When building any home renovations or construction on your property, you will need to make sure that the structures you design are safe and sound for everybody using them. To ensure this, structural calculations are required.

Often your architect will prepare structural calculations when any significant changes are made to your home. These can include removing walls, building loft conversions and more. If you’re planning on making any major changes to the design of your home, it’s essential you have all the necessary structural calculations in place to ensure that your renovation project is completed safely and successfully.

So What Are Structural Calculations?

Anytime you are planning to build something, you need to do some structural calculations first. These calculations are taken into account to ensure the strength of the foundations, such as the load-bearing and capacity of the walls, floors and ceilings. Typically, this involves using various calculations to determine that your structure will be solid and stable. Structural calculations are essential to ensuring that your structures are safe for everyone who uses them.

To do a structural calculation, you will need to take into account a few different factors:

  • The weight of the materials you’ll be using
  • The span of the structure
  • The load that will be placed on it
  • Structural elements
  • Any reinforcements

Along with a few other factors, you can then use a variety of formulas to determine the safest size and strength needed to design your structure. Structural calculations can save you a lot of time, money, and effort by reducing potential pitfalls when constructing your project.

Why Are Structural Calculations Required?

The simple answer is that structural calculations are required to show that the structure you propose is capable of achieving the intended purpose and will keep you and your property structurally safe. Here are some of the most common projects that may require structural calculations:

  • Removing a load-bearing wall
  • Major alterations
  • Single storey extensions
  • Double storey extensions
  • Loft conversions
  • Enlarging an opening in an exterior wall

Nearly all home renovation projects will need structural calculations, required by the Building Control department to accompany a Building Control application. If you don’t comply, this could result in your project being shut down or fined.

How To Perform A Structural Calculation?

A structural calculation is a mathematical analysis of your building project, usually prepared by an architect to ensure the size and security of your building in order to support loads without any damage.

Doing the calculations yourself can be challenging, especially if you don’t have experience. That’s why it’s always recommended to consult with a professional architect. They can create a report helping you easily identify and address any potential issues. Reducing the likelihood of having to slow down your project or making any expensive mistakes.

Looking For Structural Calculation Architects?

The architects at Happinest can provide all the structural calculations required by the Building Control department for your home extension, loft conversion, garage conversion, or any other alteration. Just give the team at Happinest a call and let them deal with the entire planning process for you. From architectural drawings to building regulation plans and structural calculations, Happinest can help you achieve your dream home.