Temporary works & propping · Yeovil
Temporary works & propping in Yeovil
Temporary works & propping for homes in BA20, BA21, BA22, designed by a structural engineer.
- Free survey visit in Yeovil
- Engineer's calculations arranged
- Building control handled for you
- 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 Yeovil
Our temporary works & propping service in Yeovil covers everything from the first visit to the completion paperwork. Our coverage runs across Somerset, so nearby villages are included too. Postcode districts we cover here include BA20, BA21 and BA22.
Propping is included in every structural job we quote, and we can also provide it as a separate service where a wall, lintel or chimney needs supporting while other work goes on. The layout of props, needles and spreaders follows the engineer's calculations or a temporary works design for the job.
What to expect
- 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.
- 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.
- Needle holes leave neat square gaps in the wall above the new beam. Once the props are out, these are filled with brick or block and mortar, then plastered over with the rest of the making good.
- For simple openings, the engineer's calculations usually show the propping arrangement. Larger or unusual jobs, such as removing several walls or working beneath chimney stacks, may need a separate temporary works design prepared by an engineer.
- When an external wall is propped, the opening is sheeted against rain and the house is kept secure overnight. Where props stand outside, ground conditions, drains and access paths are taken into account before they are set up.
Four stages, one team
Survey in Yeovil
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.
What do temporary works & propping cost in Yeovil?
As a guide, budget £150–£520 including VAT for temporary works and propping in Yeovil, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for prices in the South West (+3%).
| Job | Typical guide range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary works and propping | £150–£520 | Props, spreaders, needles and sole plates for a typical opening, installed and struck |
| Load-bearing wall removal with steel beam | £2,050–£5,150 | Typical internal wall up to about 4 m: calculations, building control, propping, steel, padstones, fitting, fire protection and making good |
| Chimney breast removal (ground floor) | £1,550–£3,100 | Ground-floor breast removed, steel to support the breast above, building control and making good |
| Party wall surveyor (agreed surveyor, per neighbour) | £930–£2,060 per neighbour | Schedule of condition and award where a neighbour dissents; serving notice alone, where the neighbour consents, costs far less (England and Wales only) |
Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for prices in the South West (+3%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.
Building rules for Yeovil
For Yeovil, building control is provided by the local council's building control team, 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.
Terraced and semi-detached homes often need party wall notices, because cutting into a shared wall to take a beam end is notifiable under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. Allow at least two months for the notice period unless your neighbour agrees sooner.
Temporary works & propping near Yeovil
- Bridgwater 20.7 mi
- Taunton 21.1 mi
- Weymouth 23.8 mi
- Frome 23.9 mi
Temporary works & propping in Yeovil: your questions
Can you work on older or listed homes in Yeovil?
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.
What happens at the survey visit in Yeovil?
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.
Why do you need props to remove a wall?
Because the wall is holding up weight that still has to be supported while it is gone. Props and needles carry the floors, walls or roof above down to the ground until the new steel beam is fitted, packed and taking the load. Without them, the structure above could drop, crack or, at worst, collapse.
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.
What is needling a wall?
Needling means cutting holes through a wall just above where an opening will go and passing short steel beams, called needles, through them. Each needle is supported on props on both sides, so the masonry above rests on the needles while the wall below is removed and the permanent beam is fitted.
Can I stay at home while the work is done in Yeovil?
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.