Fire protection for steel beams · Strabane
Fire protection for steel beams in Strabane
Steelwork, approvals and making good for fire protection for steel beams in Strabane and nearby.
- Survey, design and installation in one
- Covering BT82
- Inspected before it is covered
- Free survey visit
- Engineer's calculations arranged
- Building control handled
- Fixed written price once scope is agreed
- England, Wales, mainland Scotland & NI
About our fire protection for steel beams service in Strabane
Planning fire protection for steel beams in Strabane? Our team covers BT82 and the streets around them. The wider Derry City and Strabane area is covered as well. You get one written quote for the calculations, approvals, propping, steel and making good.
We fit fire protection alongside new steelwork, and as a standalone job where steel was installed without it or building control has asked for more. That covers boxing with fire-rated plasterboard, intumescent coatings for steel left on show, and the records building control needs to see before signing the work off.
Things to plan for
- Exposed steel is popular in open-plan kitchens and loft spaces. An intumescent system can take a decorative top coat in most colours, although up close the finish has a slightly textured look compared with steel painted in a factory.
- A common fault is applying intumescent paint over the wrong primer, or over one of unknown type. The products must be compatible, so where steel was primed long ago the primer is identified or the surface is cleaned back before coating.
- Keep a record of what was fitted: the board type and number of layers, or the coating product, thickness readings and number of coats. Building control may ask for it, and it helps answer queries when the house is sold.
- Fire-rated plasterboard is denser than standard board and contains additives that slow the passage of heat. It usually has a pink or red face, and the number of layers and fixing pattern come from the system specification rather than being decided on site.
- Boxing a single beam usually takes around a day, plus skimming and drying. Intumescent coatings need each coat to dry before the next goes on, so they can take several days depending on the thickness required and the room temperature.
From survey to sign-off in Strabane
Free visit
A short visit to Strabane to see the job, agree what you want and check the bearings, floors and services that affect the design.
Calculations
The engineer's calculations and a simple drawing are prepared for your opening and shared with you before anything is ordered.
Building control
A full plans application or building notice goes to Derry City and Strabane District Council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 before work begins.
Steel in, made good
On site we prop, open up, fit and pack the steel, then fire protect, box in and plaster once the inspection is done.
Guide prices for fire protection for steel beams in Strabane
As a guide, budget £130–£520 per beam including VAT for fire protection to a steel beam in Strabane, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in Northern Ireland (-14%).
| Job | Typical guide range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Fire protection to a steel beam | £130–£520 per beam | Fire-rated board boxing or an intumescent coating system as specified |
| RSJ supply and fit (single beam) | £690–£2,150 per beam | Beam supplied, delivered, lifted and packed on padstones, with propping (calculations and approval priced separately) |
| Building control fees | £220–£560 | Building notice or full plans fee and inspections; varies by council or approver |
| Steel beam replacement | £1,700–£4,750 | Propping, removing the failed beam, new steel on proper bearings, approval and making good |
Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in Northern Ireland (-14%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.
Building control and neighbours in Strabane
In Northern Ireland, structural work comes under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 and is approved by the local council's building control. For Strabane that is Derry City and Strabane District Council. We submit a full plans application or building notice before work starts and book the inspections.
The Party Wall etc. Act does not extend to Northern Ireland. Shared walls are dealt with under your title and the general law, so we recommend agreeing access and the work with your neighbour before it starts.
Fire protection for steel beams near Strabane
- Derry/Londonderry 13.3 mi
- Omagh 17.0 mi
Fire protection for steel beams in Strabane: your questions
Do you also work near Strabane?
Yes. We also cover nearby towns including Derry/Londonderry and Omagh.
Do you cover Strabane for fire protection for steel beams?
Yes. We carry out fire protection for steel beams in Strabane and the BT82 postcode districts. Book a free survey visit and we will check the wall, arrange the engineer's calculations and send an itemised written quote.
Can I put downlights in a boxed-in steel beam?
Only with planning. Cutting holes in fire boarding can weaken its protection, so any lights in or near the boxing need to be designed in, using fire-rated fittings or suitable fire-stopping where the board is pierced. It is far easier to sort this out before the boxing goes up than to adapt it afterwards.
What is intumescent paint for steel beams?
Intumescent paint is a fire-protective coating that swells when heated, forming a thick insulating layer that slows the steel heating up. It lets you leave a beam on show while still meeting fire requirements. It must be applied at a specified thickness over a compatible primer, so it goes on to a written specification rather than like ordinary paint.
How thick does intumescent paint need to be on a steel beam?
There is no single figure. The thickness depends on the steel section, how many sides are exposed and the fire period required, and the coating manufacturer's data sets the dry film thickness for each case. The applied thickness is measured with a gauge once the coats have dried and recorded for building control.
What happens at the survey visit in Strabane?
We look at the wall, the floor and ceiling either side and what sits above, measure the opening you want, and note cables, pipes and access for the steel. It usually takes under an hour and there is no charge.