Day: July 5, 2021

Do You Need A Structural Engineer in London?

Posted in Home ImprovementsLeave a comment

Our team at GL Services are fully trained and qualified chartered civil and structural engineers with many years of design experience working on building projects in and around the London area.

We cover all aspects of structural engineering designs including property renovations, new builds, temporary works and residential conversions such as building extensions, loft conversions and chimney removals.

We understand that you want your building project to be structurally sound, use the correct construction materials for the job and come in on time and budget. This is achievable when you have a set of detailed, professional design plans that meet with local planning rules and restrictions in your area of London.

The importance of getting your project plans right

As structural engineers are responsible for designing just about every man-made building in the world today, it is our job to ensure that your design plan concepts can be turned into reality.

We are here to help you ensure your building project will be safe for you to use and are structurally sound to withstand the extra weight-bearing loads that adding an extension or taking out internal walls can place on your building.

By working with us on your initial plan to improve your London home, you will be reassured that any building work you have done will meet with all the local and national building regulations that are in place to keep people safe.

All of our design plans, right from our initial sketches to our final designs using CAD technology will ensure that your building project will comply with all legal, environmental, and health and safety regulations, as well as work within your budget limits.

How we can help plan your project

Our dedicated team at GL Design Services offer a comprehensive design service that includes:

  • Checking stresses and loads on your structure
  • Interacting with your team as needed as the project progresses
  • Preparing tenders
  • Using CAD software to create detailed plans
  • Writing up detailed measurement and material reports for supporting structures

If you are planning to make significant changes to your home, the chances are that you will need the help of a structural engineer, such as from GL Design Services. No matter whether you plan to take down existing internal walls, or add an extension to your home, we can calculate the safest and most cost-effective way to get your work done.

It is our job to ensure the structural integrity of your completed works. Working with us right from the initial concept design stage will save you a lot of time and money not having to do a course correction once your renovation work has started should you encounter any serious issues.

Our structural engineer will:

  • Calculate the weight on an extension
  • Choose the right beam or column size
  • Design the foundations
  • Draw the overall structure of a project
  • Ensure the overall project is technically viable
  • Make sure you can add or remove doors and windows

Do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team to discuss your needs.

Beautification – How To Improve Your Home’s Value According to Rusty Tweed

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Beautification – How To Improve Your Home’s Value

According to Rusty Tweed, we all approach certain signposts in the road of Life when it comes to adulthood.  Marriage, Starting a family, and the big one most of us encounter, Howe Ownership. The great thing about home ownership is that the value of your home is not locked in once you make your initial down payment.  Home values can fluctuate wildly depending on the market, how other homes in your neighborhood are selling, and other intangibles.  One tangible thing that you as the homeowner can do to improve your home value is making improvements to the property.

Home Improvements

The first thing Rusty Tweed states that a home assessor sees when they come to your property is the overall view of the property itself.  How does your lawn look?  Is it a healthy bright green?  Or is it unkempt and starting to turn brownish?  Look at your driveway, are there oil stains on the concrete?  Chips in the pavement?  How about your home siding?  These are all things that leap out to the assessor before they even walk into your home to conduct an assessment.

When you’re conducting improvements, always start with the outside of the home.  You can patch those holes in the driveway or replace the concrete altogether.  The siding can be redone and repainted and you can contact a good grounds crew to spruce things up with the lawn outside.  You can also plant flowers in certain spots that will catch the eye and brighten the ambiance outside.  

Inside The Home

Now that the outside of your home is looking its best, Rusty Tweed says it’s time to switch to the inside of the home.  It’s always good to make sure that you have the latest and most up-to-date electrical code for your home.  You should also check your heating / cooling and plumbing work at this time too to make sure that it’s current.  You can make improvements to these systems and those could take form in a tankless water heater for instance or central air conditioning.  

Adding additional amenities to the home can also raise the value with such things as a Solar Hot water system or a kitchen island.  If you think in terms of buying a car, you’re adding additional options for the prospective car buyer (home seller, in this case).  While making these changes, now would be a good time to check your home’s foundation.  The assessor will check this as part of their assessment to make sure that your home sits on solid ground and that there are no cracks or chips forming in the masonry walls.

Contact Rusty Tweed today if you’re in the market for real estate and real estate exchanges.  Rusty has been in the real estate trade now for over 30 years and his expertise can help you today.