Important Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Structural Engineer

Choosing a structural engineer is rarely a like-for-like comparison. Two firms can quote for the same commercial project and offer very different levels of service, experience, and risk. The problem is that these differences are hard to see on paper — a proposal can look thorough right up until the project hits its first complication. Asking the right questions upfront is the simplest way to avoid an expensive mismatch later. Here's what's worth asking.

Have you worked on projects like mine before? Not just "commercial projects" in general, but your sector and your type of scheme. A firm that's spent years on retail fit-outs will approach a healthcare extension differently to one with a track record in that sector — different regulations, different risks, different technical requirements to manage.

Are you insured, accredited, and appropriately qualified for this type of project? This includes professional indemnity insurance, relevant Chartered status, and accreditations like SafeContractor where site work is involved. We have recently been compared to numerous 'companies', where it is clear to us that they are actually just hiding behind a very good website and that their 'team' are AI generated and that nobody is Chartered. In fact, often such sites are run by an individual with very limited construction or design experience and they are willing to simply call themselves a Structural Engineer in a very misleading way. These are all a fair questions to ask directly, and any credible firm will answer them without hesitation.

Who will actually be doing the work? Larger practices sometimes sell you a senior engineer at the quotation stage and hand the day-to-day work to someone more junior. That's not necessarily a problem, but you should know who you're dealing with and how much oversight the senior team will have.

What's included in the fee, and what isn't? Site visits, liaison with the architect, building control submissions, revisions after planning comments — these can be included or charged separately depending on the firm. Ask for this in writing before you compare quotes, not after.

How do you handle the unknowns in existing buildings? If the project involves refurbishment or alteration, the existing structure is the biggest source of risk. A good engineer will explain how they investigate what's actually there, rather than assuming it matches the original drawings.

What's your approach to coordinating with my architect and other consultants? Structural engineering doesn't happen in isolation. Ask how they typically work alongside the design team, and how early they like to be involved — the earlier a structural engineer is brought in, the more options stay open.

What happens if something unexpected comes up on site? Every project has surprises. What matters is how the engineer handles them — do they have a process for assessing changes quickly, or will it mean weeks of delay and a stalled programme?

Can I speak to a previous client? A firm confident in its work should be happy to put you in touch with someone they've worked with on a similar project.

None of these questions are about catching anyone out. They're about understanding what you're actually paying for, and making sure the answer matches the complexity of your project. A clear, confident response to each of these is usually a good sign. Vague or evasive answers are worth paying attention to.

If you're weighing up proposals for an upcoming project and want a second opinion, please get in touch — we're happy to talk through what to look for.