Ealing and West London
Looking for a structural engineer Ealing homeowners and builders trust? We provide fixed-fee structural calculations from £245 for wall removals, loft conversions, extensions and structural alterations across Ealing, Acton, Hanwell, Southall and Greenford. Building Control-ready within 24 to 72 hours.
Ealing has one of the most consistent Victorian and Edwardian housing stocks in West London. Large semi-detached properties in W5 and W13, Victorian terraces in Acton and Hanwell, and 1930s estates in Greenford and Northolt all have specific structural characteristics we account for in every design. We work from drawings and photos: no site visit needed for most residential projects.
We check load paths and floor directions before specifying any beam.
Most residential structural engineer Ealing jobs cost between £245 and £1,500. All fees are fixed and confirmed in writing before we start. No hourly rates.
| Service | Typical Fee (Ealing, 2026) | What Is Included |
|---|---|---|
| RSJ beam calculation Ealing | £245 to £450 | Beam sizing, padstone design, masonry checks, BC drawing |
| Load bearing wall removal Ealing | £300 to £600 | Full Building Control calculation pack |
| Structural alterations Ealing | £300 to £900 | Chimney breasts, new openings, floor alterations |
| Loft conversion structural design | £395 to £1,000 | Ridge beam, floor joists, dormer supports, hip-to-gable |
| Home extension structural calculations | £500 to £1,500 | Opening beams, foundations, roof structure |
| Chimney breast removal | £350 to £700 | Load transfer design, new beam and padstone details |
| Structural inspection and report | £400 to £900 | Cracks, clay movement, pre-purchase reports |
We cover all common residential structural engineering across Ealing, Acton, Hanwell, Southall and Greenford. Every pack is formatted for Ealing Building Control and signed by a Chartered Structural Engineer.
Steel beam calculations for load bearing wall removals across Ealing from £245. We check load paths through solid brick walls, size the RSJ, design the padstones and produce the Building Control pack. Victorian terraces in Acton and Hanwell have solid brick construction throughout: padstone sizing is critical. Wall removal guide
Hip-to-gable conversions are particularly popular on the large Edwardian semis in W5 and W13. We also design rear dormer conversions for Acton and Hanwell terraces. Ridge beams, floor joist schedules, dormer framing and stair trimming all included. From £395. Loft conversion guide
Rear and side extension structural packs from £500. London clay is present throughout Ealing and affects the foundation specification for extensions, particularly on properties with mature trees. We advise on foundation depth and type at quoting stage. All packs are Ealing Building Control-ready. Extension guide
Chimney breast removals are very common in Ealing's Victorian and Edwardian stock. Ground floor removals while the stack above remains need a properly designed load transfer arrangement. We calculate each floor separately and produce drawings for every affected level. From £350.
Pre-purchase structural reports and crack assessments for Ealing properties. London clay shrinkage is the most common cause of cracking in Ealing's Victorian and Edwardian stock during dry summers. Our reports are accepted by mortgage lenders and solicitors. From £400. Report guide
All structural engineer Ealing fees are fixed. Ealing Council Building Control queries are answered at no extra charge. No revision fees for standard inspector questions. We respond directly to the inspector on your behalf.
Ealing borough covers several distinct areas, each with a different dominant housing type and different structural characteristics that affect beam design, padstone sizing and foundation assessment.
The large Edwardian semi-detached properties that line the roads off Ealing Broadway and through West Ealing are among the most structurally consistent housing type in the borough. Built between approximately 1895 and 1914, these properties have solid brick construction, usually two-leaf English bond on the external walls, and ground floors carried on suspended timber joists. Ceiling heights are generous, loft spaces are large, and hip-to-gable loft conversions are the most popular structural project type in this area.
The ground-floor wall between the front reception and the dining room is almost always a load-bearing party wall carrying the first-floor joists. Open-plan kitchen-diner projects in these properties require a carefully sized RSJ with padstones into the solid brick piers on each side of the opening. The wall thickness is typically 225mm or 275mm in these properties, which gives adequate bearing length for standard padstones. We confirm the construction from photos before specifying.
Acton and Hanwell have extensive Victorian terraced streets, many of which have been converted to flats over recent decades. The conversion history of these properties creates structural complexity: walls may have been altered, beams inserted, floor levels changed, and in some cases structural elements removed without Building Control approval. Before specifying any new structural element in a Victorian terrace in Acton or Hanwell, we review the available information to identify any previous alterations.
Party wall issues are more frequent in the Acton Victorian terrace stock because of the density of flat conversions. If the party wall between two converted flats is being altered, Party Wall Act obligations apply separately from Building Control requirements. We do not provide Party Wall Awards ourselves, but we can produce the structural drawings that your Party Wall Surveyor will need alongside the award. RSJ calculations for Acton and Hanwell Victorian terraces start from £245.
Southall's housing stock is predominantly interwar terraced streets built between the wars, with a different construction approach to the Victorian and Edwardian properties elsewhere in Ealing borough. These properties use cavity wall construction rather than solid brick, with inner leaf blockwork that has different bearing characteristics from solid brick. Padstone sizing changes accordingly.
The ground floor slabs in many Southall interwar terraces are solid concrete rather than suspended timber, which affects chimney breast removal calculations: the chimney stack foundation at ground level must be preserved or a new load transfer arrangement provided at ground floor level as well as the upper floors. We include this check as standard for all chimney breast removal calculations in Southall properties.
Greenford and Northolt were developed predominantly in the 1930s as London expanded westward along the Piccadilly and Central line extensions. The housing is mostly semi-detached with hipped roofs, built in cavity brick with concrete or suspended timber ground floors. The hipped roof design makes hip-to-gable loft conversions very common in this area: the conversion replaces the hipped end with a vertical gable wall, extending the ridge and significantly increasing usable floor area.
Extensions on Greenford and Northolt semis frequently extend into the side return plot that separates many of these properties. London clay ground conditions in this part of Ealing borough mean foundation depths for extensions need to account for clay shrinkage and tree proximity. We advise on the foundation specification at quoting stage and include it in the fixed fee where the information is available from drawings and site photos.
London clay underlies the whole of Ealing borough. It shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters. For extensions and any work involving foundations, this matters.
London clay shrinks significantly in dry summers, particularly where mature trees are nearby. The Building Research Establishment guidance on foundation depths for extensions on London clay requires foundations to be taken to a minimum depth that depends on the proximity of trees and the height of the tree species involved. For most Ealing extensions where there are no mature trees within 5 metres of the proposed foundation, a standard strip foundation at 1 metre depth is adequate. Where trees are closer, the foundation depth increases.
We ask about tree proximity when quoting any Ealing extension. Where the information is available from photos and a site plan, we include the foundation specification in the fixed fee at quoting stage. Where tree proximity requires a more detailed assessment, we advise on this before confirming the scope and fee. Most Ealing residential extensions on plots without significant mature trees proceed on standard strip foundations and do not require additional investigation.
Diagonal cracking in the corners of window and door openings, and stepped cracking following mortar joints in brickwork, is very common in Ealing's Victorian and Edwardian stock during and after dry summers. Most of this cracking is cosmetic clay shrinkage movement rather than structural failure. However, distinguishing between cosmetic shrinkage cracking and cracking that indicates more significant foundation movement requires an experienced eye.
Our structural inspection reports for Ealing properties identify whether cracking is consistent with seasonal clay shrinkage or whether it indicates progressive movement requiring further investigation or remedial works. We note crack widths, crack patterns and any evidence of recent opening or closing, and we give a clear plain-English assessment of whether the cracking is likely to be self-limiting or ongoing. Pre-purchase structural reports for Ealing properties start from £400.
From initial enquiry to a Building Control-ready structural pack in four steps.
Plans, a sketch or photos of the property. We identify the construction type and confirm the scope and fixed fee the same working day.
Clear fixed price in writing before any work begins. No hourly rates and no revision fees for standard Ealing Building Control queries.
Beam sizing, padstones, joist schedules and structural drawings in a PDF pack for Ealing Building Control and your builder. 24 to 72 hours for most residential projects.
Ealing Council Building Control queries answered directly at no extra charge. Included in the fixed fee.
Recent feedback from homeowners and builders across Ealing borough.
"RSJ calculations for a through-lounge wall removal in our Ealing terrace. Checked the foundations, sized the steel, provided padstone details. Ealing Building Control passed it first time."
Priya S, Ealing W5
"Hip-to-gable loft conversion on our Edwardian semi in West Ealing. The engineer identified the existing roof type from photos before confirming the fee. No surprises on site."
Tom H, West Ealing W13
"Pre-purchase report on a Victorian terrace in Acton. Clearly identified clay shrinkage cracking as seasonal and not structural. Saved us from pulling out of a good purchase."
Anita K, Acton W3
We cover all of Ealing borough. For projects elsewhere in London, see our London structural engineer page.
Common questions from Ealing homeowners and builders.
Structural engineer Ealing fees: RSJ beam from £245, wall removal £300 to £600, structural alterations £300 to £900, loft conversion £395 to £1,000, home extension £500 to £1,500, chimney breast removal £350 to £700, structural inspection and report £400 to £900. All fees are fixed and confirmed before work begins. Full guide: structural engineer costs UK.
Yes. Ealing Building Control requires structural calculations before approving any load bearing wall removal. A builder cannot provide these. You need a qualified structural engineer who can design the RSJ beam, check the padstones and produce the full Building Control pack. RSJ calculations for Ealing properties start from £245 and are usually ready the next working day.
The most common structural issues in Ealing's older properties are seasonal cracking from London clay shrinkage (usually cosmetic, not structural), original timber lintels failing above window openings, chimney breast removals needing careful load transfer design across multiple floors, and in Acton, party wall complications from flat conversion history. Our reports distinguish between cosmetic and structural cracking and advise on next steps clearly.
RSJ beams and single wall removals are ready in 24 to 72 hours. Structural alterations packs take 3 to 5 working days. Loft conversions and extensions take 5 to 7 working days. All turnarounds are confirmed in writing with your fixed fee quote.
Yes. We cover all of Ealing borough including Acton (W3), South Ealing and Ealing Broadway (W5), Hanwell and West Ealing (W7 and W13), Southall (UB1 and UB2), Greenford (UB6) and Northolt (UB5). All projects are handled from drawings and photos. Most jobs do not require a site visit.
Yes. All our work is calculated to Eurocodes and UK National Annexes and formatted for London Borough of Ealing Building Control. If the inspector raises queries we respond directly as part of the service at no extra charge. We also work with private Registered Building Control Approvers operating in Ealing.
Fixed-fee structural calculations from £245. Ealing Building Control-ready in 24 to 72 hours. Fill in the form and we will reply the same working day.
Fixed fees, fast turnaround and Ealing Building Control-ready calculations every time. Call us on 07359 267907 or fill in the quote form above.
