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

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs · Truro

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Truro

Steelwork, approvals and making good for kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Truro and nearby.

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

Free survey in Truro

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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

What kitchen-diner knock-throughs involve in Truro

Need kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Truro? The wider Cornwall area is covered as well. We survey the property, arrange the engineer's design, deal with Cornwall Council, fit the steel and make good, all under one quote for TR1 addresses.

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.

Worth knowing before you start

  • Cooker hood ducting that currently runs out through the wall may need a new route once the wall goes. Ducting can often be run in the ceiling void alongside the beam, but the beam's position and depth need to be known first.
  • 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.
  • Older kitchens can hide asbestos in textured ceiling coatings, floor tiles, boxing around pipes or the backing of old heaters. In buildings from before 2000 it must be identified before the fabric is disturbed, so a survey of the affected area is arranged first.
  • 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.
  • Taking the wall out removes the switches and sockets on it, and an open-plan room usually needs a new lighting layout. Electrical work in England must comply with Part P of the building regulations where it is notifiable, so rewiring is planned early.

Four stages, one team

  1. Survey in Truro

    We visit, look at the wall and what sits above it, measure the opening and note services, access and how the steel can be brought in.

  2. Engineer's design

    A structural engineer sizes the beam, padstones and any posts, and sets out the temporary support needed while the wall is out.

  3. Building control

    We submit a building notice or full plans application to Cornwall Council, so approval is in place before the wall is touched.

  4. Install and sign-off

    Props go in, the opening is formed, the steel is set and packed, building control inspects it, and we make good.

How much should I budget in Truro?

As a guide, budget £2,600–£6,200 including VAT for kitchen-diner knock-through in Truro, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the South West (+3%).

JobTypical guide rangeWhat it usually covers
Kitchen-diner knock-through£2,600–£6,200Internal structural wall between kitchen and dining room, steel beam, approvals and making good (kitchen fitting extra)
Through-lounge knock-through£2,600–£5,650Wall between front and back reception rooms, steel beam, approvals, plastering and floor infill
Load-bearing wall removal with steel beam£2,050–£5,150Typical internal wall up to about 4 m: calculations, building control, propping, steel, padstones, fitting, fire protection and making good
Steel column or post£520–£1,540 per columnColumn supplied and fitted with base and cap plates on a pad foundation

Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in the South West (+3%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.

Approvals in Truro

In England, taking out a load-bearing wall or putting in a beam is building work under the Building Regulations 2010. It needs approval from building control, either Cornwall Council or a registered building control approver, through a full plans application or a building notice. Part A covers the structure and Part B covers fire safety, which is why steel in homes is usually fire protected.

If the beam bears into a wall you share with a neighbour, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, and a party structure notice must be served at least two months before that work starts. We arrange this through a party wall surveyor.

Building rules in England

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs near Truro

Kitchen-diner knock-throughs in Truro: your questions

Do you also work near Truro?

Yes. We also cover nearby towns including Falmouth, Redruth, Newquay and Camborne.

What happens at the survey visit in Truro?

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 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.

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.

Can I have a kitchen island where the wall used to be?

Often you can, but it depends on whether the engineer needs a column and where the beam ends bear. If an island is part of the plan, tell us at the survey so the steel can be designed around it. Plumbing or power to an island also needs a route under the floor.

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.