Structural engineers help in the design process in buildings and structures, designing them to withstand the forces that act upon them. They work in close partnership with architects and builders and when construction has begun, structural engineers are often involved in inspecting the work and advising contractors.

Structural engineers also examine existing buildings and other structures to test if they are structurally sound, in particular if the building has suffered from subsidence, fire or flooding. Structural engineers have to make efficient use of funds and materials in order to achieve appropriate and economic solutions.

The answer to this depends on what it is you are doing to your property, but generally speaking you would need to consult a structural engineer on any project that involves removing load-bearing walls or chimney stacks, cutting timbers out of a roof structure, widening doorways or windows, digging basements or lowering floors, or building on soft or contaminated ground, or near large trees. Basically, any job where you need a specialist to assess whether a new structure will be safe, or whether an alteration will affect the safety of the existing building. Your builder, architect or local building control officer should have a good idea whether you need to call a structural engineer.

Architects and structural engineers work in close partnership when they design buildings or design building alterations and extensions, but there are differences between them.

An architect designs the building to the client’s brief, creating a plan that will be based on for construction taking into account aesthetics, the building layout, door and windows, and the utilities of the electrics and the plumbing.

An architect deals with the form and function of the building, and while s/he will be able to come up with ways of making the structural engineer’s recommendations fit onto the plans, s/he doesn’t have the specialist engineering knowledge to assess the structural safety of the building.

Structural engineers work from the architect’s drawings and make sure the building works, by advising the use of various structural techniques. These very from types of load bearing walls, foundations and steel or timber beams for example.

Having a structural engineer’s report on your project will give you peace of mind but should also help you when you come to sell your property and the buyer’s solicitor starts asking difficult questions about alterations.

It is a visual inspection carried out by a qualified structural engineer to determine whether the building or structure is suffering from any structural problems and if so what are the causes and remedial options. If the building or structure has a defect that requires further investigation, the structural engineer will advise on the nature of the exploratory work. For example, trial holes to reveal the existing foundation, in order to determine the most appropriate and cost effective structural solution.

It is advised to have a structural inspection when looking into buying a property. This can be done privately and can help reassure you that the property is in good condition or will require work to rectify problems if bought. Alternatively, the mortgage provider will ask for a structural survey if any problems of a structural nature have been identified by the Valuation report or the Homebuyer reports and an opinion form a qualified structural engineer is required.

If you already own the property it is advised to have a structural survey if you are planning an extension or making any other alterations the building or structure.