Retail mezzanine floors
- Extra sales space or back of house areas inside existing shops and showrooms.
- Design for crowd loading, vibration and integration with stairs, lifts and balustrades.
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Industrial, retail and commercial • Mezzanine structural design
Mezzanine structural design service for warehouses, retail and commercial buildings
Mezzanine floors are a fast way to gain extra space without moving or extending. We design the steelwork, mezzanine floor decking and supporting foundations so your contractor has clear, Building Control ready information.
Our mezzanine structural design service covers storage, retail, office and plant platforms in new and existing industrial units, warehouses and shops.
- Mezzanine floor design for warehouses, retail, offices and light industrial use.
- Building Control ready calculation packs with clear plans, sections and details.
- Fixed fee quotes agreed before we start, with follow up support for your team.
We work with warehouse operators, retailers and commercial landlords across the UK, providing mezzanine structural design that suits the building, the use and the ground conditions.
Mezzanine floor design services
We design single and multi tier mezzanine floors for storage, retail, office and light industrial use, all tailored to your building and loading.
Warehouse mezzanine floors
- Picking decks and storage platforms in high bay warehouses and distribution units.
- Grids and deck thickness sized for pallet racking, pallet trucks and forklifts where required.
Office and light industrial mezzanines
- Office pods, meeting rooms or workshops added over part of an existing floor.
- Consideration of vibration, acoustics and openings for services and stairs.
Custom mezzanine structural design
- Irregular or split level mezzanine layouts that wrap around plant, conveyors or lifts.
- Multi tier mezzanines and integrator mezzanine floor solutions with equipment passing through the structure.
Planning, loading and Building Regulations for mezzanine floors
These notes cover the questions we hear most often about planning permission, design loads and Building Regulations for mezzanine floor structural design.
Planning permission
Many internal mezzanines in industrial or retail units do not need planning permission.
It can still be needed where the use changes, where car parking is affected or where local policy limits extra floor area.
We highlight points for your architect or planner to raise with the council.
It can still be needed where the use changes, where car parking is affected or where local policy limits extra floor area.
We highlight points for your architect or planner to raise with the council.
Typical design loads
Office mezzanines often use loads around 2.5–3.0 kN/m².
Retail mezzanines sit higher to allow for crowd loading.
Storage mezzanines with pallet racking can go to 7.5 kN/m² or more.
We set the design load based on your intended use and any racking or plant data.
Retail mezzanines sit higher to allow for crowd loading.
Storage mezzanines with pallet racking can go to 7.5 kN/m² or more.
We set the design load based on your intended use and any racking or plant data.
Building Regulations checks
Fire strategy and escape routes.
Handrail and balustrade loading and heights.
Deflection limits and vibration performance.
Column reactions on the existing ground floor slab or new foundations.
We prepare our mezzanine structural design packs with these points in mind.
Handrail and balustrade loading and heights.
Deflection limits and vibration performance.
Column reactions on the existing ground floor slab or new foundations.
We prepare our mezzanine structural design packs with these points in mind.
Information we need to design your mezzanine
Good information at the start means a smoother design process and fewer surprises during construction.
Drawings and layout
- Architect layout showing mezzanine outline, column positions and clear height.
- Any existing structural drawings for the building frame and ground floor slab.
Use and imposed loads
- How the mezzanine will be used, for example storage, office, retail or plant.
- Racking layouts, pallet sizes, machinery and any point loads that need special checks.
Existing slab and ground
- Known slab thickness, reinforcement and any previous loading checks if available.
- Site investigation report or at least basic notes on ground conditions under the unit.
Programme and constraints
- Target dates, trading hours and any restrictions on site work or deliveries.
- Coordination with conveyors, lifts, sprinklers and services that will pass through the mezzanine.
When you need a mezzanine structural engineer
These are the situations where you should speak to an engineer rather than rely on catalogue details or rules of thumb.
New mezzanine floors
- You plan a new mezzanine in a warehouse, shop or factory and need structural calculations.
- Building Control, a landlord or insurer has asked for mezzanine floor design information.
Change of use or higher loading
- You want to change a light storage mezzanine to heavy pallet racking or dense retail displays.
- You are unsure if an existing mezzanine is strong enough for the new use.
Multi tier and complex layouts
- You need more than one mezzanine level or a layout that wraps around plant or conveyors.
- Services, lifts or chutes pass through the mezzanine and need local strengthening.
Existing slab checks
- You are unsure whether the ground floor slab can support new column loads.
- You want a clear statement on slab capacity for Building Control or insurers.
Clients who used us for mezzanine floor design
A few short examples from recent mezzanine structural design projects.
Retail mezzanine – national chain
Extra sales floor area
“SECalcs designed a mezzanine over part of the shop with clear drawings for stairs, balustrades and fire strategy. The pack went through Building Control without any issues.”
Warehouse mezzanine – e commerce client
Storage and picking deck
“They checked the existing slab, set a sensible column grid for racking and explained the loading in simple terms. Our fit out contractor said the information was easy to work with.”
Factory mezzanine – small manufacturer
Office and meeting space
“The mezzanine structural design gave us offices above the workshop without affecting production. The drawings covered fire protection and service openings so everyone knew what to do.”
Mezzanine floor design – frequently asked questions
Short answers to common questions about mezzanine structural design, planning and Building Regulations.
Do I need planning permission for a mezzanine floor?
Many internal mezzanine floors in industrial and retail units do not need planning permission, but there are exceptions where use changes, car parking is affected or local policy limits extra floor area. We advise what to raise with your architect or planner.
Is a mezzanine considered structural?
Yes. A mezzanine is a structural element made up of steel columns, beams and deck. It must be designed for its loads and checked with the rest of the building structure.
How is a mezzanine floor supported?
Most mezzanines use steel columns fixed to the ground floor slab or new foundations, with primary and secondary beams carrying a proprietary decking system. Bracing or frame ties provide stability.
What loads can a mezzanine floor take?
Office and light use mezzanines use lower loads than retail or storage platforms. Storage mezzanines with pallet racking can require high design loads. We set the load based on your use and any rack or plant data.
Does a mezzanine floor always need Building Regulations approval?
In practice yes. A mezzanine changes fire escape, floor loading and sometimes the stability of the building. Our mezzanine structural design packs are prepared for Building Control review.
Can you design the mezzanine without a site visit?
Often we can, if we have good drawings, photos and slab information. Where the existing slab or frame is uncertain we may suggest a limited survey or investigation to support the design.
Request a mezzanine structural design quote
Use this form to outline your mezzanine project. Your enquiry goes straight to an engineer, not a call centre.
Tell us about your mezzanine floor
Share a few details so we can review the drawings, check the existing slab information and confirm a fixed fee for your mezzanine structural design.
This form connects to our central SECalcs email. You will usually hear back from a structural engineer within one working day.
Ready to move your mezzanine floor project forward?
If you are planning a new mezzanine or want to check an existing platform, send us a few details and we will confirm the next steps and a fixed fee for your mezzanine structural design.
- Head Office: Corwell Lane, Uxbridge, England, UB8 3DE.
- 07359 267907
- info@structuralengineercalcs.com
- Company No: 12653163