Steel BeamInstallers
Rear extension under construction with a steel beam over the opening into the house

Rear extension steels · Stockport

Rear extension steels in Stockport

Steelwork, approvals and making good for rear extension steels in Stockport and nearby.

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

Free survey in Stockport

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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 rear extension steels involve in Stockport

We carry out rear extension steels in Stockport, covering the SK1, SK2, SK3, SK4 and SK5 postcode districts. It sits about 5.9 miles from Manchester, which we also cover. The job starts with a free survey visit so the engineer's calculations are based on your actual walls, floors and loads.

Building a rear extension is only half of the open-plan result. The original back wall still holds up the first floor and the rear wall of the bedrooms above, so opening it needs steel. Depending on the width and what is left to bear on, that could be a single beam on padstones, a beam on columns, or a full goalpost frame.

What to expect

  • In terraced and semi-detached houses one end of the beam often bears into the party wall. In England and Wales that is notifiable under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, and the extension's own foundations near the boundary may need notices as well.
  • The steelwork forms part of the extension's building regulations approval, and the engineer's calculations go in with it. Planning for the extension itself is separate; many rear extensions to houses in England fall within permitted development, subject to size limits and conditions.
  • The building control completion certificate for the extension covers the steelwork to the old rear wall. Keep it with the engineer's calculations and drawings, as a buyer's solicitor will expect to see the structural paperwork for the extension.
  • During the opening, props stand both inside the house and within the extension footprint. Where props bear on a newly laid slab, the propping plan checks that the slab can take those point loads, using spreaders where needed.
  • A single beam works where solid masonry is left at both ends of the opening. Where the opening runs nearly the full width or the corners are weak, the engineer may use columns or a goalpost frame, which is two posts and a beam bolted together.

From survey to sign-off in Stockport

  1. Survey in Stockport

    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 Stockport 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 Stockport?

As a guide, budget £2,400–£6,700 including VAT for opening into a rear extension in Stockport, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the North West (-4%).

JobTypical guide rangeWhat it usually covers
Opening into a rear extension£2,400–£6,700Original rear wall removed with a beam or goalpost, approvals and propping, coordinated with the extension build
Side return extension steelwork£3,350–£8,150Beams and posts along the old side wall line, propping and approvals (extension build extra)
Party wall surveyor (agreed surveyor, per neighbour)£860–£1,920 per neighbourSchedule of condition and award where a neighbour dissents; serving notice alone, where the neighbour consents, costs far less (England and Wales only)
Structural calculations for a beam£240–£720Site measure or photos, beam and padstone design and calculations for building control

Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in the North West (-4%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.

Building control and neighbours in Stockport

For Stockport, building control is provided by Stockport Council, or by a registered building control approver if preferred. We send them the engineer's calculations with a building notice or full plans application and book the inspections. Work done without approval can cause problems at sale and is far dearer to put right later.

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

Rear extension steels near Stockport

Questions about rear extension steels in Stockport

How soon can rear extension steels start in Stockport?

Start dates depend on the engineer's calculations, the building control approval and, where needed, party wall notice periods. We give you a realistic timetable after the survey and keep you updated as each approval comes through.

Do you cover Stockport for rear extension steels?

Yes. We carry out rear extension steels in Stockport and the SK1, SK2, SK3, SK4 and SK5 postcode districts. Book a free survey visit and we will check the wall, arrange the engineer's calculations and send an itemised written quote.

Will my kitchen be out of action while the rear wall is opened?

For a few days, usually. The kitchen often sits against the rear wall, so units, sinks or appliances near the opening may need disconnecting while the wall is propped and removed. The work area is sheeted off and the rest of the house stays in use.

Is the steel included in the extension's building regulations?

Yes. The steelwork is part of the extension, so the engineer's calculations go to building control with the extension application and the steel is inspected before it is covered. The completion certificate issued for the extension then covers the structural work to the rear wall.

What is a goalpost frame in an extension?

A goalpost frame is two steel columns with a beam across the top, bolted together and standing on their own foundations. It is used where the opening is so wide that little masonry is left to bear on, or where the existing corners cannot take the load. The engineer decides whether one is needed.

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.