Design-led structural engineering across North Herts.
Based in Manchester, with engineers around the country for site visits. We've worked extensively across Hertfordshire and know North Hertfordshire well — the Medieval → modern Flint & brick, the party wall situations that come with them.
More importantly, we know how North Hertfordshire District Council’s building control team operates and we write our calculations to match. That saves time on site and avoids queries coming back.
PorthouseDean provides structural engineering for extensions, knock-throughs, loft conversions, and two-storey extensions in North Hertfordshire. With 240+ calculations completed across Hertfordshire, our engineers understand the area's Medieval → modern Flint & brick properties, ensuring every design accounts for local building characteristics and Chalk ground conditions. Our most recent project in the area was a single storey extension completed in Dec 2025.
The calculations and drawings are ours. So are the things around them that usually land on you: a date you can plan around, one place where everyone sees the same documents, and the change of mind nobody priced for. More than 9,000 projects since 2012 have run through the same process, from a single wall removal to a whole new build.
Every job runs through the same process, so every customer gets the same three answers.
Tell us about the project and we’ll tell you the price and the steps that follow. No hourly rate. If the job changes, there is a free change request on every job.
Pick how fast you need it, and pay less if you can wait. You get a date to work back from.
Never wonder where it’s up to — just look. Your project hub shows what is happening now, what is next and anything we need from you, with your drawings, documents and invoice alongside. Share it directly with everyone involved in your project.
Building control gets the calculations. Your builder gets the contractor pack. If either of them has a question about the structure, it comes to us, not to you. How we check and what the process looks like.
No extras for building control queries.
A fixed price before you commit. No obligation, no chasing.
It depends on the size and complexity of your project, so we don't publish a price range for North Hertfordshire. Tell us about your project and you get a clear, fixed-fee quote before you commit.
Sure, we have worked on a wide variety of North Hertfordshire's Medieval - modern properties. Our engineers aim to understand the specific requirements of your property from Flint & brick construction, ensuring calculations that respect the original structure while meeting modern standards.
North Hertfordshire typically has Chalk. Chalk bedrock. We factor these conditions into our foundation designs, which may affect the depth and type of foundations required.
On a full plans application, North Hertfordshire District Council has five weeks to decide, or longer if you both agree it in writing (regulation 14A of the Building Regulations 2010). On a building notice there is no plans decision: building control checks the work, and our calculations, as it goes. If they raise a question about the structure, your engineer answers it.
We provide structural calculations throughout North Hertfordshire and the surrounding Hertfordshire area. Our engineers regularly work on projects across the region, and you choose the delivery date that suits you.
If you're removing a wall, converting a loft, building an extension, or doing anything that affects the structure of your house — yes. Building control will require structural calculations before they sign off the work.
A virtual site visit is included in every quote — it's a chance to put a face to the name and talk through specific design requirements with your engineer. But we don't believe a physical visit is necessary for most residential projects. Working remotely allows us to be more economical while maintaining the same quality throughout. If your project does need a physical visit, we have engineers around the country who can arrange one.
On the date you choose when you book. The price follows the date: pick a later one and it costs less, or an earlier one if you need them sooner.
Every quote includes one free amendment because we know projects change — that's normal. Beyond that, we'll quote any further changes clearly so there are no surprises.
The quote's not the product — the project is. The moments that cost you come later: when building control query something, or your builder can't follow the drawings. That's why BC queries, an amendment and a virtual site visit are included — it's where projects actually succeed or fail.
Understanding North Hertfordshire's unique characteristics helps us deliver precise structural solutions.
Local knowledge makes all the difference in structural engineering. Our team has in-depth understanding of Hertfordshire’s diverse property types, spanning Medieval → modern with their typical Flint & brick. Every calculation we produce considers local building control expectations at North Hertfordshire District Council, giving you confidence in approval.
Local Geology Expertise for Hertfordshire Projects
Every structural calculation must respond to site-specific ground conditions. In Hertfordshire, we commonly encounter Chalk, requiring particular foundation solutions. Chalk bedrock This geological understanding informs all our work, from simple extensions to complex structural alterations.
The area’s diverse building stock – Garden-city homes, village cottages – means varied structural challenges. From period properties around Letchworth Garden City to modern homes near East Coast Main Line, we’ve engineered solutions across Hertfordshire.
Working regularly with North Hertfordshire District Council means our calculations align with their expectations. We’ve built a track record of first-time approvals, saving you time and frustration.
Structural Engineering Services Throughout Hertfordshire
We provide comprehensive structural calculations across Hertfordshire (population: 130 k), covering:
• Loft conversions and dormer additions
• Rear extensions – single and double storey
• Side and wrap-around extensions
• Load-bearing wall removal calculations
• Foundation designs and underpinning assessments
Get Your Hertfordshire Structural Calculations Quote
Ready to start your project? Contact PorthouseDean today for a competitive quote on structural calculations in Hertfordshire. You’ll get a clear, fixed-price quotation before you commit.
Send us your plans and you'll have a clear, fixed price before you commit. Or give us a call.