Structural engineering for two-storey extensions in County Fermanagh

County Fermanagh at a glance

Nation: Northern Ireland
Price region: Northern Ireland
Postcode areas: BT
Towns covered: 4 listed below, plus surrounding villages
Site visits: Free, no obligation

What a structural design involves

This service suits every two-storey extension, because each one needs foundations sized for two storeys and usually steel beams where walls are removed. You get a structural engineer's calculations and drawings for beams, padstones, lintels, foundations and connections, coordinated with the architectural drawings, submitted for building control and followed through on site by our build teams.

The main places we list in County Fermanagh are Enniskillen (BT74), Lisnaskea (BT92), Irvinestown (BT93) and Ballinamallard (BT94). We cover the villages in between too.

Fees

A structural engineer (calculations and beam design) is a guide of £750–£2,200, priced in writing once the design is known.

Rules in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, structural design is checked by the council's building control service under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) and the relevant Technical Booklet. The engineer's calculations are submitted with the full plans, and building control inspects foundations, steelwork and other key stages during the build.

Approval in Northern Ireland: Planning application for works to a house: £347. Councils aim to decide local applications within an average of 15 weeks; many take longer.

Building control: Building control approval from the local council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland), using the Technical Booklets.

There is no Party Wall Act in Northern Ireland. Shared walls and boundaries are a matter of title and common law, so we agree access and record conditions with neighbours before work starts.

Getting the design right

Tying into the house

The new walls and floors are tied into the existing house with wall ties, restraint straps and joist hangers. The engineer also considers movement between the old and new foundations and where a movement joint may be needed.

Building on existing structure

When building over a garage or a single-storey extension, the engineer checks the existing footings, walls and lintels. Many were sized for one storey only and need underpinning, strengthening or replacement to carry the new floor.

How we work in County Fermanagh

Free site visit
We visit your home in County Fermanagh, look at the structure, access and boundaries, and talk through what you want the new rooms to do.
Get it approved
Once you're happy with the design we submit it to the council for County Fermanagh and deal with any questions from the planning officer.
Detail and price
Construction drawings, engineer's calculations and building control sign-off, then a written fixed price for the build.
Build and hand over
We manage the build from groundworks to decoration-ready finish and hand over with the completion paperwork.

Towns we cover in County Fermanagh

Structural engineering for two-storey extensions in County Fermanagh: questions

Can a steel beam be hidden in the ceiling?

Often, yes. A beam can sit within the floor depth so the ceiling is flat, but that may mean a deeper steel section or a different floor structure. Otherwise it shows as a downstand below the ceiling. We discuss the options with you and the engineer before the design is fixed.

What are trial holes and why do I need them?

Trial holes are small excavations dug next to the house or garage to see the depth and condition of the existing foundations and the soil. They tell the engineer whether existing footings can be reused and how deep the new ones need to go, which avoids surprises during the build.

Will the engineer visit the site during the build?

Not usually at every stage. Building control inspects the foundations, steelwork and other key stages against the approved calculations. The engineer is called back if site conditions differ from the design, such as unexpected ground, hidden beams or weak existing walls, and issues revised details before that part of the work continues.

Neighbouring areas

All extension services in County Fermanagh · About structural engineering for two-storey extensions