Structural Notes Examples: Wording and Checks for UK Drawings

Structural notes are the written instructions on a drawing set that tell the contractor what the drawings cannot show: materials, standards, tolerances, sequencing and who checks what. Below you will find example wording for the main note groups on a UK project (general, concrete, reinforcement, steelwork, masonry, foundations and temporary works), plus a method for adapting any example so it does not contradict your design.

The examples are illustrative templates. None is a substitute for the calculations, specification and Building Control requirements of the job in front of you.

TL;DR

• General structural notes sit on the first structural sheet and set the rules that apply everywhere: standards, loads, verification of dimensions, and which document wins in a conflict.
• Material notes (concrete, reinforcement, steel, masonry, timber) should name the standard, grade and exposure or execution requirements that your design actually uses.
• Never paste an office-standard note sheet into a new job unchecked. Obsolete references and requirements the design never considered are the usual result.
• Check each note against the structural system, the current standards, the specification and the Building Control body’s expectations before issue.
• If your team is short of capacity to prepare and check note sheets, remote engineers can take that work into your workflow under your name.

Table of Contents

• What structural notes are and why they matter
• Example general structural notes
• Example notes by material
• How to read a structural plan’s notes
• Referencing UK standards and keeping them current
• How to adapt example notes without copying errors
• A short checklist before issuing a note sheet
• Our perspective
• Support with notes, drawings and calculation packages
• FAQ
• Sources

What structural notes are and why they matter

A structural drawing is not an independent source of design. It is the controlled communication of an engineering design that has already been checked, which means the notes, the calculations, the model and the specification must all say the same thing. That principle is set out in structural drawing production guidance, and it is why a note that contradicts the calculations is a design error, not a drafting nicety.

The Institution of Structural Engineers makes a related point in its review of masonry specification. It recommends that all essential structural integrity information, including design intent and load path dependencies, is stated explicitly in the drawing set. That report followed the Edinburgh Schools inquiry, which highlighted the need to communicate design intentions to the people carrying out the works. In practice, that means notes should say what the designer needs, not leave the contractor to infer it.

General notes versus specific notes

General structural notes apply to the whole set. Specific notes sit next to the detail they govern, such as “2 No. T12 bars continuous through the lintel bearing”. The split matters: general notes carry the rules, specific notes carry the instructions. If a general note and a detail disagree, the reader has to guess which one is intended, and the guess is usually made on site.

A useful test is whether a note would still be true if you moved it to another sheet. If so, it belongs in the general notes. If it only makes sense beside one beam or one wall, put it there.

Example general structural notes

The wording below is typical of a small to medium UK building project. Treat it as a starting structure, not text to copy.

1. These notes apply to all structural drawings and are to be read in conjunction with the architect’s drawings, the specification and the other consultants’ information.
2. Do not scale from drawings. Use figured dimensions only.
3. The contractor is to verify all dimensions and levels on site before work starts and to report discrepancies to the engineer.
4. Where the structural drawings and the architectural drawings differ, the contractor is to seek clarification from the engineer before proceeding.
5. The structure has been designed to the Eurocodes and their UK National Annexes. Design loads and the design basis are given on drawing [reference].
6. The structure is stable only when complete. The contractor is responsible for temporary stability during construction unless a temporary works design is issued by the engineer.
7. Any proposed change to the structure, including penetrations and chases not shown, requires the engineer’s approval before it is carried out.
8. Only drawings marked “For Construction” are to be used for construction.

Note 6 deserves care. Who designs temporary works varies by project and by contract, so write the note to match the appointment, not a default. If you need design support for propping, shoring or falsework, our temporary works design service is one place to look.

Loading and design basis notes

A short design basis note stops anyone loading the structure beyond what was checked. A typical form:

• Floor imposed load: [value] kN/m², from the design basis on drawing [reference].
• Roof: [value] kN/m² imposed, with allowance for snow as set out in the calculations.
• Any plant, storage or later alteration beyond these values must be referred to the engineer.

Put real numbers from your calculations in those brackets and nowhere else. A loading note populated from a previous job is a classic source of error.

Example notes by material

Concrete

Concrete notes should state the specification route and the performance requirement. A typical set:

• Concrete to be [designated or designed] mix to BS 8500, strength class [C28/35] unless noted otherwise, with the exposure class and cover shown on the drawing.
• Execution to BS EN 13670, with the execution class stated in the project specification.
• Nominal cover to all reinforcement is [value] mm unless noted otherwise.
• Construction joints only where shown. Proposed alternatives to be agreed with the engineer.

The standards named there are worth knowing. Highway works documentation notes that BS EN 13670 requires an execution specification, meaning the total information needed to carry out the concrete works, and that BS 8500 covers designated and proprietary concretes. That document is written for highways, so building projects should take the principle and apply their own specification.

Reinforcement

Reinforcement notes work best when they point to the schedules and drawings instead of repeating them. The Concrete Centre-style split of responsibilities is clear in industry guidance: GA drawings are the only dimensioned drawings and the sole source of information for forming and casting the concrete, while reinforcement drawings provide the information for the steel. Your notes should respect that split.

• Reinforcement to be [grade] to the specification, with bar marks, shapes and dimensions to the bar bending schedule.
• Laps and anchorage lengths are as shown on the drawings. Where not shown, consult the engineer.
• Cover is to the outside of links.
• Do not substitute bar sizes without the engineer’s written approval.

If reinforcement drawings are where you lose time, our Eurocode 2 checklist for reinforced concrete drawings covers what to check before issue.

Structural steelwork

• Structural steelwork to be fabricated and erected in accordance with the project specification and BS EN 1090-2, with the execution class stated.
• Steel grade [S275 or S355] unless noted otherwise.
• Connections are to be designed by [the engineer or the steelwork contractor] as indicated. Where contractor-designed, calculations and details are to be submitted for approval before fabrication.
• Protective treatment as specified, including any fire protection requirement from the architect’s fire strategy.

For the standards behind this, highway works specifications state that structural steelwork is executed to Series 1800 and BS EN 1090-2:2018. Again, that is a highways document, but it confirms BS EN 1090-2 as the execution standard. Our practical Eurocode 3 guide for UK steel engineers goes into the design side.

Masonry

Masonry notes are where vague wording does most harm. The IStructE review stresses that lateral restraints and bed joint reinforcement need explicit descriptions of design intent, because those elements depend on each other. A weak note says “wall ties as required”. A useful one reads:

• Lateral restraint to the masonry wall at [level] is by [strap or tie type] at [spacing], as detail [reference]. No substitution without the engineer’s approval.
• Bed joint reinforcement is to be provided where shown, at the spacing and bar size given on the detail.
• Movement joints are to be located where shown and are not to be omitted or moved.

Foundations

• Foundation levels and dimensions are based on [ground investigation report reference or assumed bearing capacity]. The engineer is to inspect the excavation before concrete is placed.
• If ground conditions differ from those assumed, stop work and inform the engineer.
• Trench fill or footings to be taken below any made ground, tree roots or soft deposits as directed.
• Drainage runs passing through or under foundations are to be sleeved or lintelled as detailed.

The second note is the one that earns its keep. It turns a surprise on site into a managed instruction instead of a contractor’s decision.

How to read a structural plan’s notes

Start with the general notes sheet, then the drawing list, then the GA plans, then the details. On each GA, look for any note that changes what the general notes say. Then check the reinforcement or steel drawings against the GA, since the GA is where dimensions come from.

Architectural general notes and structural general notes answer different questions. The architect’s notes cover finishes, fire strategy, setting out and coordination with other trades. The structural notes cover the load-bearing system and the material and workmanship requirements that keep it standing. Where they touch, such as a wall that is both a fire barrier and a structural element, each set should refer to the other instead of restating it. Duplicated requirements drift apart over revisions.

If GA drawings are a recurring source of queries on your jobs, our piece on general arrangement drawings and how to avoid RFIs sets out three rules that help.

Referencing UK standards and keeping them current

A note that cites the wrong standard is worse than no note. A few habits help:

• Cite the standard and the part. “BS EN 1992-1-1 with its UK National Annex” is checkable. “To current codes” is not.
• Know the regulatory link. In 2013, Approved Document A references were updated to current British Standards based on Eurocodes, and withdrawn standards could still be considered case by case by Building Control Bodies. That is the origin of many older drawings still citing superseded British Standards.
• Justify any older code. City of London Building Control guidance expects engineers to justify using older, non-maintained codes instead of current Eurocodes, since older standards may not reflect modern design risk and practice.
• Confirm acceptability. The same guidance says engineers should confirm that the chosen design standards are acceptable to the client’s insurers and the relevant Building Control Body. Do this before the notes are issued, not after a query comes back.

Before each issue, check the date and edition of every standard named, and check the project specification still agrees with it.

How to adapt example notes without copying errors

Example notes online are mostly from other countries and other systems. The top results for this topic include sets written for US timber framing and for projects in the Philippines, with imperial sheathing sizes and local codes. Even a good UK example carries someone else’s assumptions.

Guidance on structural drawing production says example notes should be checked against the actual structural system, adopted criteria, materials, construction method and jurisdiction, because generic notes can contradict the design or add requirements it never considered. The City of London guidance makes the same point from the Building Control side: notes must be project-specific, with no unverified “code dumps”.

A workable process:

1. Start from the calculations. List every material, grade, standard and assumption they use. Those are the notes you need.
2. Delete before you add. Remove any template note about a material, system or procedure that is not in the job.
3. Replace every placeholder. Search the sheet for brackets, “TBC”, and values copied from a previous project.
4. Cross-check against the specification. Where the spec and the notes both state a requirement, make sure they match, or state it once and refer to it.
5. Check the standards list. Confirm each reference is current and appropriate for the jurisdiction, as above.
6. Get an independent read. Someone who did not write the notes should read them as a contractor would and mark every sentence that could be read two ways.

One caution on safety-critical wording: if a note gives an instruction that could cause harm if wrong, such as a temporary works sequence or a backfilling restriction, it needs to come from a chartered engineer responsible for that design, not from a template.

A short checklist before issuing a note sheet

Our perspective

We see the same pattern on overflow work: the calculations are sound, but the note sheet has been carried over from a previous job and quietly disagrees with them. A reused sheet feels efficient until a contractor raises an RFI about a material that is not on the project.

Our view is that the notes should be written last from the finished calculations and drawings, then read once more as if you were the contractor. When we are embedded in a client’s workflow, we align outputs to UK standards and Eurocodes and prepare calculation packages that are ready for the client’s own review, so the notes reflect the design rather than a template. The client keeps the relationship and the sign-off.

A structural note is a small piece of text, but it is the one piece the person on site actually reads.

— Mohammed

Support with notes, drawings and calculation packages

If your team is stretched, we provide remote civil and structural engineers who work inside your processes on calculations, drawings, CAD and BIM coordination, with NDA protection and kick-off within 48 hours. See our remote engineering support for how that works, or our structural engineering services for reports and design packages. Pricing is agreed per engagement, so contact us with your scope.

FAQ

What are general structural notes?

They are the notes on the first structural sheet that apply to the whole drawing set. They cover design standards, loading basis, dimension checks, the order of precedence between documents and the contractor’s duty to raise discrepancies. Detail-specific instructions go beside the relevant detail instead.

Can I copy structural notes from another project?

Only as a starting checklist. Notes must match the actual structural system, materials, standards and jurisdiction of the new job, and copied sheets often carry obsolete references or requirements the design never considered. Check every line against the calculations and specification before issue.

Where should structural notes go on a drawing set?

Put general notes on the first structural sheet, or a dedicated notes sheet, and refer to them from every other drawing. Place material and specific notes next to the elements they govern. Avoid restating the same requirement in several places, because copies drift apart as revisions are issued.

How do structural notes differ from architectural general notes?

Structural notes govern the load-bearing system, material grades, standards and workmanship. Architectural notes cover finishes, setting out, fire strategy and coordination. Where a element serves both purposes, each set should cross-refer to the other instead of repeating it.

Sources

• IStructE: overview of the specifying and detailing of masonry construction
• Module 15: Structural Drawing Production
• Manual of Contract Documents for Highway Works
• Structural steelwork, Standards for Highways
• A Guide to Contractor Detailing of Reinforcement in Concrete
• Amendments to Approved Documents A and C, Annex A
• City of London Building Control guidance notes

Recommended

• Part A: Why Structural Checks Go Beyond Beam Size in UK Projects
• General Arrangement Drawings for UK Engineers: 3 Rules to Avoid RFIs
• Avoid Rework: Eurocode 2 Checklist for UK Reinforced Concrete Drawings
• Pass Building Control: UK Structural Calculations Plus Remote Support