Why does your structural engineer cost you more than expected?

Engineering fees often take the blame, but the real cost drivers lie elsewhere.

This episode unpacks what a structural engineer does on a residential project, from foundations and load paths to deflection and embodied carbon. We look at the design decisions, not the fees, that push steel tonnage and construction costs up.

We also cover underpinning, why it is one of the most expensive interventions a homeowner can make, and how to tell which cracks in a wall need attention and which are simply a house settling. A £40 soil test can save thousands off a foundation bill.

Get these decisions right and a project runs efficiently. Get them wrong and the cost, and the carbon, only grows.

"A good engineer should be trying to find efficient solutions." - Alison Wallis

You’ll hear about:

• What a structural engineer does
• Which building elements engineers design
• When engineers join a residential project
• Why efficient load paths cut costs
• Explaining deflection in plain terms
• How architects and engineers share options
• Design decisions that drive up costs
• Beam shape versus material weight costs
• Foundations, clay soil, and tree roots
• Embodied carbon in concrete and steel
• Cheap tests that reduce foundation depth
• Underpinning costs and cracks worth worrying about

Connect with Alison:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-wallis-a5302919/

Weave Engineers - https://www.weaveengineers.co.uk/

Connect with us:

Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/

Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/

Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Do you know if your renovation actually needs a party wall notice?

Most homeowners assume the Party Wall Act exists to stop them building.

In this episode, we unpack the Party Wall Act with a chartered party wall surveyor, covering exactly which works trigger it, from loft conversions and rear extensions to basement digs and chimney breast removals. We explain the notice periods, the difference between consent and a formal award, and why early, open conversations with neighbours nearly always save time and money.

We also get into the practical traps: building too far from the boundary line, serving notice before planning permission is secured, and letting too many surveyors get involved on a single job. The episode sets out how the award process actually works, who pays for it, and what genuinely causes delays.

Get the process right and the act works in your favour. Get it wrong, and a simple extension can turn into a costly, drawn-out dispute.

"Consent trumps everything" in the party wall process. — Jonny Callard

You’ll hear about:

• What the Party Wall Act actually covers
• Notice periods for different types of work
• Why consent overrides the statutory process
• Common works that trigger the act
• The three and six metre excavation rules
• Party structures in flats and leasehold buildings
• Why moving closer to boundaries can help
• Sharing a wall with your neighbour
• How the surveyor and award process works
• The role of the third surveyor
• Who pays for surveyors and consultants
• What really causes party wall delays

  Connect with Jonny Callard:

  LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnycallard/

  Thomas & Thomas Surveyors - https://ttsurveyors.com/

  Connect with us:

  Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/

  Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/

  Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/

Are your renovation decisions quietly draining your budget?

The advice to get a structural survey is well established. The advice to get professional input before you even make an offer is not.

In this episode, we dig into the decisions that add cost without improving your home. Buying a property without the right professional input, skimping on surveys, engaging contractors before there is anything to price against. We cover what to check before you purchase, why a measured survey is non-negotiable, and how developing the brief properly shapes both the design and the budget.

We also look at how contract terms, unrealistic timelines and late design decisions quietly inflate construction costs in ways that are almost impossible to see coming.

Get these decisions wrong and you will spend more, build less, and end up with a home that does not work for you. Get them right and every pound goes further.

"The best projects are done in partnership." - Uwe Schmidt-Hess

You’ll hear about:

• Why buying without advice adds hidden cost
• Planning history and freeholder risks
• Building Safety Act and tall buildings
• Pre-purchase architect advice explained
• Why cheap measured surveys cost more
• How early contractor quotes mislead you
• The danger of skipping cost consultants
• Contracts, bonds and unrealistic timelines
• Brief development versus chasing an aesthetic
• On-site changes and abortive work costs
• Why partnership makes projects cost-effective

Connect with Uwe Schmidt-Hess:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/uwe-schmidt-hess-4a868383/

Patalab - https://patalab.com/

Connect with us:

Tima Patel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tinapatel/

Bart Kolosowski - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bartkolosowski/

Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com/