Structural engineer help/recommendation please

[AJB Temple]

I have a building, about 11m by 9m with a fink truss roof made of engineered softwood trusses. The building is about 30 to 35 years old and I do not know who manufactured the trusses.

Now I would like to convert this building by insulating it and making it useful. Ideally I would like to raise the ceiling height in at least part of the building by modifying the internal roof structure in situ.

For practical and planning reasons I cannot justify taking off the clay tiles and fitting an entire new roof structure, therefore if I cannot modify the fink roof I will simply accept a low ceiling. I would also like to spec some structural supports for bifold or sliding doors, but that is secondary.

I know we have some structural engineers on the forum. Can anyone (SE or not) recommend me a reasonably local structural engineer who can assist me with some paid for professional advice on this smallish domestic project. The property is in the Tonbridge area in a rural location pretty much between Tunbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone. It is not a listed building and I am not a building ignoramus. However, I am not competent to do structural calculations.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations or tips. AJ

 

[MartinCox]

I have used Michael Dann from Alan Baxter Partnership in Maidstone. Perfectly competent.

 

[AJB Temple]

Thanks Martin. Is that an actual recommendation? Please PM or email me if you prefer. AJ

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

I have a building, about 11m by 9m with a fink truss roof made of engineered softwood trusses. The building is about 30 to 35 years old and I do not know who manufactured the trusses.

Now I would like to convert this building by insulating it and making it useful. Ideally I would like to raise the ceiling height in at least part of the building by modifying the internal roof structure in situ.

For practical and planning reasons I cannot justify taking off the clay tiles and fitting an entire new roof structure, therefore if I cannot modify the fink roof I will simply accept a low ceiling. I would also like to spec some structural supports for bifold or sliding doors, but that is secondary.

I know we have some structural engineers on the forum. Can anyone (SE or not) recommend me a reasonably local structural engineer who can assist me with some paid for professional advice on this smallish domestic project. The property is in the Tonbridge area in a rural location pretty much between Tunbridge, Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone. It is not a listed building and I am not a building ignoramus. However, I am not competent to do structural calculations.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations or tips. AJ

Hi AJ, I'm a structural engineer but not exactly local to you (based in south west Wales).

It may be possible to modify the roof structure by installing a (more than likely) steel ridge beam and possibly installing strengthening rafters alongside the existing rafters, which would mean that you could remove the bottom chord of the trusses completely. This would also be dependant on the form of construction of the existing external walls, and also it would depend on whether there were sensible internal locations where you could provide intermediate supports to the ridge beam (min. 2 internal supports to keep the steel size down to something sensible). The intermediate supports could be an internal wall (if it was off an existing foundation) or possibly having to install a masonry pier or steel column with a new foundation.

In terms of the bi-fold doors if this is new then you may need a goalpost frame installed, depending on the span and it's location along the building. However a new steel lintel may suffice, but would all have to satisfy building regulations.

In order to determine some of the above exploratory works may be necessary, for example digging localised trial holes in the ground to determine extent of existing foundations. A site survey would likely also have to be undertaken and also building regs drawings prepared.

I can't recommend any local engineers to you tho sorry, but give findanengineer.com a try.

Good luck

 

[AJB Temple]

Thanks. This is a softwood timber frame construction, with three open bays divided by softwood posts on brick piers at the front and stud walls all around the other three sides, all on low brick walls about 2ft high. There is a cross member running the length of the building but this is set not centrally (i.e. it is not beneath the apex, but beneath the back V of the fisk trusses. It is supported by two posts on brick piers. This may be structural or it may have been put there to create two rooms that I have demolished.

I have no problem retaining internal posts, though I may prefer to move them and put in a new cross beam structure.

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

Without seeing your building in the flesh it is difficult to know exactly how the building is behaving structurally. One thing though it sounds like you may have removed internal walls, and being a timber frame they may have been sheathed racking walls which would be contributing to resisting wind loads, so just something to be wary of. Also, being an old timber frame structure an engineer may need to do calculations to see if the building would theoretically stand up based on today's design standards - as it sounds like a lot of work needs doing this would have to be done including you undertaking any possible strengthening works elsewhere to satisfy building regs, but some smaller structural engineering firms may 'turn a blind eye' to this for your financial benefit, but that would be down to their discretion (and liability).

But when you get an engineer on board once they see your building they'll be able definitively tell you what is or isn't possible. Like I said though try www.findanengineer.com, it's run in association with the institute of structural engineers, and I know our company is on it as well as a lot of the local competition, so I can't see why it won't have all of your local companies on there.

Good luck

 

[AJB Temple]

Thanks. In fact I have removed internal partitioning which was between the internal posts and overhead cross beam. These were made of 1/4" ply over some thin deal framework. These partitions created, in estate agent speak, a "gym" and a utility room. Likely relevance to wind loads is nil.

I am not trying to compromise safety or avoid building regs. All I was asking for is a recommendation for an actual SE and Martin has provided that. It is better than taking pot luck from an internet search.

I am more than happy to beef up the structure where necessary - I just want to do the right thing.

 

[Sawdust=manglitter]

If these internal partitions were not connected to any of the external studs then they wouldn't have been racking walls.

Meant no disrespect, just trying to help. Let me know if you think the quote is more than anticipated or whatever and I'll let you know if someone's trying to rip you off

 

[AJB Temple]

Thanks. AJ