Fitting RSJ’s, or as some call them,”Steel Beams“, may seem quite straight forward and for the average DIY enthusiast, can sometimes offer temptation to carry out the work themselves. Don’t!
Before calling on HS Carpenters & Builders for a quotation to fit your RSJ, there is one specific thing you need to do and that’s to get a structural engineer involved to determine the size of the steel required and the recommended padstone construction methods.
Yes, I hear you saying: “But why do i need a structural engineer if you’re a reputable builder?” We are reputable builders and as much as we could just advise you on using a bigger beam than normal and state that we’ll use pad stones built with engineering bricks instead of concrete, we’re not allowed to. Mainly for two reasons:
1. Working out the structural load-bearing calculations on internal or external walls, once the walls, whole or part, have been removed, needs to be carried out by a qualified structural engineer who can determine the proper size of RSJ required along with the appropriate method for constructing the pad stones.
2. Your local building control needs to see these calculations along with the detailed drawing/s which will show the pad stone construction as well as any other load-bearing issues that accompany his findings.
Fitting RSJ’s Is Not A Task For The DIY Enthusiast!
Although we are highly conversant in fitting RSJ’s, it is beyond our control to work out load-bearing calculations. This can only be carried out by a qualified structural engineer.
A structural engineer will work these out and provide you with a technical drawing which will show the padstone construction method (concrete or engineering brick), any brick or block piers that have to be built, as well as the size of the steel required to accommodate the opening.
Once you have this documentation in your possession, we can then furnish you with a competitive quotation to carry out the works. By all means, we can supply you with a ball-park figure via our online estimate form if you give us the width of the opening along with a brief description of your project.
If you are happy with our quotation, we will liaise with you to complete your local building control notice and once you have paid the appropriate fees to your building control office, we can begin the work after 2 working days have passed. This 2-day period is the time it would normally take for the form and fees to be processed by your local council.
Once the pad-stones are built and the steel/s inserted, we can telephone your local building control office to book a first stage inspection. This is normal practice where a local building inspector will come to your property and inspect the works to date. He/she will ensure that the padstones/brick piers have been constructed correctly and that the RSJ is properly compacted and properly in situ.
Once the inspector is happy, the RSJ can then be enclosed with timber noggins jammed into the steel web and clad over with plasterboard and a plaster skim finish to give a minimum of 1hr fire protection.
When the work has been completed, we can then telephone your local building control office and book a final inspection. Once this has been carried out you will recieve official certification that the project has been ‘passed-off’.
If you then come to sell your home one day, and the new buyer has a structural survey carried out, you can be rest-assured that you have the required documentation at hand and that the work has been logged and passed at the appropriate building control office.
Not having the approved certification will only cause delays in selling your property one day and you may even find yourself having to rebuild what was taken down, if it wasn’t initially approved and passed by your local authority.