Structural Engineering
The structural analysis of a building determines how the loads of a house are safely transferred. Our structural engineer has now provided important information as part of their calculations:
- Foundation and Footings: He determined the required type of foundation and how it should be constructed to make optimal use of the soil.
- Load-Bearing Elements: The wall and ceiling thicknesses were specified. Additionally, it was calculated whether further load-bearing elements, such as steel beams, are needed.
These results are essential for the architects and construction managers, as they ensure that your house stands stable—whether it’s dealing with the load from furniture, vehicles, wind, or snow.
A positive outcome of the structural calculations is that, thanks to the 30 cm thickness of the concrete ceilings, we can forgo steel supports to reinforce the full-width window front at the back of the building. This keeps the living room’s appearance clean, and the view of the garden remains unobstructed by additional braces.
Thermal Insulation Calculations
Additionally, the structural engineer prepared the thermal insulation verification. This document demonstrates how efficiently a house manages energy—a crucial requirement for compliance with the Building Energy Act (GEG) in Germany. Some banks also require a thermal insulation verification when granting a mortgage for a new construction project.
Although highly theoretical, the extremely detailed report already provides some insights into the future costs of heating and hot water. Every building component (wall types, ceilings, foundation slab, windows, etc.) is included in the detailed U-value calculation and supplemented with calculations for water vapor diffusion and condensation formation.
Without delving too much into the details—our house meets all the requirements of the GEG 2024 and, according to the calculations, will have an energy demand of 40 kWh/(m²a), placing it within energy efficiency class A.
Costs of Structural Engineering and Energy Efficiency Calculations
Our architect obtained three quotes from different engineering firms. Two quotes were relatively close in price (€11,000 and €9,950), with one outlier at €22,000. On the architect’s recommendation, the lowest offer was chosen, as the architectural firm has worked with this structural engineer multiple times before.
Estimation | |
---|---|
Structural Planning
|
2.000,00 € |
Structural Planning
|
4.000,00 € |
Building physics proofs
Preparation of the thermal insulation verification according to GEG 2023, including the creation of the energy certificate without KfW applications. |
1.000,00 € |
Construction site appointments 3x | 1.350,00 € |
Vat (19%) | 1.586,50 € |
Total | 9.936,50 € |