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

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs · Portrush

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Portrush

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs for homes in BT55, BT56, designed by a structural engineer.

  • Itemised written quote
  • Beam sized by a structural engineer
  • Covering Portrush and nearby

Free survey in Portrush

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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 Portrush

We cover kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Portrush (BT55, BT56) and the streets around it. The wider Causeway Coast and Glens area is covered as well. Each job is designed by a structural engineer and approved through Causeway Coast and Glens 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

  • Keep the structural calculations, the building control completion certificate and any gas or electrical certificates together. When the house is sold, the buyer's solicitor will usually ask for evidence that the knock-through was approved and signed off.
  • 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.
  • If the kitchen also opens onto the hallway, the change can affect the escape route from the bedrooms. Building control checks how people would get out in a fire, and smoke alarms, a fire door or other measures may be required as part of approval.
  • 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.
  • 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.

From survey to sign-off in Portrush

  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 Causeway Coast and Glens 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 Portrush?

As a guide, budget £2,150–£5,150 including VAT for kitchen-diner knock-through in Portrush, 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)
Fire protection to a steel beam£130–£520 per beamFire-rated board boxing or an intumescent coating system as specified
Plastering and making good£260–£1,030Boxing the beam, bead and skim, reveals, floor infill where the wall stood and tidy-up
Through-lounge knock-through£2,150–£4,750Wall between front and back reception rooms, steel beam, approvals, plastering and floor infill

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

Building control and neighbours in Portrush

Removing a load-bearing wall in Northern Ireland needs building control approval from the council. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council covers Portrush. The engineer's calculations support the application, and a completion certificate is issued after the final inspection.

The Party Wall etc. Act does not extend to Northern Ireland. Shared walls are dealt with under your title and the general law, so we recommend agreeing access and the work with your neighbour before it starts.

Building rules in Northern Ireland

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs near Portrush

Questions about kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Portrush

How much do kitchen-diner knock-throughs cost in Portrush?

As a guide, budget £2,150–£5,150 including VAT for kitchen-diner knock-through in Portrush, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in Northern Ireland (-14%). The exact figure depends on the span, what the wall carries, access and the finish, and is fixed in writing once the scope is agreed.

Do you also work near Portrush?

Yes. We also cover nearby towns including Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballycastle and Limavady.

Can the steel beam be hidden in the ceiling?

Yes, a flush beam can be set into the ceiling void so there is no step between the kitchen and dining ceilings. It needs enough joist depth and more labour to connect the joists to the steel, so it costs more than a downstand. The engineer confirms whether it is possible in your house.

Do I need permission from my landlord or freeholder to open up a kitchen?

If you own a leasehold flat, usually yes. The lease will normally require the freeholder's or landlord's written consent for structural alterations, so get that before any work is booked. Freehold houses do not need this, and planning permission is not normally needed for internal changes unless the building is listed.

Should I do the knock-through before or after fitting a new kitchen?

Before. The steel, any column, the floor levelling and the plastering all need to be finished first, so the kitchen fitter works in a dry, square room with services already in position. Fitting units and then taking out a wall risks damage and rework, and the beam position can affect where wall units go.

Can I stay at home while the work is done in Portrush?

Usually, yes. The work area is screened and floors are protected. The rooms either side of the opening are out of action for a few days, and there is some noise and dust while the masonry comes out.

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.