Steel BeamInstallers
Finished open-plan kitchen diner with a plastered boxed beam across the ceiling

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs · Antrim

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Antrim

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Antrim, from free survey to completion certificate.

  • Free survey visit in Antrim
  • Engineer's calculations arranged
  • Building control handled for you

Free survey in Antrim

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  • Free survey visit
  • Engineer's calculations arranged
  • Building control handled
  • Fixed written price once scope is agreed
  • England, Wales, mainland Scotland & NI

About our kitchen-diner knock-throughs service in Antrim

We cover kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Antrim (BT41) and the streets around it. The wider Antrim and Newtownabbey area is covered as well. Each job is designed by a structural engineer and approved through Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council before work begins.

We plan the structural work alongside your kitchen design so the beam, any column and the services all land in the right place before units are ordered. A survey visit, engineer's calculations, building control, propping, the steel and making good are all covered in one itemised written quote, with the price fixed in writing once the layout and specification are agreed.

Things to plan for

  • Sinks and dishwashers usually sit on an outside wall, but supply pipes and waste runs sometimes cross the internal wall. Moving the sink to an island means planning a waste route with enough fall under the floor, which affects how the floor is prepared.
  • The structural price depends mainly on the span, what sits above and how the beam ends are supported. Kitchen-related extras, such as moving gas, relocating a soil pipe or rerouting ducting, are listed as separate items so you can see what each one adds.
  • A flush beam sits up within the depth of the ceiling so the kitchen and dining ceilings run as one flat surface. It suits continuous downlights and long runs of wall units, but each joist has to be connected into the beam, which adds labour.
  • While the wall is out you will usually be without a working kitchen for several days. Many households set up a kettle, microwave and fridge in another room for that period and plan simple meals that need little cooking.
  • Where the wall stood there is usually a strip of footing or a change in floor level between the two rooms. It is levelled with screed or timber so one continuous floor finish, such as tiles or engineered boards, can run straight across.

How the job runs in Antrim

  1. Look and measure

    We check the wall, the span you want and what the wall is carrying, and photograph anything the engineer needs to see.

  2. Design and price

    Calculations come back from the engineer and we confirm your fixed written price, line by line.

  3. Building control

    A full plans application or building notice goes to Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council under the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 before work begins.

  4. Fit, inspect, finish

    The work is propped and the steel installed and packed tight. After inspection the opening is boxed, plastered and left clean.

What do kitchen-diner knock-throughs cost in Antrim?

As a guide, budget £2,150–£5,150 including VAT for kitchen-diner knock-through in Antrim, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in Northern Ireland (-14%).

JobTypical guide rangeWhat it usually covers
Kitchen-diner knock-through£2,150–£5,150Internal structural wall between kitchen and dining room, steel beam, approvals and making good (kitchen fitting extra)
Structural calculations for a beam£220–£640Site measure or photos, beam and padstone design and calculations for building control
Through-lounge knock-through£2,150–£4,750Wall between front and back reception rooms, steel beam, approvals, plastering and floor infill
Load-bearing wall removal with steel beam£1,700–£4,300Typical internal wall up to about 4 m: calculations, building control, propping, steel, padstones, fitting, fire protection and making good

Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in Northern Ireland (-14%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.

Approvals in Antrim

Building control in Antrim is run by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council. Beams and new openings are controlled work under the Northern Ireland regulations, so we apply before anything is removed and the steel is inspected before it is covered.

Northern Ireland has no Party Wall Act, so there is no statutory notice to serve. Where the steel bears into a shared wall, the title deeds and the general law apply, and agreeing the work with your neighbour in writing first is good practice.

Building rules in Northern Ireland

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs near Antrim

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Antrim: your questions

What happens at the survey visit in Antrim?

We look at the wall, the floor and ceiling either side and what sits above, measure the opening you want, and note cables, pipes and access for the steel. It usually takes under an hour and there is no charge.

Do I need a party wall agreement for kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Antrim?

There is no Party Wall Act in Northern Ireland. Your title deeds and the general law apply instead, so agree the work with your neighbour in writing before it starts.

How long will I be without a kitchen?

The structural work itself usually takes three to six working days, and the kitchen is out of action during that time. After that come plastering, drying, flooring and the kitchen fit, so the overall period without a finished kitchen depends mostly on your fitter's programme and when the units are delivered.

Is the wall between my kitchen and dining room load-bearing?

It often is, particularly in older semis and terraces where it supports the bedroom floor joists. The clearest signs are joists bearing on it from above and a wall in the same position upstairs, but only an engineer's site check confirms it. We arrange that check as part of the survey and design stage.

What does a kitchen-diner knock-through quote include?

Our written quote is itemised: survey, engineer's calculations, building control, propping, removal of the wall, steel and padstones, fire protection, floor levelling and making good, with any gas, plumbing or electrical rerouting listed separately. Once the layout, specification and scope are agreed, the price is fixed in writing.

Do you also work near Antrim?

Yes. We also cover nearby towns including Ballymena, Newtownabbey, Lisburn and Magherafelt.

Planning to take a wall out?

Book a free survey visit. You get an itemised written quote covering calculations, building control, steel and making good.