Load-Bearing Wall Removal Design in London

• Assessment of whether the wall is load-bearing and what it carries
• Beam design for the new opening
• Design of bearings, padstones and any supporting posts
• Checks on the structure below, down to foundation level
• Calculations and details for building control

• Open-plan kitchen and dining rooms
• Wider openings between reception rooms
• Removing walls as part of an extension project
• Partial removals creating serving hatches or peninsulas

1. 1

   Initial enquiry

   Tell us about your project through the contact form, including any drawings or photographs you already have.

2. 2

   Review of information

   We review the available information — existing drawings, architectural proposals, site measurements and photographs — and confirm what is needed.

3. 3

   Quotation

   We agree the scope and fee with you before any design work begins, so you know exactly what will be provided.

4. 4

   Design and checking

   We carry out the agreed calculations, drawings or specifications, checked against the relevant standards.

5. 5

   Issue of deliverables

   The agreed drawings, calculations or design notes are issued to you electronically, ready for your builder or building control.

• A floor plan or sketch showing the wall and the rooms around it
• Photographs of the wall, the rooms above and the loft
• Ceiling heights and the direction of floor joists if known
• What is below the wall — another room, a basement, or the ground

• Beam and support design with calculations
• Detail drawings for the builder
• Notes on temporary support during the work

Confirming whether a wall is load-bearing sometimes needs a site visit or opening-up. Where the wall is a party wall shared with a neighbour, the Party Wall Act usually applies — we will flag this, but the party wall process itself is handled by party wall surveyors. Building control approval is separate, and the physical removal is construction work.

How do I know if my wall is load-bearing?

Clues include the wall's thickness, its direction relative to floor joists, and whether walls sit above it. Send us photographs and a sketch and we can usually advise; where it is unclear, a visit confirms it.

Will I need a post, or can the beam span the whole opening?

It depends on the span and the load. Many openings can be spanned without posts; where a post is needed, it can often be concealed within a wall or kitchen unit.

Does removing the wall need building control approval?

Yes — removing a load-bearing wall is structural work that building control must approve. Our calculations and details support that application.

• Beam Design
• Wall Removal Structural Openings
• Structural Calculations