RSJ installation · Ely
RSJ installation in Ely
RSJ installation in Ely, from free survey to completion certificate.
- Survey, design and installation in one
- Covering CB6
- 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 RSJ installation service in Ely
RSJ installation in Ely is planned around the house, not a standard kit. Our coverage runs across Cambridgeshire, so nearby villages are included too. We visit, measure and check what the wall carries, then arrange calculations and building control approval before any steel is ordered.
We supply and fit the steel from start to finish. That includes arranging the calculations, having the beam fabricated with the right end plates, holes and primer, getting it into the property, setting it on its bearings, and packing it so it takes the load. Building control, propping and making good sit in the same itemised quote.
What to expect
- Delivery can make or break an RSJ job. A long beam has to turn through a front door, along a hallway and past the stairs, so routes are measured at the survey and alternatives such as a window opening are planned early.
- RSJ originally meant a rolled steel joist with tapered flanges. Most beams supplied for homes today are universal beams with parallel flanges, but the term RSJ has stuck, and builders, engineers and building control all understand what it means.
- Padstones spread the concentrated load from each beam end into the masonry below. They may be concrete, engineering brick or a steel plate, depending on the engineer's design and the strength of the wall beneath.
- Heavy steels are raised with suitable lifting equipment rather than by hand alone. Manual handling is planned so nobody carries more than is safe, and the lift is coordinated so the beam goes up level onto both bearings together.
- Where a long beam cannot be carried into a property in one piece, the engineer can design a bolted splice so it arrives in two or more lengths. The splice position and bolts are part of the calculations and must be installed exactly as drawn.
How the job runs in Ely
Free visit
A short visit to Ely 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
We submit a building notice or full plans application to the local council's building control team, so approval is in place before the wall is touched.
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.
What does RSJ installation cost in Ely?
As a guide, budget £850–£2,650 per beam including VAT for rSJ supply and fit (single beam) in Ely, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the East of England (+6%).
| Job | Typical guide range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| RSJ supply and fit (single beam) | £850–£2,650 per beam | Beam supplied, delivered, lifted and packed on padstones, with propping (calculations and approval priced separately) |
| Load-bearing wall removal with steel beam | £2,100–£5,300 | Typical internal wall up to about 4 m: calculations, building control, propping, steel, padstones, fitting, fire protection and making good |
| Temporary works and propping | £160–£530 | Props, spreaders, needles and sole plates for a typical opening, installed and struck |
| Steel beam replacement | £2,100–£5,850 | Propping, removing the failed beam, new steel on proper bearings, approval and making good |
Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in the East of England (+6%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.
Approvals in Ely
Structural openings in English homes need building regulations approval before work starts. The local council's building control team can deal with it, or you can use a registered building control approver. Either way the steel is inspected before it is covered, and a completion certificate is issued at the end. Keep it safe for when you sell.
If the beam bears into a wall you share with a neighbour, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, and a party structure notice must be served at least two months before that work starts. We arrange this through a party wall surveyor.
Questions about RSJ installation in Ely
Do you also work near Ely?
Yes. We also cover nearby towns including Newmarket, March, Cambridge and Wisbech.
Do I need a party wall agreement for RSJ installation in Ely?
Yes, if the beam bears into a shared wall: the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies in England and Wales, and a party structure notice must be served at least two months before that work starts. We arrange it through a party wall surveyor.
Who decides what size RSJ I need?
A structural engineer. The size depends on the span, the loads from floors, walls and roof above, how stiff the beam needs to be and how its ends are supported. We arrange calculations from a qualified engineer, or fit to calculations you already have, rather than guessing a size.
Can you fit an RSJ to my own engineer's calculations?
Yes. We install to calculations and drawings from your engineer or architect, as long as they cover the beam, bearings and any columns or connections. If site conditions differ from what the design assumed, we check with the engineer before carrying on.
Do I need building regulations approval to fit an RSJ?
Yes, when the RSJ carries structural load such as a wall, floor or roof. In England and Wales building control is notified or approved beforehand, Northern Ireland needs a council application before work starts, and Scotland requires a building warrant first. A completion certificate confirms sign-off at the end.
What happens at the survey visit in Ely?
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.