Steel goalpost frames · Greater Manchester
Steel goalpost frames in Greater Manchester
Survey, engineer's design and installation of steel goalpost frames anywhere in Greater Manchester.
- Survey, design and installation in one
- Covering BL0, BL1, BL2, BL3
- Inspected before it is covered
- Free survey visit
- Engineer's calculations arranged
- Building control handled
- Fixed written price once scope is agreed
- England, Wales, mainland Scotland & NI
About our steel goalpost frames service in Greater Manchester
A steel goalpost frame is a beam supported on two steel columns, bolted together into one rigid unit shaped like a goalpost. It is used where the masonry either side of an opening cannot take the beam's load, or where a wide opening leaves little wall to bear on. The columns stand on base plates fixed to concrete pad foundations sized by the engineer.
Steel goalpost frames are one of the most common structural jobs in homes across Greater Manchester. We can survey in places such as Stockport, Salford and Bolton and the villages around them. Every job starts with a survey visit, then calculations from a structural engineer, so the steel suits the house in front of us rather than a rule of thumb.
Things to plan for
- In older homes with suspended timber ground floors, the column has to pass through the void to reach the pad. Air bricks, joists and the damp-proof course around each column are considered so ventilation and damp protection are not compromised.
- A goalpost frame differs from a simple beam because the beam does not rely on the walls at its ends. The two columns and the beam are connected so the whole frame carries the load down into foundations of its own.
- Columns can be boxed in with fire-rated plasterboard to look like small piers, built into new stud walls, or left exposed and painted. Where an extension wall continues past the opening, a column can often sit within it out of sight.
- A goalpost frame is structural work, so building regulations approval is needed in England and Wales, a building warrant before work in Scotland, and a building control application in Northern Ireland. The inspector typically wants to see the pad excavations as well as the finished steel.
- Price depends on the opening width, the loads the beam carries, the number of bolted connections, the depth of the pads and how easily the steel can be carried in. Any redesign after the ground is opened is priced before it goes ahead.
What happens, step by step
Survey in Greater Manchester
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.
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.
Building control
We submit a building notice or full plans application to the local council's building control team, so approval is in place before the wall is touched.
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.
Guide prices for steel goalpost frames in Greater Manchester
As a guide, budget £1,900–£5,750 including VAT for steel goalpost frame in Greater Manchester, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the North West (-4%).
| Job | Typical guide range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Steel goalpost frame | £1,900–£5,750 | Two posts and a beam bolted as a frame, pad foundations, base plates and fitting |
| Opening into a rear extension | £2,400–£6,700 | Original rear wall removed with a beam or goalpost, approvals and propping, coordinated with the extension build |
| Rear wall opening for bi-fold or sliding doors | £2,400–£6,700 | External wall opened up to about 5 m with steel, propping, cavity tray and making good (doors supplied separately) |
| Side return extension steelwork | £3,350–£8,150 | Beams and posts along the old side wall line, propping and approvals (extension build extra) |
Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in the North West (-4%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.
Approvals in Greater Manchester
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 the local council's building control team 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.
Steel goalpost frames by town
- Manchester
- Oldham
- Wigan
- Bolton
- Stockport
- Salford
- Rochdale
- Sale
- Bury
- Altrincham
- Middleton
- Ashton-under-Lyne
- Leigh
- Stretford
- Urmston
- Chadderton
- Eccles
- Tyldesley
- Hyde
- Walkden
- Prestwich
- Radcliffe
- Cheadle Hulme
- Heywood
- Denton
- Stalybridge
- Ashton in Makerfield
- Westhoughton
- Farnworth
- Saddleworth
- Hindley
- Golborne
- Droylsden
- Whitefield
- Swinton
- Royton
- Atherton
- Dukinfield
- Failsworth
- Hazel Grove
Steel goalpost frames in Greater Manchester: your questions
How much do steel goalpost frames cost in Greater Manchester?
As a guide, budget £1,900–£5,750 including VAT for steel goalpost frame in Greater Manchester, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the North West (-4%). 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.
Which towns in Greater Manchester do you cover?
We cover towns including Manchester, Oldham, Wigan and Bolton, plus the villages and smaller towns around them.
Can a goalpost frame be hidden?
Usually, yes. The columns can be boxed in with fire-rated plasterboard so they read as small piers, set inside new walls, or hidden within the line of an extension's side walls. The beam is boxed like any other steel. Some owners prefer to leave the frame exposed and painted as a design feature.
Is a goalpost frame more expensive than a beam?
Generally yes, because there is more steel, more fabrication and new foundations to dig and pour. Against that, a goalpost can avoid rebuilding weak piers or strengthening walls so they can take a beam. Our itemised written quote shows the frame, pads, propping and making good separately so you can see where the cost sits.
Are goalpost frames welded or bolted?
Most domestic goalposts are bolted, with plates welded to the beam and columns in the fabrication shop and bolted together on site. That lets each piece be carried into the house separately. The engineer specifies the connection details, including whether the joints need to resist sway, and the fabricator makes the frame to suit.
When do you need a goalpost instead of a steel beam?
You need a goalpost when the walls at either end of the opening cannot safely carry the beam. That happens when piers are too narrow, the masonry is weak or cracked, the opening runs almost wall to wall, or the footings below are unsuitable. The structural engineer makes the call after looking at the loads and the bearings available.
What happens at the survey visit in Greater Manchester?
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.