Structural Engineering · Existing Buildings
Engineering
Better.
Structural engineers specialising in existing buildings. We help owners, architects, builders and project teams understand, adapt, strengthen and transform existing structures — from heritage buildings and adaptive reuse to forensic engineering, investigations, remediation and temporary works.
Preserving, adapting and understanding existing buildings.
Whether you're navigating heritage approvals, investigating cracking or movement, planning an alteration, exploring adaptive reuse opportunities or assessing the potential of an existing asset, understanding the building comes first.
We have a particular passion for heritage preservation, adaptive reuse and helping existing buildings continue their story for future generations.
Whether you're looking to preserve, adapt, strengthen, repair, extend or better understand an existing building, we help clients make informed decisions with confidence.
- Heritage & Conservation
- Navigating heritage approvals, constraints and preservation requirements.
- Cracking & Movement
- Understanding the cause of defects before deciding what to do next.
- Alterations & Additions
- Exploring what is possible before committing to design or construction.
- Adaptive Reuse
- Finding new life and new opportunities within existing structures.
- Development Potential
- Understanding the capacity and limitations of existing buildings.
- Investigation & Advice
- Providing evidence, clarity and practical recommendations before intervention.
When the building is uncertain, the next step shouldn’t be.
Cracks. Movement. Water ingress. Changing requirements. Heritage constraints. Incomplete records.
Whether something appears to be going wrong, or an existing building needs to accommodate a new use, uncertainty can make the next decision difficult.
SFE helps owners, owners corporations, project managers, architects and development teams understand what is happening, what matters and what should happen next.
Through careful investigation, experienced structural judgement and practical engineering, we turn uncertainty into a clear path forward.
Understand what is really happening
We begin with the building itself: its history, available records, visible symptoms, structural behaviour and any previous changes. Before forming opinions, we gather evidence.
Separate genuine risk from uncertainty
Not every crack signals failure, and not every hidden condition is harmless. We identify what requires action, what requires further investigation and what can be managed with confidence.
Develop a solution that works in the real world
Whether the outcome is monitoring, repair, strengthening, modification or adaptive reuse, our advice considers access, construction sequence, cost, heritage fabric and how the work can actually be delivered.
Give people confidence to move forward
We explain what we have found, what it means and what should happen next in language people can understand and act upon.
Complex problems. Carefully resolved.
ADAPTIVE REUSE • VERTICAL EXPANSION • TIMBER CONSTRUCTION
473–479 Victoria Street
- Challenge
- The project team set out to explore how an underutilised commercial building could be repositioned for a new generation of residential use while making the most of the structure that was…
- Response
- SFE became closely involved in evaluating how the retained building might accommodate vertical expansion, adaptive reuse and contemporary residential requirements. Concept development…
ADAPTIVE REUSE • TEMPORARY WORKS • HERITAGE TRANSFORMATION
Invicta House
- Challenge
- Invicta House required significant structural modification to unlock a new future for one of Melbourne’s historic CBD buildings. The project combined heritage retention, vertical expansion…
- Response
- SFE’s involvement began with a review of an existing demolition methodology proposed for construction equipment operating on the existing floor structure. Using first-principles engineering…
CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE • COMPLIANCE UPGRADES • STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING
South Melbourne Market
- Challenge
- Existing public assets evolve over decades. New accessibility standards, seismic requirements, operational demands and community expectations often place pressure on structures that were…
- Response
- SFE provided structural engineering support for seismic assessment and strengthening together with enabling works associated with accessibility upgrades, public realm modifications, new…
What we are seeing, learning and thinking about.
What Is Hydrostatic Pressure in Basement Structures
Hydrostatic pressure is the force exerted by water at rest and is a critical consideration in the design of basement structures below the groundwater table. This article explains how…
December 2021 · 12 min read
Can Steel Beams Be Melted by Jet Fuel
Jet fuel cannot melt structural steel, but that fact alone does not explain how buildings behave during severe fires. This article examines the science behind steel strength, melting…
June 2022 · 6 min read
How to Read Structural Drawings: A Deep Dive from a to Z
Structural drawings are the roadmap that communicates how a building’s structural framework is designed, sized and constructed. This beginner’s guide explains how to read structural…
September 2021 · 15 min read
Tell us what you are working on.
Existing buildings, heritage structures, adaptive reuse projects, investigations or remediation works. If you're dealing with a structural challenge, we'd be happy to talk it through.
- admin@sheerforceeng.com
- Telephone
- +61 (03) 9647 2227
Studio Locations
Melbourne
Level 4 / 116 Flinders Street Melbourne VIC 3000
Sydney
Address coming soon
Queensland
Address coming soon