Architects or structural engineers?

[Hgrove]

This q.is for an architect or structural engineer.  I am having my loft converted.  The plans were drawn by a RIBA architect who came highly recommended by friends and I have no reason to believe he was anything but highly competent.  However I don't want to ask him this q. because I terminated the contract because he kept me waiting too long (he had too many other clients getting his attn).  The builders (and friends and other contractors) are mystified by the amount of steel beams he has allowed for:  six steel beams.  His calculations were checked by a structural engineer as is normal practice and I have no reasonable doubt that there is anything untoward going on, however, I have this nagging doubt:  why did he have to use all this steel?  Everybody else I know who has had a loft converted told me they have two steel beams, and nobody has ever heard of a loft conversion with six beams.  The builders tell me it's going to be two tons weight on my house.  I would like to know if anyone with expertise in this field can tell me if this sounds normal.  Many thanks.

[sddsddean]

I'm an ex Civil Engineer and at one time, part of my job was checking calculations and drawings submitted to the local council for planning permission approval. There are several ways of doing a loft conversion and usually you only need to RSJ's (or similar), but sometimes you might need more (although 6 seems a lot). Depends on size of conversion, load bearing wall layout, proposed loading, deflection of beams etc. Your best bet, if you are not happy, is to go to a consulting/structural engineer (or even the original architect) and ask why there is so much steelwork in the design. It would be impossible for any to say on this site without seeing the drawings etc.