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

RSJ installation · Uxbridge

RSJ installation in Uxbridge

RSJ installation in Uxbridge, from free survey to completion certificate.

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

Free survey in Uxbridge

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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

About our RSJ installation service in Uxbridge

Need RSJ installation in Uxbridge? We also cover the surrounding towns and villages in London. We survey the property, arrange the engineer's design, deal with local building control, fit the steel and make good, all under one quote for UB7, UB8, UB10 and UB11 addresses.

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.

Worth knowing before you start

  • Floor joists can rest on the bottom flange, hang from timber packers bolted into the web, or be notched to sit over the steel. The engineer specifies the connection, and it affects how flush the finished ceiling can be.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

What happens, step by step

  1. Free visit

    A short visit to Uxbridge 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 the local council's building control team, 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 Uxbridge?

As a guide, budget £1,000–£3,200 per beam including VAT for rSJ supply and fit (single beam) in Uxbridge, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for London prices (+28%).

JobTypical guide rangeWhat it usually covers
RSJ supply and fit (single beam)£1,000–£3,200 per beamBeam supplied, delivered, lifted and packed on padstones, with propping (calculations and approval priced separately)
Steel goalpost frame£2,550–£7,700Two posts and a beam bolted as a frame, pad foundations, base plates and fitting
Structural calculations for a beam£320–£960Site measure or photos, beam and padstone design and calculations for building control
Load-bearing wall removal with steel beam£2,550–£6,400Typical internal wall up to about 4 m: calculations, building control, propping, steel, padstones, fitting, fire protection and making good

Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for London prices (+28%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.

Building control and neighbours in Uxbridge

For Uxbridge, building control is provided by the local council's building control team, 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 Uxbridge

Local questions answered

Can you work on older or listed homes in Uxbridge?

Yes. Older homes often have lime mortar, timber lintels or shallow footings, which the engineer allows for. Listed buildings need listed building consent for internal structural changes as well as building regulations approval, and that must be in place first.

How much does RSJ installation cost in Uxbridge?

As a guide, budget £1,000–£3,200 per beam including VAT for rSJ supply and fit (single beam) in Uxbridge, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for London prices (+28%). The exact figure depends on the span, what the wall carries, access and the finish, and is fixed in writing once the scope is agreed.

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.

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.

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.

Do you cover Uxbridge for RSJ installation?

Yes. We carry out RSJ installation in Uxbridge and the UB7, UB8, UB10 and UB11 postcode districts. Book a free survey visit and we will check the wall, arrange the engineer's calculations and send an itemised written quote.

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.