch - I'm not a qualified structural engineer!!

 

[Molynoox]

Do you mean a raft foundation? If so then 150mm deeper to 300 at the edge should be adequate?

If not then you need pads and strip....

I think you need pads on the corners near 600mm cubed, and then a strip foundation for the backs say 300mm x300mm.

That would be my haunch - I'm not a qualified structural engineer!!

thanks for the response James, good to get another perspective. I was thinking something similar to be honest.
I'm thinking probably 600mm deep on the ring foundation and 150mm deep on the raft
but I could do with getting hold of a SE to bring in on the project, I thought perhaps people may have had some recommendations but if not I will just google for one

Martin

 

[flying haggis]

Could you ask your local building control for advice/ engineer recommendations?

 

[Molynoox]

Could you ask your local building control for advice/ engineer recommendations?

That's a good idea and it's something I've considered already but I seem to remember reading they don't offer free consultations any more.

But I could still use them I suppose if it solves the problem

 

[HOJ]

You wouldn't necessarily need to use a structural engineer in Burnham, if you have the principal design and construction details, you could deal with a local engineer to you, to quantify the minimum spec's required, (including checking the timber frame and roof structure design)

I presume you are in for planning, & as you are over the 30m2 limit for building regs, (unless this is exempt) you will probably have to get approvals prior to building, in which case you will need to get a BC site inspection on excavation, which may lead to changes depending on the ground conditions found on site.

I normally do a full plans BR application, for them to "check and approve", in my experience LA BC's won't offer specific advice, only make comment on your proposal.

(SE's can be ££££)

 

[dw1k]

Only a single data point, but I used Howe Structural Consultants for a workshop build, very pragmatic and cost £600 for an rsj design, including a site visit. I suspect Essex wouldn't be too far out of the way for him.
Worth checking the institute of structural engineers listing if you need one closer, that's how I found him

 

[Molynoox]

You wouldn't necessarily need to use a structural engineer in Burnham, if you have the principal design and construction details, you could deal with a local engineer to you, to quantify the minimum spec's required, (including checking the timber frame and roof structure design)

I presume you are in for planning, & as you are over the 30m2 limit for building regs, (unless this is exempt) you will probably have to get approvals prior to building, in which case you will need to get a BC site inspection on excavation, which may lead to changes depending on the ground conditions found on site.

I normally do a full plans BR application, for them to "check and approve", in my experience LA BC's won't offer specific advice, only make comment on your proposal.

(SE's can be ££££)

Thanks HOJ, that's great

We do have planning already yeah. I haven't contacted building control yet but they will need to be involved.

I thought perhaps they needed a site visit to assess ground conditions before advising on foundations hence why I was thinking local to Burnham.

Martin

 

[Molynoox]

Only a single data point, but I used Howe Structural Consultants for a workshop build, very pragmatic and cost £600 for an rsj design, including a site visit. I suspect Essex wouldn't be too far out of the way for him.
Worth checking the institute of structural engineers listing if you need one closer, that's how I found him

Thanks, they do cover Essex it says.
Handy to have the price for context

 

[HOJ]

I forgot to mention that I use an independent BC company: Stroma rather than the LA, far easier to deal with as they allocate a single point of contact, rather than what has been in my past experiences with the LA where you get a different one every time they come out to check, even on the the same job, with different ideas and demands.

 

[Molynoox]

I forgot to mention that I use an independent BC company: Stroma rather than the LA, far easier to deal with as they allocate a single point of contact, rather than what has been in my past experiences with the LA where you get a different one every time they come out to check, even on the the same job, with different ideas and demands.

also very useful info
do you not end up adding cost to the project that way though, as isn't it free to use local BC?

Martin

 

[Molynoox]

I forgot to mention that I use an independent BC company: Stroma rather than the LA, far easier to deal with as they allocate a single point of contact, rather than what has been in my past experiences with the LA where you get a different one every time they come out to check, even on the the same job, with different ideas and demands.

I have made a request for a BC quote through Stroma
Do you think they would offer advice on the foundations design before they arrive on site or do you basically need to build the foundations, then have them inspect, then modify to suit?

Martin

 

[Iestynd]

I can't comment on your area however on the few builds I've done in the Oxford area the way is usually works is SE advises on foundation requirements. This is captured into a technical drawing and then when it comes to building it the BC officer checks it meets that spec. However on the last two jobs I've done we hit bedrock before we reached the 1200mm specified so we called the BC officer out and he agreed there was no point taking it out to put it back in as concrete.
We spoke to the SE who updated the technical plans accordingly.

Hope i'm not teaching you to suck eggs. Good luck i'm very envious of that space!!

 

[HOJ]

isn't it free to use local BC?

The LA BC have a similar pricing structure, so no they are certainly not free, well certainly not in my neck of the woods.

@Iestynd pretty much sums up the way I work, I normally submit the drawings and specifications to BC for a plan check before I start, saves a lot of aggro when you do call them in to inspect, as they will have already approved it, in principal.

 

[Molynoox]

I can't comment on your area however on the few builds I've done in the Oxford area the way is usually works is SE advises on foundation requirements. This is captured into a technical drawing and then when it comes to building it the BC officer checks it meets that spec. However on the last two jobs I've done we hit bedrock before we reached the 1200mm specified so we called the BC officer out and he agreed there was no point taking it out to put it back in as concrete.
We spoke to the SE who updated the technical plans accordingly.

Hope i'm not teaching you to suck eggs. Good luck i'm very envious of that space!!

That's really handy info thanks

 

[MikeJhn]

No one is going to give you a foundation design free, they will have to cover for their Professional Indemnity insurance at the very least, BC also will not take on the responsibility for the design.

A Structural Engineer will submit plans and calculations to BC for comment, the only comment they will make is "No Comment" the closest you get to approval, or "Refused" if you are lucky they may verbally tell you why, never in writing, that was my experience when I was in practice.

Also consider if your car is right hand drive, how far can you open the drivers door once inside.

 

[Jameshow]

No one is going to give you a foundation design free, they will have to cover for their Professional Indemnity insurance at the very least, BC also will not take on the responsibility for the design.

A Structural Engineer will submit plans and calculations to BC for comment, the only comment they will make is "No Comment" the closest you get to approval, or "Refused" if you are lucky they may verbally tell you why, never in writing, that was my experience when I was in practice.

Also consider if your car is right hand drive, how far can you open the drivers door once inside.

I tnl you'll be looking at £3-5k. Or 10% of build costs.

I think our raft was about £2k in 2008 in the northern slums. Build was £30k iirc.

 

[MikeJhn]

I tnl you'll be looking at £3-5k. Or 10% of build costs.

Oh I wished, for a shed base design you will be looking at a Structural Engineers fee of under £1000, plus expense's, 10:20% of build costs are Architects fees for a full plans and planning application of a new build XXXXX.

 

[Inspector]

Curious if that is a normal size garage or are you restricted in size for some reason? I would have to fold the mirrors on my pickup to drive in and squeeze through a window to get out then I'd have to climb over the box to get across the garage as there wouldn't be enough room to walk around the ends of the vehicle. Might scrape the roof too depending how high the door is. I'll add that I bought the lowest truck available because of the door height in my garage. Way too cold in the winter to want top park outside.

Pete

 

[MikeJhn]

As Pete said above and I did previously, do consider how you will get in and out of your vehicle once inside the garage, height, width and length come into play, In a tight garage I once had, I hung a pingpong ball from the roof that touched the windscreen when I had accessed enough to close the door, but still had the problem of getting out of the car without scraping the door on the side wall, width IMO is the most important part, notwithstanding the size of the doors.