We love it when we receive feedback from our clients.
“JAM handled the structural design for our Victorian terrace retrofit with professionalism and clarity.
They didn’t just deliver the initial plans — they quickly adapted to unforeseen issues, keeping both our builders and us fully informed.
Their responsiveness and practical approach made the whole process much smoother.”
#ClientFeedback #Retrofit #StructuralEngineering
High-performance retrofits can get complicated fast. Thick insulation, airtight layers, and new openings all affect how loads are carried.
Ignoring structural impact can create conflicts between thermal performance and strength. Coordinating structure and building fabric from the start avoids compromises later.
Successful retrofit design isn’t about compromise — it’s about collaboration between structure, fabric and services.
#Retrofit #EnergyEfficiency #Passivhaus #BuildingDesign #Collaboration
Many homeowners and architects want to avoid steel for sustainability reasons. That’s a positive instinct, but material choice isn’t always about preference; it’s about context.
For example, timber may be ideal in many places, but large openings can require deeper beams, impacting ceiling heights or window positions. Sometimes a hybrid approach - timber where it works, steel where strength is critical - gives the best balance of carbon, performance, and aesthetics.
Low-carbon design is about using the right material in the right place, not forcing one solution everywhere.
#Passivhaus #SustainableDesign #StructuralEngineering #Retrofit #LowCarbon
�Open-plan might sound simple, but the structural reality can be very different.
Removing walls in older homes often involves hidden load-bearing elements, which can lead to oversized steels or complicated support work if you dive in too quickly. Sometimes a slightly smaller opening can achieve almost the same look, while keeping the build simpler, cleaner, and more cost-effective.
Takeaway: Early planning matters. Understanding how much structural change is really needed can save money, reduce disruption, and avoid unnecessary steelwork.
#StructuralEngineering #HomeRenovation #Extensions #BuildSmart
From cramped and cold living spaces to a spacious and warm sanctuary.
James and Holly’s home in Hunters Bar has been transformed from a house that felt too small for their family into a much brighter, more practical family home.
By upgrading the insulation and draught-proofing, we’ve also made the home as cozy as it is beautiful.
The new heart of the house is the rear extension, featuring a lovely new kitchen and dining area that’s perfect for family get-togethers and opens right up to the garden.
We improved the insulation to ensure there are no more draughts and added a utility room to tuck away the daily clutter.
The design also provides a significant boost in natural light and creates a much better connection to the outdoors.
It’s a great example of how a well-designed extension and a retrofit can work together to transform a home.
Want to make your own home more spacious and comfortable? We’d love to help. Use the link in the bio to get in touch.
We popped over to @fizmer.house on Friday afternoon to see the steel frame taking shape on site.
It's enjoyable to compare the physical structure to the 3D model developed during the design stage and It was also fantastic to hear how valuable the model has been for the client during the build.
The final section of the steel frame is due to be completed this week, setting the stage for the next phases of the build.
A bird’s-eye view of our recent work with @hemarchitects
Great to receive some drone shots from our clients’ completed project recently. It’s always nice to see the finished work from a different angle.
But what matters most is how our clients felt about the process:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "We worked with Chris on our house two years ago and had a really good experience. He is very professional, easy to deal with, and explained everything in a clear, straightforward way.
Communication was great throughout, and we felt confident knowing the work was being handled properly and to the right standards. Their practical advice was really helpful and made the whole process much smoother.
We’d happily recommend Chris to anyone needing a reliable structural engineer."
This is the kind of experience we aim for on every project - clear communication, practical solutions, and work done to an excellent standard.
#StructuralEngineering #HomeDesign #ConstructionProject #HomeRenovation #ClientExperience #TrustedEngineers
We know how valuable early structural input is to a project’s success, that’s why we’re giving away 3 early design consultations.
✔️ Normally £240 ✔️ Early-stage, no obligation ✔️ First come, first served
This session is ideal for architects, developers, and homeowners looking to validate a concept, explore cost effective engineering solutions and start their project on the right foot.
Once the 3 slots are gone, they’re gone.
Drop us a message or head to the link in bio to find out more and to secure a free consultation
We’re really pleased with the new addition to our office – a 3D-printed model of our Aviary project that we've been working on with @leesitecture .
The model has been produced to help the client to understand the size, proportion, and arrangement of the steels. Something that can be difficult to visualise from drawings alone.
It’s a simple but effective way to bridge the gap between the technical design and real-world understanding.
#3DPrinting #StructuralEngineering #StructuralDesign
We’re often asked, “Can you just do the calcs?” or “Can you design an RSJ?”
But you don’t hire a structural engineer just to produce calculations.
You hire us to find solutions for the whole project - to make a design buildable, efficient and cost-effective, without losing sight of the architectural intent.
The real value of structural engineering isn’t the Building Regs package or the calculations. It’s the collaboration, the coordination, and the design decisions that quietly save time, money, and headaches.
That was exactly the case on a recent project for a developer building two luxury homes:
✅We proposed a few small layout adjustments that significantly reduced steel tonnage and simplified the frame and fabrication.
✅We worked closely with the architect to refine site levels, eliminating internal level changes and with them, a run of unnecessary and expensive retaining walls.
✅We interrogated the ground investigation and reviewed actual site levels, allowing us to replace a suspended beam-and-block floor with a far more cost-effective ground-bearing slab.
You won’t see any of those decisions when you look at the finished homes.
But they’re the reason the project stayed on budget, on programme, and true to its design intent.
This often gets labelled “value engineering”.
We’d call it good engineering design, done early, where it has the greatest impact, not late-stage cost-cutting through inferior substitutions.
That’s the value.
#StructuralEngineering #NotJustCalcs #EarlyCollaboration #BuildableDesign #ConstructionCosts
This Thursday, our Director Chris will be speaking to RIBA Yorkshire Small & Emerging Practices on how early and ongoing collaboration between structural engineers and architects delivers project success.
Expect practical examples covering foundations, site constraints, detailing, and on-site communication - all aligned with the RIBA Plan of Work.
Don’t miss this FREE session!
Link in Bio for the event.
Project Complete ✅
After a very busy summer I’ve finally managed to catch up on some completed projects. Just before Christmas it was lovely to catch up with clients who’ve settled into their newly remodelled kitchen living area.
The brief seemed simple but the challenge was to maximise the space available and to reuse as much of the existing materials and features as possible. The material for the fieldstone walls was selected from the neighbouring farmland, the existing sash windows and oak door were carefully repurposed. It’s great to see the clients take ownership of the design and develop some really fun details (can you spot the secret door?).
Through design and construction the team at @jamstructures provided professional, coordinated design support and some really helpful advice during this challenging project. Built to a very high standard by the team at RK Building Solutions. Delivered with the team at @enevobuildingcontrol
#massivearchitecture #houseextension #harrogate #northyorkshire
