Every beam calculation, underpinning design and foundation analysis delivered by our own chartered structural engineers — working alongside our architects and build teams in the same office, on the same programme, with the same commitment to getting your project right first time. No outsourced consultants, no coordination gaps, no redesigns on site.
Regenerating area with Victorian terraces and new developments. Wandsworth council is generally supportive of residential improvements. We specialise in wall removal projects across Wandsworth Town SW18, working within Wandsworth council's planning framework.
Wandsworth Town has conservation area coverage in parts, so some properties will need planning permission for external changes while others may proceed under permitted development. We assess each property individually.
Our wall removal projects in Wandsworth Town are delivered by our in-house team of RIBA architects, structural engineers and specialist tradespeople. Every project is managed under a single fixed-price contract with no hidden costs.
Behind every open-plan kitchen, every loft conversion, every rear extension and every basement dig-down sits a set of structural calculations that makes the visible design possible. The steel beam that lets you remove the wall between kitchen and dining room, the new floor joists that support a loft bedroom, the underpinning sequence that allows a basement to be excavated beneath an occupied house — none of these happen without a structural engineer.
Most residential design firms outsource their structural engineering to external consultancies. This creates a gap: the architect designs the space, sends drawings to an engineer they've never met, waits days for calculations, receives a design that doesn't quite fit the architectural intent, sends it back for revision and eventually receives a buildable solution weeks later than planned. This process costs time, money and design quality.
Our structural engineers sit in the same office as our architects and project managers. They're involved from the first design meeting — advising on what's structurally feasible, sizing beams while the architect is still sketching layouts, and identifying party wall or foundation issues before they become design constraints. The result is faster design programmes, fewer site surprises and structural solutions that work with the architecture, not against it.
We provide structural engineering both as part of our integrated design-and-build service and as a standalone consultancy. If you need beam calculations for a wall removal, a structural survey before purchasing a property, or a full engineering package for a basement excavation, our team delivers with the same rigour regardless of whether we're also building the project.
From a single beam calculation to a full basement engineering package — every structural discipline a London residential project demands.
Steel beam sizing for wall removals, loft floor support, extension roofs and opening-up works. Includes load path analysis, beam specification, padstone design and building control submission drawings. The most common residential structural calculation.
View Details →Sequential underpinning calculations for basement dig-downs, foundation design for new extensions, mass concrete pour sequences and temporary works design. We specify the underpinning method, pour sizes and curing schedules for safe, controlled excavation beneath occupied buildings.
View Details →New floor joist sizing, ridge beam design, dormer steelwork, hip-to-gable structural frames, purlin removal calculations and chimney breast support. We design the complete structural package for every type of London loft conversion — from simple velux to complex mansard.
Not every home improvement requires structural input — but the following projects always do. Getting this wrong can result in building control rejection, unsafe construction or costly remedial work.
The most common reason homeowners need a structural engineer. A steel beam (RSJ) must be designed to carry the loads above — floor joists, walls, roof structure. Building control requires approved calculations before any wall is removed. Even walls that appear non-structural may carry unexpected loads.
New floor joists must be sized to carry habitable loads (not just storage). Ridge beams, purlin removal steelwork, dormer frames and staircase openings all require structural design. The existing ceiling joists are almost never strong enough to support a bedroom floor without reinforcement.
Digging below the existing foundation level is the most structurally sensitive residential project. Sequential underpinning calculations, temporary works design, retaining wall engineering and waterproofing specification are all essential. A structural monitoring scheme protects the property during excavation.
Diagonal cracking, sticking doors, uneven floors and separating walls can indicate foundation movement. A structural engineer assesses the crack pattern, investigates the cause (tree roots, clay shrinkage, drainage failure, poor original foundations) and specifies the appropriate repair — which may range from monitoring to underpinning.
Every extension requires foundation design — the type, depth and width depend on the ground conditions, proximity to trees, the extension's load and local building control requirements. London's clay soils are particularly susceptible to seasonal movement, making proper foundation design critical.
Whether you are opening up a kitchen, creating a through-lounge or supporting a new floor, steel beam design is a structural engineering calculation. The beam size depends on the span, the loads it carries and the bearing capacity of the walls or padstones it sits on. Over-sizing wastes money; under-sizing is dangerous.
Removing a chimney breast on a lower floor while retaining it above requires a gallows bracket or steel support structure designed by an engineer. The chimney breast above can weigh several tonnes and must be permanently and safely supported. This is a building control requirement, not optional.
Cracked walls, sagging floors, bowing brickwork, failed lintels and leaning structures all require professional structural assessment before repair. A surveyor identifies the cause; an engineer designs the fix. Getting this wrong means treating symptoms while the underlying problem continues.
The steel beam is the single most common structural element in London residential construction. Here is what homeowners and builders need to know.
RSJ stands for Rolled Steel Joist — an I-shaped steel beam manufactured by rolling heated steel billets through a series of profiled rollers. The I-shape is structurally efficient because it concentrates material at the top and bottom flanges where bending forces are greatest, while keeping the web thin to minimise weight and cost.
How sizing is calculated: The correct beam size depends on three factors — the load it must carry (dead loads from the structure above plus live loads from occupancy), the span between supports, and the bearing capacity at each end. Our engineers calculate the bending moment, shear force and deflection to select the lightest beam section that satisfies all three criteria. Common residential sizes range from 152x89 UB for small openings to 305x165 UB for large open-plan rooms.
Typical costs: A standard RSJ beam for a single wall removal costs between £400 and £1,200 for the steel itself, depending on size and length. Installation (temporary propping, cutting the opening, lifting the beam into position, building padstones and making good) adds £1,500 to £3,500. Total cost for a typical wall removal including structural calculations: £2,500 to £5,500.
Building control approval: Every steel beam installation requires building control sign-off. We submit the structural calculations, general arrangement drawings and beam specification to your local authority. The building control officer inspects the beam in position (before it is boxed in or plastered) to confirm it matches the approved design. We coordinate this inspection and ensure it happens before the builder proceeds.
Padstones: The beam must sit on adequate bearings at each end — typically concrete padstones or steel bearing plates that spread the load into the supporting wall. The padstone size is calculated as part of the structural design. Inadequate bearings are one of the most common structural defects we see in retrospective inspections.
London's variable ground conditions — from shrinkable London Clay to alluvial gravels near the Thames — mean the correct foundation type is critical for every project.
The standard foundation for most house extensions. A continuous strip of concrete — typically 600mm wide and 225mm deep — is poured into a trench at the required depth. Suitable for stable ground where the bearing stratum is within 1 metre of ground level. The most economical option where ground conditions allow.
The trench is excavated to the required depth and filled entirely with concrete, rather than building off a narrow strip. Faster to construct (no bricklaying below ground), particularly effective in London's clay soils where deep trenches are needed to reach stable ground below the zone of seasonal moisture change. More concrete is used but labour time is significantly reduced.
Steel or concrete piles are driven or bored deep into the ground to reach a stable bearing stratum — sometimes 10 metres or more below ground level. Required when ground conditions are poor (made ground, soft alluvial deposits), when building near large trees whose roots could affect shallower foundations, or for basement construction where deep excavation makes conventional foundations impractical. More expensive but sometimes the only viable option.
A reinforced concrete slab that covers the entire footprint of the building, spreading the load across the full ground-bearing area. Used primarily for basements and where ground conditions are variable across the site. The raft acts as both the foundation and the ground floor slab. Common in basement conversions where the new slab must resist hydrostatic uplift pressure from groundwater.
Our structural engineers work across every major residential project type. Explore the services where structural design is integral.
Floor joist sizing, ridge beams, dormer steelwork, hip-to-gable frames and staircase opening design. Every loft conversion requires a full structural package.
Underpinning sequences, retaining wall design, waterproofing specification, temporary works and construction methodology. The most structurally intensive residential project.
Foundation design, structural opening beams, roof structure, connection details and building control submissions. Every extension needs engineered foundations and steelwork.
A streamlined process designed to deliver accurate structural solutions as fast as possible — without compromising engineering rigour.
You share your plans — either architectural drawings from your own designer, sketches on the back of an envelope or a verbal description of what you'd like to achieve. For complex projects, we visit site to inspect the existing structure, identify load paths, check foundation depths and assess any visible structural issues. For straightforward beam calculations, a dimensioned plan and photographs are often sufficient to proceed without a site visit.
Our engineers model the load paths, calculate dead and live loads, design the structural elements (beams, columns, foundations, floor joists, lintels) and produce a full calculation package. We use industry-standard software (Tekla Tedds, CADS) alongside hand calculations to verify results. Every calculation is independently checked by a second engineer before issue. For design-and-build projects, we coordinate directly with the architect to ensure structural elements are integrated into the spatial design — not imposed on it afterwards.
We produce structural general arrangement drawings showing beam positions, sizes, bearing details, connection types, padstone specifications and temporary works requirements. These are formatted for direct submission to your local authority building control department (or an approved inspector). We handle the building control submission and manage any queries or requests for additional information until the structural design is formally approved.
Guide pricing for the most common residential structural engineering requirements in London.
Single load-bearing wall removal with steel beam design, padstone specification, building control drawings and temporary works notes. The most common residential calculation.
Foundation design, floor slab, wall build-up, roof structure and connection to existing building. Includes building control package for single or double-storey extensions.
New floor joists, ridge/hip beams, dormer steelwork, staircase opening design, chimney breast support and temporary works. Complete structural package for all loft types.
Underpinning sequence design, RC slab and retaining walls, temporary works, waterproofing specification, structural monitoring scheme and construction methodology statement.
What sets an in-house structural engineering team apart from a standalone consultancy.
Our engineers sit next to our architects. They discuss beam positions over the same desk, adjust designs in real time and resolve conflicts before they reach the drawing board — let alone the building site. This eliminates the weeks of back-and-forth that separate firms generate.
Simple beam calculations are typically returned within 3 working days. Full loft or extension packages within 5 days. Same-day urgent service is available for time-critical projects — because we know a delayed beam calculation can hold up an entire build programme.
Every structural design we submit to building control is approved. Not because we over-engineer (which wastes money), but because our calculations are thorough, clearly presented and backed by independent checking. We've never had a structural submission rejected.
Every calculation is independently verified by a second chartered engineer before issue. This dual-check process catches errors before they reach site — an industry best practice that many smaller firms skip.
Our engineers visit site when needed — to inspect existing foundations, assess structural defects, verify load paths or troubleshoot unexpected conditions during construction. Not just desk-based consultants.
London's period housing stock presents unique structural challenges: shallow brick foundations, lime mortar joints, timber lintels, chimney breast loads and party wall conditions. We engineer for these realities daily.
Our engineers provide structural justification for party wall notices — demonstrating to adjoining owners' surveyors that proposed works are safe and properly designed. This speeds up the party wall process significantly.
Propping sequences, Acrow configurations, dead shoring layouts and temporary beam arrangements designed for every project where existing structure is altered during construction.
Crack gauge installation, level survey monitoring and vibration assessment for basement projects and properties adjacent to construction works. Real-time data, not assumptions.
Structural crack assessment, subsidence investigation, lintel failure analysis, floor deflection diagnosis and timber decay surveys. We identify the cause before specifying the repair.
We provide structural engineering as a standalone service to external architects and builders, or as part of our integrated design-and-build offering. Same quality, same team, same turnaround.
Need a same-day repair or maintenance visit in NW London?
Visit Hampstead On Demand →We needed beam calculations for two wall removals and had already been quoted three weeks' turnaround by another firm. Hampstead's engineers delivered fully checked calculations with building control drawings in four working days. The builder said they were the clearest structural drawings he'd ever worked from.
Having the structural engineer in the same room as the architect completely changed our loft conversion. Instead of waiting for calculations to come back and then redesigning around beam positions, everything was resolved in one design session. The loft layout is exactly what we wanted — no compromises forced by structural afterthoughts.
I'm an architect and I've used Hampstead Renovations' structural team on seven projects now. They understand residential construction intuitively — the beam sizes are always right, the temporary works notes are practical and the turnaround is consistently the fastest I've experienced in London. I don't use anyone else.
Common questions about residential structural engineering in London.
Use these area-specific guide pages to compare the next build routes, planning questions and cost topics people commonly research in Wandsworth Town SW18.
Whether you need a single beam calculation, a full loft package or a pre-purchase structural survey — contact our engineering team to discuss your requirements and receive a fixed-price quotation.
Describe your project and receive a fixed-price quotation for structural engineering — typically within 24 hours of enquiry.
Get a Structural QuoteOur design studio is 25 minutes from Wandsworth Town. Wandsworth planning specialists.