Bricklaying & Repointing

I ordered too short of an RSJ. I don't know if it is me to blame or not.

Anonymous user 28/02/2024 - 3.17 PM

I wanted to open up my living room/dining room and have a beam fitted so my friend, an architect measured our living room and sent his drawings to a structural engineer. I paid the engineers fee and recieved a 5 page report on the support beam required and the size of pad stones to be put in place etc. On page one there is the length 3850mm, which is the length of beam i ordered. There are no other lengths of that size mentioned. Unfortunately, this was 150mm too short fir our opening by the time we had pulled the wall down and fitted the padstones. The engineer sent through a message to my friend with a work-around (welding some steel to either side) we could use due to "contractor under-measure" I instantly assumed my friend had messed up with the measurement. But he told me that his measurements were correct and its common sense to add a bit more length to cover plaster thickness and plasterboards etc. So I then thought it was my fault. But I have been thinking that if I ordered a 4000mm beam to suit my opening, the S/E report is no longer valid?? Its so confusing and if it is my error i am willing to take it on the chin.