Covering Keady
We work in Keady (BT60) and the places around it, including Armagh, Newry and Portadown.
Homes in County Armagh
Across Northern Ireland you find city terraces, suburban semis and rural bungalows and farmhouses, so the right approach depends on the plot and the planning history.
What goes into a structural alteration?
Structural alterations change the load-bearing parts of a house, most often removing a wall between two rooms and putting in a steel beam to create an open-plan layout. The work needs a structural engineer’s design and building regulations approval.
- Structural engineer’s design and calculations
- Steel beam installation on padstones
- Fire protection and plaster encasement
How much should I budget for a structural alteration?
Typical ranges for structural alterations. Ground conditions, access and specification move the final figure, which we fix in writing before work starts.
| 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 |
Do you need permission for a structural alteration in Keady?
Projects in Northern Ireland need planning clearance from one of the eleven councils and building control approval, also from the council. The Party Wall etc. Act does not extend to Northern Ireland, so work near neighbours is agreed directly and documented carefully.
Internal alterations rarely need planning permission in Northern Ireland, but structural work needs building control approval.
What should Keady 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.
What are the steps?
- Send us the details. Give us a postcode, a rough idea of size and some photos, by phone, form or the guide price tool.
- We visit and measure. A surveyor checks the house, the boundaries and the ground, and discusses what is realistic.
- Price and paperwork. The design is priced line by line, and we submit the planning and building control applications.
- We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.
What people ask before starting
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
We check on site and confirm with the structural engineer.
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.
Who deals with the council for a project in Keady?
We do. We prepare the drawings, submit planning or permitted development paperwork if needed, and arrange building control inspections.
Other towns nearby
- Structural alterations in Armagh
- Structural alterations in Newry
- Structural alterations in Portadown
- Structural alterations in Dungannon
Learn more about structural alterations, or see every project we cover in Keady.