Structural alterations in the Lothians

Covering The Lothians

We cover the Lothians, including Livingston, Musselburgh, Bathgate and Bonnyrigg, and the towns around them.

Homes in the Lothians

Scottish homes range from city tenements and sandstone terraces to bungalows and modern estates, and the building warrant process shapes the programme for every project.

What does a structural alteration involve?

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.

Building warrant application and completion certificate
Structural engineer’s design and calculations
Making good floors, walls and ceilings

How much does a structural alteration cost in the Lothians?

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

How is a structural alteration approved in the Lothians?

In Scotland the key step is the building warrant, which must be granted before work begins. Planning permission is decided separately by the council, and work on shared walls is handled under your title deeds rather than a party wall act.

Internal alterations rarely need planning permission in Scotland, but structural work needs a building warrant before it starts.

What should I think about before starting?

The beam size can mean a downstand in the ceiling unless it is set flush within the floor.
Pipes and cables in the wall need rerouting first.

From first call to completion

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.
Construction and completion. One site lead co-ordinates every trade through to the building control certificate.

Your questions answered

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.

Do you work in the Lothians?

Yes. the Lothians is within our coverage for structural alterations, along with nearby Livingston and Musselburgh.

Also covering

Learn more about structural alterations, or see every project we cover in The Lothians.