When planning a new build, extension or renovation to your home, you’ll likely need to consult with both an architect and a structural engineer, and maybe even a surveyor if it’s a completely new build. It’s important to understand the timings on getting these professions involved to save you time, money and frustration. For example, if you are planning a basement, loft conversion or anything that will affect the structure of your home then it’s important to consult a structural engineer first to see what is possible – otherwise you might end up paying an architect for design concepts that ar ..read more

The cost of having SWJ Consulting come for an initial site visit to your home is £250 (plus VAT) as of June 2024. We will come to your home provided you are in a 25-minute radius of Oxford. Arranging a visit from us, to check an issue, might seem like an additional expense but it it is one that could save you thousands of pounds, frustration, and disappointment in the long run. Whether you’re planning a new extension, conversion or modification to your home, you’re concerned about cracks in your walls, or looking to buy or selling a home, a structural engineer will provide the critical insigh ..read more

It’s a common question client’s ask, why do I need a structural engineer? Architects will design the look of a building or structure and a Structural Engineer calculates the various ‘forces’ and ‘loads’ (weights) that might affect a structure and design structural elements that will withstand them, including fundamental elements like foundations. You might need a structural engineer for a new project, or there might be an issue with an existing structure such as a crack in your wall – a common sign there might be structural issue. Cracks are generally caused by movement within a structure (th ..read more

Written by Russell Wrapson, this article was originally published in 2022 as a LinkedIn Article – but we thought we’d share it on the website so more people would have a chance to read it. SWJ’s team have diverse backgrounds. Not all the directors, or the team have degrees in structural engineering, proof that university is not the only way into the profession. However, two of the youngest and newest members of staff are both graduates (or will be) and it is interesting to hear from them what their opinion is on a degree v’s an experience-based route into the industry. I am interested to disc ..read more

Parth Shah joined SWJ with a Master’s in Advanced Structural Engineering from Heriot-Watt University. He has a passion for the challenges of refurbishment projects. “What I find most interesting with refurbishment projects is the challenge of understanding how the existing structure behaves. Whatever type of building it is, whether residential or commercial, it is already built, and you don’t know exactly how it has been built and what you might find. “Part of the enjoyment for me is imagining how the existing structure works. From there I can start to think about how to design the changes or ..read more

Position: Structural Revit Technician Reports to: Jordan Day Position type: Full Time, Office Based Location: West Oxfordshire, UK Level/Salary Range: £35,000 + Date updated: 13/02/2024 Job Description SWJ Company, a rapidly growing, award-winning, and highly respected Structural Engineering Practice based in West Oxfordshire, is seeking a Structural Revit Technician to join our team. As a firm of structural engineers, we are dedicated to delivering exceptional standards of work and pushing the boundaries of digital construction techniques. We offer a stimulating and supportive work environm ..read more

Lateral stability is often misunderstood and underestimated when it comes to the design of a home. Lateral Stability is a structure’s ability to resist horizontal loads or forces, most commonly wind, earth, and in some cases earthquakes, seismic loads. Wind and earth horizontal loads Wind loads can not only be applied to the surface of a structure, as you might expect, they can also be applied away from the structure, causing suction or uplift. These are called positive and negative pressures. You need to be sure that your structure is strong enough to resist wind loads and sufficiently ancho ..read more

Unlike residential homes that are inherently stable because they are essentially a cluster of smaller rooms, commercial and industrial buildings don’t tend to have the same number of internal walls adding stability to the structure. Lateral stability is the structure’s ability to resist wind loads and in some areas seismic activity. Wind loads increase the higher they are applied on a structure, so on a high rise there is a significant difference to the loads experienced at the top of the structure compared to the ground floor. The need for lateral stability is often a secondary consideration ..read more

When specifying block density there is a balance to be had between weight and insulation efficiency. Soundproofing might also factor into the decision, but this is not the primary concern of a structural engineer. The density of the block does not affect its strength, so this is not a factor. You can have a dense block with a compressive strength of 2.9 N/mm2, and an aerated block with a compressive strength of 10.9 N/mm2. The factors to consider is that a lighter aerated block has a higher U-Value (offers more efficient insulation), but less sound proofing. A heavier, denser block offers les ..read more

We are asked about wind posts and their necessity in our designs all the time. This article explains why they are important and why we include them but also the steps we take to avoid the use of them – so our clients know we have done all we can to avoid their use. Why are wind posts necessary? Wind posts are primarily used to restrain lateral wall panels and protect against wind loads. The need for them is increasing as the trend for larger windows and bifold doors grows. When you replace masonry with an opening – you need to replace the support that masonry gave to your structure, with eith ..read more