Temporary works & propping · Folkestone
Temporary works & propping in Folkestone
Temporary works & propping for homes in CT18, CT19, CT20, designed by a structural engineer.
- Price fixed in writing once scope is agreed
- Building control arranged
- Temporary works and making good included
- Free survey visit
- Engineer's calculations arranged
- Building control handled
- Fixed written price once scope is agreed
- England, Wales, mainland Scotland & NI
Planning temporary works & propping in Folkestone
We cover temporary works & propping in Folkestone (CT18, CT19, CT20) and the streets around it. We also cover the surrounding towns and villages in Kent. Each job is designed by a structural engineer and approved through local building control before work begins.
The moment a load-bearing wall is cut, whatever it was holding needs another route to the ground. Temporary works provide that route. Done well, nothing above moves, ceilings stay intact and the floor below is not overloaded. Done badly, it is where structural work goes wrong.
Worth knowing before you start
- Propping costs depend on how many props and needles the load calls for, how long they stay in, whether a separate temporary works design is required, and whether props must continue through a floor to reach solid ground.
- The order of work matters. Props go in and are tightened before any masonry is cut, the opening is formed in stages, and the props stay until the permanent steel is packed tight and the bedding mortar has gained enough strength.
- On larger jobs, a temporary works register or permit records when the props were installed, inspected, loaded and removed. It creates a clear trail showing each stage was checked before the next one began.
- Props take up floor space for the length of the job, usually in the rooms on both sides of the wall. Furniture needs moving back, and nobody else in the house should knock, adjust or hang anything from the props.
- Propping normally goes in on the first morning and stays until the beam is carrying. For a typical opening that is a few days, and longer where padstone mortar needs time to cure before the load is transferred onto it.
How the job runs in Folkestone
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.
Design and price
Calculations come back from the engineer and we confirm your fixed written price, line by line.
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.
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 temporary works & propping cost in Folkestone?
As a guide, budget £170–£560 including VAT for temporary works and propping in Folkestone, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the South East (+12%).
| Job | Typical guide range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary works and propping | £170–£560 | Props, spreaders, needles and sole plates for a typical opening, installed and struck |
| RSJ supply and fit (single beam) | £900–£2,800 per beam | Beam supplied, delivered, lifted and packed on padstones, with propping (calculations and approval priced separately) |
| Chimney breast removal (ground floor) | £1,700–£3,350 | Ground-floor breast removed, steel to support the breast above, building control and making good |
| Structural calculations for a beam | £280–£840 | Site measure or photos, beam and padstone design and calculations for building control |
Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in the South East (+12%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.
Approvals in Folkestone
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.
Questions about temporary works & propping in Folkestone
How much do temporary works & propping cost in Folkestone?
As a guide, budget £170–£560 including VAT for temporary works and propping in Folkestone, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the South East (+12%). 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.
Can you work on older or listed homes in Folkestone?
Yes. Older homes often have lime mortar, timber lintels or shallow footings, which the engineer allows for. Listed buildings need listed building consent for internal structural changes as well as building regulations approval, and that must be in place first.
Can I stay in my house while it is propped?
Usually, yes. The props take up space in the rooms either side of the work, so those rooms will be out of use, but the rest of the house can be lived in as normal. The props must never be moved, knocked or adjusted by anyone other than the installation team.
Do I need a temporary works design for my job?
Not always. For a simple single opening, the propping shown in the engineer's calculations is often enough. Bigger or more complex jobs, such as removing several walls, supporting chimney stacks or replacing a shopfront beam, may need a separate temporary works design from an engineer, following the BS 5975 approach.
What if props need to go on my neighbour's side of the wall?
Then their agreement is needed first. Where needles pass through a party wall, props may have to stand on the neighbour's side, and in England and Wales that work is normally covered by party wall notices served before work starts. We arrange notices through a party wall surveyor where they are required.