Start with the engineer’s drawings
A structural opening changes the way loads travel through a building. The appointed structural engineer must specify the beams, bearings, connections and supporting details. Those decisions cannot be made by eye on site.
We need the right drawing revision and enough detail to understand how the new steel connects to the existing construction. A beam size alone does not tell us everything about padstones, bearings or the structure below.
Check what is actually there
Existing buildings have a habit of being different from their drawings. Walls can be thicker than expected, services may run through the opening and previous alterations may have changed the structure.
Before installation, dimensions and access need checking. If opening up reveals something different from the design assumptions, the engineer needs to review it before the work is taken further.
Temporary support comes before demolition
You cannot safely remove a loadbearing wall and work out the support afterwards. The installation method and temporary works arrangements need to suit the actual structure and be considered by competent people.
The sequence may involve propping, carefully opening up, preparing bearings, handling the steel and completing the supporting masonry. Space for equipment and a safe route for bringing the beam in matter just as much as its size.
Order steel against confirmed information
Steel fabrication depends on agreed sizes, details and sometimes final site measurements. Changes after fabrication can affect both cost and programme, so it is worth resolving the information before ordering.
The beam is not the whole job. Padstones, connections, local masonry work, fire protection and making good may also be needed. They should be planned as part of the same sequence.
Allow for inspection and records
Relevant Building Control inspections need arranging at the right points, particularly before structural work is covered up. The appointed Building Control body decides what it needs to inspect and approve.
We also keep the drawings, photographs and relevant installation information together as the work progresses. It is much easier to answer a question about a concealed detail when the evidence was recorded at the time.
What Kent Build does on site
Kent Build undertakes structural openings, steel installation and the associated building work using the appointed engineer’s design information. We coordinate procurement, access and the trades involved in the installation.
Our job is to build to the agreed details and raise queries when the site does not match them. The engineer remains responsible for structural design and calculations.
Useful guidance
For formal design, safety and approval matters, refer to the appointed professionals and the current official guidance.