The steel you probably do not need
Most domestic extension schemes arrive over-specified. Four common cases where a smaller section, or no section at all, does the same job, and what it saves in crane hire, padstones and foundation depth.
Notes from the drawing board.
Occasional writing on structural design, regulation and material choice, written by the engineers doing the work, for people who have to make decisions about buildings.
What building control actually looks for in a loft conversion
Head height is the famous one. Floor joist deflection and escape routes cause more refusals.
Retrofit almost always beats rebuild
The carbon arithmetic on keeping an existing frame, with figures from four of our own projects.
Which cracks matter and which do not
A plain reading of the crack width categories, and the three patterns worth a phone call today.
Where timber stops making sense
CLT is excellent until the span, the fire strategy or the water table says otherwise.
London clay, trees, and the seasons
Why a foundation that was fine for ninety years fails the summer after a poplar comes down.
Why we still draw by hand first
Every scheme starts as a sketch. The model comes second, and it is a better model for it.
About these notes
What Insights is and is not.
Can I rely on these articles for my project?+
They are general guidance, not engineering advice for a specific building. Every structure is different, and the only responsible answer comes after somebody has seen yours.
Who writes them?+
The engineers in the practice, drawing on projects they worked on. Nothing here is commissioned or sponsored.
How often do you publish?+
Roughly monthly, when there is something worth saying. We would rather publish six good pieces a year than fifty forgettable ones.