What Does A Structural Engineer Do?

Understanding the role of a structural engineer is very important for all the property owners. It does not matter when you own a commercial building or a residential building, you will need the help of a structural engineer at multiple times even after the property is fully constructed. Many people believe that these engineers are only needed at the time of constructing a new project. Some even have a belief that when you hire architects, you do not need structural engineers. However, the job of a structural engineer is more important than that. 

Licensed Structural Engineers are able to do many things. However, some prefer one field of their work only. Their area of work normally includes new and existing buildings, commercial projects, dealing with construction defects, damages caused by natural disasters and home additions whenever needed.  They also take care of solar panel installation as the property needs to be protected during and after the installation. 

Dealing With House Plans

The structural engineers are needed for building projects every single time. It does not matter whether it is a small house or a huge commercial building. They can make changes to the additional structure of the building as well as design a new building structure with the help of an architect. While the architect works on the property layout, the structural engineers keep a check that everything is fully secured and the property structure will not be affected by anything. 

Existing Houses

The existing structure of a residential property is inspected by a structural engineer when the homeowner is willing to add space or a room. The renovation or property addition phase can either involve minor renovations or major renovations depending on the request made by the owner.  

The structural engineers can guide you according to the size of the project as he understands the important aspects of structural components. 

Major Renovation

When you have finalized that you want to go for a major renovation of the house, then you will be needing a structural engineer and a designer or an architect. The architect or the designer can finalize the layout of the renovation project. However, major work is done by the engineer. They have to check the wind, seismic and thermal needs of the building as well as perform calculations. 

Minor Renovation

The minor renovations typically involve removing a wall without hurting the property structure. Though it sounds like an easy task and it really is counted as a minor renovation, the project is still very complex. The structure of the whole property is depending on its walls and foundation. If a wall is removed, it can hurt the roof balance. The ‘beam and column’ system is needed when a wall is being removed and that is where the homeowners need a structural engineer. 

New Houses

When it comes to building a new house, the architectural plan and design are provided by the architect. The review of the plan, as well as further additions, are made by the structural engineer. They can guide you to prolong the life of your building, make it seismic-proof, and add further security measures to protect the structure of the house. Strong foundations, as well as walls and roof, play an important role in protecting the interior of the residential and commercial building structures. 

While architects plan the layout, the critical analysis of the plan is done by structural engineers. They use their experience and knowledge to ensure homeowners get the right services. They also ensure that the property structure is designed properly.