Covering Derry
Alongside Derry, we also cover Strabane (14 miles to the south-west), Limavady and Coleraine.
Homes in County Londonderry
Housing in Northern Ireland mixes terraces in Belfast and Derry with detached houses and bungalows in towns and rural areas, many with room to extend.
What goes into a structural alteration?
We arrange the structural calculations, support the floors and roof above with temporary props while the wall comes out, install the steel on padstones, then encase it for fire protection and make good. Chimney breast removals and new openings in external walls follow the same process.
- Planning and building control applications to the council
- Steel beam installation on padstones
- Making good floors, walls and ceilings
How much should I budget for a structural alteration?
Use these ranges to budget for structural alterations; the survey turns them into a fixed price for the agreed specification.
| Structural alterations | Guide price incl. VAT |
|---|---|
| Single load-bearing wall removal with steel | £3,000 to £7,500 |
| Chimney breast removal with support | £1,800 to £4,500 |
| Multiple walls or full open-plan remodel | £8,000 to £20,000 |
Planning and building rules in Derry
In Northern Ireland the council handles both planning and building control. Permitted development rules are set by the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, and there is no party wall act, so we agree access and protection with neighbours in writing.
Internal alterations rarely need planning permission in Northern Ireland, but structural work needs building control approval.
What should Derry homeowners check first?
- Removing walls can affect the fire escape route on open-plan ground floors in three-storey houses.
- Pipes and cables in the wall need rerouting first.
From first call to completion
- Tell us about the project. Call, use the guide price tool or send the form with a few photos and a postcode.
- Survey at your house. We look at the existing structure, services and access, and agree what the design needs to achieve.
- Design and fixed price. You get drawings and a written price for the agreed specification before anything is ordered.
- We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.
Structural alterations: common questions
Do I need building regulations approval to remove a wall?
Yes, for any load-bearing wall. Non-structural partitions usually do not need approval.
Can the steel be hidden in the ceiling?
Often it can be set within the floor depth, avoiding a downstand. The engineer confirms what is possible.
Do you work in Derry?
Yes. Derry is within our coverage for structural alterations, along with nearby Strabane and Limavady.
Also covering
- Structural alterations in Strabane
- Structural alterations in Limavady
- Structural alterations in Coleraine
- Structural alterations in Omagh
Learn more about structural alterations, or see every project we cover in Derry.