Hi, I hope someone can help me to check my amateur design of a single-storey home/office (36sqm). Instead of a roof, I'm building a terrace, probably using wood/cement boards.
It's a very low-budget project, about $7,000. Can you suggest an online/freelance structural engineer (not expensive) or some easy-and-inexpensive software that can help design the steel columns and beams?
The cement boards requires beams every 60cm, so that's easy enough (a 10x10 grid). I have a rough plan already, but I don't know what shapes and sizes of the steel members are required to support a cementboard-and-tiled first floor. Nor whether there is an easy way to bolt the members together or whether they all have to welded together in some way.
Is there any software that will calculate the requirements of the steel members, based on drawing them in? Or is there a simple rule-of-thumb rule I could follow to decide on what types and sizes of members to purchase that will safely support the structure without overspending?
Suggestions and ideas gratefully received :D
