Steel BeamInstallers
Two installers seen from behind lifting a steel beam onto a padstone

RSJ installation · Hyde

RSJ installation in Hyde

Steelwork, approvals and making good for RSJ installation in Hyde and nearby.

  • Price fixed in writing once scope is agreed
  • Building control arranged
  • Temporary works and making good included

Free survey in Hyde

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  • Free survey visit
  • Engineer's calculations arranged
  • Building control handled
  • Fixed written price once scope is agreed
  • England, Wales, mainland Scotland & NI

RSJ installation in Hyde: how it works

We cover RSJ installation in Hyde (M34, OL6, OL7) and the streets around it. Hyde is around 4.3 miles from Stockport, and we cover both. Each job is designed by a structural engineer and approved through Tameside Council before work begins.

People still call almost any steel beam in a house an RSJ, even though the sections fitted today are usually universal beams with parallel flanges. Whatever the name, the job is the same: a length of structural steel, made to an engineer's specification, carrying floors, walls or roof over a space where support used to be.

Things to plan for

  • Packing is what makes the beam work. Steel shims and dry-pack mortar fill the gap between the top flange and the structure above, so the load transfers onto the steel without the floor or wall settling down onto it.
  • An RSJ inside a home commonly needs 30-minute fire resistance where it supports elements of structure. Fire-rated plasterboard boxing is the usual method, with intumescent paint used when the beam is to remain visible.
  • Sometimes two beams are bolted side by side with spacers, either to carry a thick wall or to fit through a tight space. Bolt spacing and spacer type come from the engineer's design rather than being decided on site.
  • The engineer chooses the section type for the job. Universal beams suit most spans, universal columns are stockier and used as posts or where depth is limited, parallel flange channels fit against walls or timbers, and box sections suit slim or exposed members.
  • Structural steel comes in recognised grades, and the engineer's drawing states which grade the calculations assume. The steel supplied matches that specification, and the delivery paperwork is kept so building control can see what has been fitted.

Four stages, one team

  1. Free visit

    A short visit to Hyde to see the job, agree what you want and check the bearings, floors and services that affect the design.

  2. Calculations

    The engineer's calculations and a simple drawing are prepared for your opening and shared with you before anything is ordered.

  3. Building control

    We submit a building notice or full plans application to Tameside Council, so approval is in place before the wall is touched.

  4. 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.

How much should I budget in Hyde?

As a guide, budget £770–£2,400 per beam including VAT for rSJ supply and fit (single beam) in Hyde, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the North West (-4%).

JobTypical guide rangeWhat it usually covers
RSJ supply and fit (single beam)£770–£2,400 per beamBeam supplied, delivered, lifted and packed on padstones, with propping (calculations and approval priced separately)
Load-bearing wall removal with steel beam£1,900–£4,800Typical internal wall up to about 4 m: calculations, building control, propping, steel, padstones, fitting, fire protection and making good
Temporary works and propping£140–£480Props, spreaders, needles and sole plates for a typical opening, installed and struck
Steel goalpost frame£1,900–£5,750Two posts and a beam bolted as a frame, pad foundations, base plates and fitting

Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in the North West (-4%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.

Building rules for Hyde

For Hyde, building control is provided by Tameside Council, or by a registered building control approver if preferred. We send them the engineer's calculations with a building notice or full plans application and book the inspections. Work done without approval can cause problems at sale and is far dearer to put right later.

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.

Building rules in England

RSJ installation near Hyde

RSJ installation in Hyde: your questions

Do you cover Hyde for RSJ installation?

Yes. We carry out RSJ installation in Hyde and the M34, OL6, OL7, SK14 and SK15 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 Hyde?

Yes. We also cover nearby towns including Denton, Dukinfield, Stalybridge and Ashton-under-Lyne.

What does RSJ stand for?

RSJ stands for rolled steel joist. It was the name for a hot-rolled I-shaped steel section with tapered flanges, and it is still used loosely for any steel beam in a house. Most steels fitted in homes today are universal beams, which do the same job with parallel flanges.

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.

How is an RSJ installed?

The structure above is propped, the wall or opening is prepared, and padstones are bedded at each end. The beam is lifted onto them, bolted where needed and packed with shims and dry-pack. Props come out once it is carrying, building control inspects it, and the steel is then fire protected and finished.

Do I need a party wall agreement for RSJ installation in Hyde?

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.

Planning to take a wall out?

Book a free survey visit. You get an itemised written quote covering calculations, building control, steel and making good.