QED Structures

What QED Structures does

QED Structures is a UK-headquartered structural and civil engineering consultancy founded in 2005 by Ian Waddingham in Hove, providing full design services across RIBA Stages 0-6 for residential, commercial, education, healthcare, leisure, and infrastructure projects. Its core services span reinforced concrete, steel, timber, CLT, light gauge steel, masonry, and glass engineering, complemented by civil engineering (drainage, flood risk assessments, pavements) and temporary works design. The firm operates with specialist expertise in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), modular/panelized and volumetric systems with in-house BIM-enabled DfMA coordination, and heritage building refurbishment including Grade 2* listed structures. Project values range from approximately £1m residential extensions to £384m data centre developments.

The consultancy generates revenue through professional service fees on project-by-project engagements, with pricing determined by scope, complexity, and contract value rather than fixed tiers. Distribution is exclusively direct B2B, serving enterprise clients (NHS trusts, Network Rail, Weston Homes Plc, CBG Construction, British Offsite), mid-market clients (architectural practices such as RHP, Broadway Malyan, Meloy Architects), and public sector bodies (Surrey County Council, Brighton & Hove City Council, University of Sussex). The firm holds Constructionline Gold and CHAS Elite certifications, qualifying it for major UK procurement frameworks, and has built a client base spanning the UK, Europe, the Middle East, and the US.

The business operates from six offices—Hove (headquarters), London, Manchester, Leeds, Watford, and Barcelona—indicating a distributed regional model. The team remains mid-sized (11-50 employees), with approximately 40% female representation and multi-year tenure engineers delivering a portfolio spanning small residential refurbishments through to large data centre, education, and regeneration projects. Notable outcomes include the Saltdean Lido heritage refurbishment, modular classroom delivery within five months, and seismic-capable data centre design up to £384m in project value.

Name

QED Structures

Legal name

QED Structures

Website

https://qedstructures.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

QED Structures is a multi-award-winning UK structural and civil engineering consultancy founded in 2005, serving developers, contractors, NHS trusts, local authorities, and architects across RIBA Stages 0-6 from six offices in the UK and Barcelona.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Engineering Consultancy

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Modular & Prefabricated Home Construction (IMAFABAF), Renovation, Remodeling & Tenant Improvements (General Contracting) (IMAFAAAE)

Keywords

• Structural engineering consultancy
• Civil engineering services
• Modular construction design
• Cross-laminated timber engineering
• Heritage building refurbishment

Headquarters

HQ city

Hove

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Structural Engineering Consultancy: Professional engineering services for construction projects including calculations, detailed drawings, and comprehensive specifications from RIBA Stages 0-6. Revenue is generated through professional service fees on projects ranging from residential extensions to major commercial developments.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

QED Structures is a multi-award winning structural and civil engineering consultancy providing full design services across RIBA Stages 0-6, including calculations, detailed drawings, and specifications for residential, commercial, education, healthcare, leisure, and infrastructure projects. Core deliverables span structural engineering (reinforced concrete, steel, timber, masonry, glass), civil engineering (drainage, pavements, FRAs), Modern Methods of Construction including modular and CLT design, light gauge steel framing, sustainability-focused low-carbon engineering, and temporary works design for contractors. Projects range from £1m residential refurbishments to £384m data centre developments.

Product overview

QED Structures operates as a multi-award winning structural and civil engineering consultancy offering a unified suite of engineering services rather than a modular software product. The core offerings encompass Structural Engineering and Civil Engineering as the foundational services, complemented by specialized Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) capabilities including Modular Construction and Light Gauge Steel Design. Additional specialized services include Sustainability Services focused on low carbon approaches and Temporary Works Design for construction-stage support. The company delivers comprehensive RIBA Stages 0-6 support across residential, commercial, education, healthcare, and leisure sectors throughout the UK, Europe, Middle East, and US.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Structural Engineering Comprehensive structural engineering services covering reinforced concrete, mass concrete, hot rolled steel, light gauge steel, timber, masonry, cross-laminated timber, SiPS panels, and glass. Includes calculations, detailed drawings, specifications, and support throughout RIBA Stages 0-6 for residential, retail, commercial, office, education, health, and leisure sectors.
• Civil Engineering Civil engineering services including below ground drainage, pavements, roads, Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs), and pre-planning assessments, with a focus on environmental responsibility, climate resilience, and low environmental impact solutions.
• Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) MMC services delivering efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective construction solutions through offsite manufacturing, including modular construction (panelised or volumetric systems), CLT design, and integration with manufacturing partners.
• Modular Construction Modular construction design services using panelised or volumetric systems with in-house BIM resources coordinating with structural engineering teams for complete Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) solutions.
• Light Gauge Steel Design Light gauge steel design services with over 15 years of experience covering SFS infill systems and full load-bearing elements, spanning the US, Africa, Middle East, India, Europe, and Australasia, including 240-unit apartment schemes and 10-storey blocks.
• Sustainability Services Sustainability-focused engineering services emphasizing carbon emission reduction, design for deconstruction, reuse and recycle, locally sourced materials, flexible structural design for adaptability, and MMC approaches to minimize waste and vehicle movements.
• Temporary Works Design Temporary works design, detailing, and sequencing services for contractors during construction stages, ensuring efficient and fit-for-purpose structural solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Saltdean Lido refurbishment completed with FRP reinforcement while preserving heritage appearance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LamellacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Lamella for Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) supply and Modern Methods of Construction. Lamella is a visionary company formed to bring CLT to the forefront of mainstream construction. QED Structures provides structural engineering with millimeter precision ensuring structural elements align perfectly for CLT construction, delivering superior quality and performance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Campbell Reith: Multi-office UK structural and civil engineering consultancy serving property, infrastructure and development clients. Comparable on multi-region UK footprint and cross-sector (education, healthcare, residential, infrastructure) offering.
• Price & Myers: Long-established London structural engineering consultancy serving architecture-led projects across residential, education and heritage. Direct comparable for QED's heritage/refurbishment and architect-partnered work.
• Curtins: UK-headquartered structural and civil engineering consultancy of comparable size, offering design services across residential, commercial, healthcare and heritage sectors. Closest direct analogue to QED in scale, multi-office footprint and MMC/modular capability.
• Mann Williams: Independent UK structural and civil engineering consultancy of similar scale, with offices in the South West and Wales and work spanning residential, education and heritage — closely comparable to QED's services mix and project types.
• Heyne Tillett Steel: Mid-sized UK structural and civil engineering consultancy serving residential, commercial and public-sector clients with similar project sizes. Direct comparable on consultancy-style delivery and reuse/refurbishment work.
• Civic Engineers: Independent UK civil and structural engineering consultancy with similar scale and an emphasis on sustainable, low-carbon and community-focused projects. Comparable to QED on sustainability positioning and integrated civil+structural delivery.
• Whitby Wood: Independent structural and civil engineering consultancy known for heritage, residential and complex urban projects. Comparable to QED on multi-material expertise and architect-collaborator model.

Broad incumbents

• WSP: Large global engineering professional services firm with a substantial UK structural and civil engineering practice across property, transport and environment. Incumbent competitor on NHS, local authority and developer frameworks.
• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with extensive structural and civil engineering practice in the UK covering buildings, transport and infrastructure. Broader competitor on mega-projects where QED is now bidding (data centres, large residential).
• Buro Happold: Major international structural and engineering consultancy with deep UK presence and significant work in MMC, sustainability and complex buildings. Competes with QED on larger tenders and offers broader multidisciplinary services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/qedstructures
• Facebookfacebook.com/QEDStructures
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qedstructures
• Instagraminstagram.com/qedstructures
• TikToktiktok.com/@qedstructures

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about QED Structures