Fire protection for steel beams · Caernarfon
Fire protection for steel beams in Caernarfon
Steelwork, approvals and making good for fire protection for steel beams in Caernarfon and nearby.
- Price fixed in writing once scope is agreed
- Building control arranged
- Temporary works and making good included
- Free survey visit
- Engineer's calculations arranged
- Building control handled
- Fixed written price once scope is agreed
- England, Wales, mainland Scotland & NI
What fire protection for steel beams involves in Caernarfon
Our fire protection for steel beams service in Caernarfon covers everything from the first visit to the completion paperwork. The wider Gwynedd area is covered as well. Postcode districts we cover here include LL55.
A bare steel beam is strong at room temperature but loses much of its load-carrying capacity once it gets hot enough in a fire. If that beam holds up a floor or the walls above, it matters to everyone in the building. Fire protection slows the rate at which the steel heats up, buying time for people to get out safely.
Things to plan for
- Boarding is fairly clean work, but coatings need a clean, dry and well-ventilated room at a suitable temperature. Dust from other trades can spoil the surface, so painting is normally scheduled once the messy work in that room is finished.
- Fire boarding should not be cut into casually later on. Downlights, cables and pipes pushed through the boxing can weaken it, so services are planned before boarding, and any openings are sealed with suitable fire-stopping materials.
- Building control treats fire protection as part of the structural approval, not an optional extra. If unprotected steel is found at inspection, the completion certificate is normally held back until the protection is in place and has been checked.
- Boxing is generally the lower-cost route for steel that will be hidden. Intumescent coatings cost more because of the product and the number of coats, and the price rises with the fire period and the size of the section.
- 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.
Four stages, one team
Look and measure
We check the wall, the span you want and what the wall is carrying, and photograph anything the engineer needs to see.
Design and price
Calculations come back from the engineer and we confirm your fixed written price, line by line.
Building control
We submit the application or notice to Cyngor Gwynedd under the Building Regulations as they apply in Wales, before work starts.
Fit, inspect, finish
The work is propped and the steel installed and packed tight. After inspection the opening is boxed, plastered and left clean.
How much should I budget in Caernarfon?
As a guide, budget £140–£550 per beam including VAT for fire protection to a steel beam in Caernarfon, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in Wales (-9%).
| Job | Typical guide range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Fire protection to a steel beam | £140–£550 per beam | Fire-rated board boxing or an intumescent coating system as specified |
| Steel beam replacement | £1,800–£5,000 | Propping, removing the failed beam, new steel on proper bearings, approval and making good |
| Structural calculations for a beam | £230–£680 | Site measure or photos, beam and padstone design and calculations for building control |
| Steel column or post | £460–£1,360 per column | Column supplied and fitted with base and cap plates on a pad foundation |
Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in Wales (-9%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.
Approvals in Caernarfon
In Wales, structural alterations come under the Building Regulations 2010 as they apply in Wales. Cyngor Gwynedd handles building control for Caernarfon. For work started or approved from 1 July 2026, the Welsh system uses an application to building control, dutyholders appointed in writing, a commencement notice before work starts and a compliance statement at the end.
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in Wales as well as England, so a beam bearing into a shared wall needs a party structure notice at least two months before work starts. We arrange notices through a party wall surveyor.
Fire protection for steel beams near Caernarfon
- Menai Bridge 7.6 mi
- Llangefni 8.1 mi
- Bangor 8.6 mi
- Porthmadog 15.8 mi
- Pwllheli 18.4 mi
- Holyhead 18.8 mi
Questions about fire protection for steel beams in Caernarfon
Do you cover Caernarfon for fire protection for steel beams?
Yes. We carry out fire protection for steel beams in Caernarfon and the LL55 postcode districts. Book a free survey visit and we will check the wall, arrange the engineer's calculations and send an itemised written quote.
Do you also work near Caernarfon?
Yes. We also cover nearby towns including Menai Bridge, Llangefni, Bangor and Porthmadog.
Will building control check the fire protection on my beam?
Yes. Building control looks at fire protection as part of the structural work, normally at or before the final inspection. For boxing they may want to see the board before it is skimmed, and for coatings they may ask for the product details and thickness readings. We keep these records ready for them.
How long does intumescent paint take to apply?
Several days in most cases. Each coat has to dry before the next is applied, and the number of coats depends on the thickness needed. Cold or damp rooms slow drying, so the space is kept warm and ventilated, and the top coat goes on once the full build has been measured.
Does a steel column need fire protection as well as the beam?
Usually, if the column is part of the load path. A column carrying a beam is just as important in a fire, so it normally needs the same fire resistance. Columns are often boxed with board or coated with intumescent paint, and the engineer's design and building control confirm what applies to yours.
Can I stay at home while the work is done in Caernarfon?
Usually, yes. The work area is screened and floors are protected. The rooms either side of the opening are out of action for a few days, and there is some noise and dust while the masonry comes out.