Steel beam and untrustworthy builder

[Ryderneedsus]

We have a builder renovating a house for us while we are in rental. One of the jobs was to remove a wall and insert a steel beam. He has removed the wall. I have seen the steel beam on the floor at the property.

I asked him today about a building regs inspection for the fitted beam. He was shifty and then said it wasn’t needed because it wasn’t a load bearing wall and he hadn’t needed to install the beam and had removed the beam from the property. (He obviously wasn’t going to tell us this).

He said he is just going to strengthen the existing timbers. None of this seems right to me. The bathtub is above this wall. Any ideas?

I would speak to a structural engineer - this sounds like it could be a big risk.

get some strong boys (Acrows) in now! Agree with PP, appoint a structural engineer and get them to engage with building control. It's going to cost, but a lot cheaper than have the building collapse.

As PP have said you need to engage a structural engineer with PI cover. It is a possibility that when the wall was opened up it was found to be non-loadbearing equally its possible that a major short cut has been taken. Even if there isn't a risk of structural failure you will need to get signed of calculations and building control for any future sale or re-mortgage survey.

This builder sounds dodgy to me. Get structural engineer in asap. Be there when.he does inspection.