Covering Swansea
We work in Swansea (SA1) and the places around it, including Neath, Pontarddulais and Llanelli.
Homes in West Glamorgan
Welsh homes include long terraces built into hillsides, stone cottages and modern estates, and sloping sites often shape how and where an extension can go.
What is included in a structural alteration in Swansea?
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.
- Planning and building regulations checks under Welsh rules
- Temporary works and propping
- Steel beam installation on padstones
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 |
How is a structural alteration approved in Swansea?
Planning decisions in Wales are made by the local council, using permitted development rules set by the Welsh Government rather than England’s. Building regulations in Wales have their own approved documents, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies to work on shared walls and boundaries.
Internal work like this does not usually need planning permission in Wales unless the building is listed.
What should Swansea homeowners check first?
- Shared chimney breasts and walls can involve the Party Wall Act.
- 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.
- Free site visit. We measure up, look at access, drains and the structure, and talk through options and budget.
- Drawings, approvals, written quote. We prepare the design, apply for the approvals it needs, and give you a fixed price in writing.
- We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.
Structural alterations: common questions
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
We check on site and confirm with the structural engineer.
How long does it take?
The structural work is usually done in a few days, with one to three weeks including making good.
Can you visit a house in Swansea to quote?
Yes. After a short call we arrange a site visit to measure up and agree what the design needs to do, then send a written price.
Also covering
- Structural alterations in Neath
- Structural alterations in Pontarddulais
- Structural alterations in Llanelli
- Structural alterations in Ammanford
Learn more about structural alterations, or see every project we cover in Swansea.