There is a short answer and a long answer to this question, and the very short one is: yes, at some point during your mini piling project you will need the input of a structural engineer. It’s a matter of safety and security – all projects ultimately need to go through the stage of building control approval, and to put it bluntly, a project simply will not pass building control unless it’s first been seen by a structural engineer.
As experts in mini piling here at Vxcel Piling, structural engineers are critical to our work. We have several qualified staff members in our own team who can effectively perform the role, and we have a long history of working closely with external professionals too. So, if you’re just getting started on your project, here’s what you need to know.
Why do you need a structural engineer for mini piling projects?
As we’ve touched on above, a structural engineer plays a vital role in any mini piling project, as their main job is to ensure that the foundations are designed safely and appropriately for the site conditions. Mini piling requires precise, load-bearing calculations to avoid the risk of structural issues later on, and accurately judging these requires a very specific level of expertise. A qualified structural engineer will always be able to assess these factors, and provide a design that suits both the building and the environment it’s being constructed in.
Crucially, an engineer will hold Professional Indemnity (PI) Insurance. This insurance ensures their calculations are guaranteed, and that they are professionally and legally recognised. It also means that if any issues arise from the design, the responsibility is covered – offering reassurance to both clients and contractors.
Most importantly, Building Control will never approve foundation works without reviewing the engineer’s structural calculations. These documents are a necessary part of the process and must be submitted before any project can move forward.
How we work with structural engineers here at Vxcel Piling
For any given project, we may engage with a structural engineer directly or indirectly here at Vxcel Piling – it all depends on the specifics of each project.
With smaller projects, we’ll often receive a floorplan from our client, which our own in-house team will then need to create a pile design for. This is quite a common scenario for projects like extensions for domestic homes, for example.
On larger projects like new builds on the other hand, often an external structural engineer will already generally have responsibility for the project as a whole before our team are brought on board here at Vxcel.
In these cases, we’ll typically be given documents and plans that detail the intended locations of the piles, and the kilonewton required from each one. We’ll then work to the external engineer’s design, rather than needing to supply our own. The engineer will ultimately then take overarching responsibility for guiding the project through its next steps, until it ultimately reaches Building Control for approval.
However, in other cases, a structural engineer may not yet be involved in the project. So, should the client require us to undertake the calculations ourselves on a bit project, we do have our own team of structural engineers who we work closely with. You can always count on them to focus on providing a cost-effective and trustworthy design, covered by that PI insurance.
That’s all the essentials in a nutshell – if you have any more specific questions about the role of structural engineers, or indeed mini piling as a whole, we’re always happy to help here at Vxcel Piling. With over a decade of experience, we’re here to make every aspect of the project go smoothly, and we’ve got all the in-house expertise and equipment we need to get it done. You can give us a call on 01254 314010 or to find out what we’ve achieved for previous customers, feel free to take a look through our case studies!
