We always say that digital tools and platforms are for everybody, not just the large tier one contractors. For structural engineers and SME owners looking to build a business that works for them, not the other way around, digital technology can be key.
Hear from business owner James Lewis, founder of Hive Structural, as he explains how he built an engineering practice that prioritises quality and a sustainable work-life balance, with a little help from Tekla Tedds software.
Based in Edinburgh, Hive Structural is a small-scale structural engineering business founded by James in April 2025. With design experience of more than 2,500 projects within the domestic, commercial, educational and council sectors, today James mainly works across conversions, extensions and new builds.
Q) What started your interest in structural engineering?
“I did the classic maths, physics and chemistry route at A-Levels and really loved physics. From this, I knew I wanted to do something that was related but on a more practical level. After completing a 5-year degree, I landed my first engineering job here in Edinburgh.”
Q) What propelled your decision to move on and set up a company on your own?
“There was a variety of reasons; of course, work-life balance but also the ability to control my own output and manage quality. When working in any large company where there are multiple people, teams and responsibilities, there will always be interfaces. Working solo means that all stages of a job will run through one person, me – that way, I know there won’t be any interface issues and I can have more confidence and control over quality.
“Human interaction is the main thing I enjoy, I like meeting people. As it’s domestic scale and the projects are small, sometimes they’ll take just a day to complete, sometimes a week. I always try to keep my jobs fairly local, so I cycle to most of my site visits.”
Q) What is the value of Trimble’s Tekla Tedds software for your business?
“I use Tekla Tedds on every project, once I get to the drawing stage and I’m doing my structural calculations. For me, the main benefit of Tedds is that you can rely on it getting the calculations right. If something goes wrong, it’s because you have input something incorrectly, not because the software is wrong.
“The time savings are key. Calculations that would usually take half a day by hand, within Tedds they can take ten minutes. It’s truly a no brainer.”
Q) What is it you want for your business moving forward?
“For me, it’s all about continuing to do what I’m doing. I don’t have an interest in growing or expanding the business. Instead, my focus is on always producing the best quality designs for clients and architects, that they are happy with the work, and that I maintain a good work-life balance.”
With Tekla Tedds, you can ditch the spreadsheets and say hello to automated engineering calculations, thanks to a quality-assured library of over 180 regularly updated multi-material calculations. As well as improving accuracy and reliability, it’s all about saving you valuable time. Plus, with desktop publishing features, it’s easy to quickly create content for professional and competitive project documentation.