Structural alterations in Whitley Bay

Covering Whitley Bay

Whitley Bay is about 8 miles north-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. We also cover North Shields (2 miles to the south), Tynemouth and South Shields.

Homes in the North East

Housing across the North East ranges from colliery terraces and Tyneside flats to suburban semis and modern estates, each with different options for extending.

What is 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
Building control application and inspections
Making good floors, walls and ceilings

How much should I budget for a structural alteration?

What structural alterations typically cost. These are guide ranges; the written quote for your house replaces them.

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

What approvals does a structural alteration need in England?

Projects in England go through two separate checks. Planning (or confirmation that the work is permitted development) comes from the district, borough or unitary council, and building regulations approval comes from the council’s building control team or a registered building control approver. Where work touches a shared wall or digs near a neighbour’s foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies.

Internal work like this does not usually need planning permission unless the house is listed or your permitted development rights have been removed.

What can affect a structural alteration?

The beam size can mean a downstand in the ceiling unless it is set flush within the floor.
Removing walls can affect the fire escape route on open-plan ground floors in three-storey houses.

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.
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.

Structural alterations: common questions

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 Whitley Bay?

Yes. Whitley Bay is within our coverage for structural alterations, along with nearby North Shields and Tynemouth.

Also covering

Learn more about structural alterations, or see every project we cover in Whitley Bay.