Wider doorways & openings · London
Wider doorways & openings in London
Survey, engineer's design and installation of wider doorways & openings anywhere in London.
- Survey, design and installation in one
- Covering BR1, BR2, BR3, BR4
- 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
What wider doorways & openings involve in London
Wider doorways and openings are gaps formed or enlarged in internal walls, with a lintel or steel beam carrying the masonry and loads above. They sit between a simple door change and a full wall removal: the span is shorter, but each opening still needs the right support and approval if the wall is structural.
We carry out wider doorways & openings throughout London, for homeowners, landlords and builders who need the structural part done properly. Towns we cover include Croydon, Enfield Town and Tottenham, among other places in the area. You get an itemised written quote that shows the calculations, approvals, steel, labour and finishing as separate lines.
What to expect
- Forming or widening an opening in a load-bearing wall is building work needing building regulations approval in England and Wales. In Scotland a building warrant is required before work starts, and in Northern Ireland an application is made to the council's building control.
- In hallways, a new or wider opening into the living room can affect the protected route from the stairs to the front door. Building control may require fire doors, smoke alarms or other measures, especially in houses with three or more storeys.
- Each side of the new opening needs enough solid wall for the lintel or beam to sit on. If the opening runs close to a corner, another doorway or a chimney breast, there may not be enough masonry, and a column or padstone may be required.
- When an opening widens, the old threshold strip and floor finishes often stop short. Carpet, boards or tiles need joining neatly across the new width, and a change in floor height between rooms may need a threshold bar or a gentle ramp.
- Light switches, sockets and cables often sit right beside a doorway. These are moved before cutting, and any electrical alterations in England must comply with Part P of the building regulations where they are notifiable.
From survey to sign-off in London
Free visit
A short visit to London to see the job, agree what you want and check the bearings, floors and services that affect the design.
Calculations
The engineer's calculations and a simple drawing are prepared for your opening and shared with you before anything is ordered.
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.
Steel in, made good
On site we prop, open up, fit and pack the steel, then fire protect, box in and plaster once the inspection is done.
How much should I budget in London?
As a guide, budget £1,300–£3,200 including VAT for widening an internal doorway in London, based on published UK cost guides adjusted for London prices (+28%).
| Job | Typical guide range | What it usually covers |
|---|---|---|
| Widening an internal doorway | £1,300–£3,200 | Opening widened with a new lintel or short beam, approval where structural, and making good |
| Lintel replacement | £510–£1,540 per lintel | Propping, removing the old lintel, new lintel set on beds and brickwork made good |
| Plastering and making good | £380–£1,540 | Boxing the beam, bead and skim, reveals, floor infill where the wall stood and tidy-up |
| Load-bearing wall removal with steel beam | £2,550–£6,400 | Typical internal wall up to about 4 m: calculations, building control, propping, steel, padstones, fitting, fire protection and making good |
Figures include our approximate regional adjustment for London prices (+28%) and are rounded. How these figures are worked out.
Approvals in London
Structural openings in English homes need building regulations approval before work starts. The local council's building control team can deal with it, or you can use a registered building control approver. Either way the steel is inspected before it is covered, and a completion certificate is issued at the end. Keep it safe for when you sell.
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.
Wider doorways & openings by town
- Brent
- Islington
- Westminster
- Bexley
- Barking
- Archway
- Sutton
- Croydon
- Ilford
- Enfield Town
- Harrow
- Tottenham
- Walthamstow
- Dagenham
- Becontree
- Romford
- Hayes
- Wembley
- Fulham
- Edmonton
- Southall
- Putney
- Battersea
- Purley
- Peckham
- Chingford
- Uxbridge
- Wimbledon
- Stamford Hill
- Brixton
- Hounslow
- Finchley
- Cricklewood
- Mitcham
- Feltham
- Acton
- Beckenham
- Chelsea
- Streatham
- South Croydon
Wider doorways & openings in London: your questions
Do you cover London for wider doorways & openings?
Yes. We carry out wider doorways & openings in London. Book a free survey visit and we will check the wall, arrange the engineer's calculations and send an itemised written quote.
Can you work on older or listed homes in London?
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.
Is a lintel or a steel beam needed for a wider door?
It depends on the loads. A lintel can be enough for a modest widening under light loads, while an opening carrying floor joists or a wall above usually needs steel. The engineer decides from the actual loads and span rather than the width alone, and we fit whichever is specified.
How long does it take to widen a doorway?
The structural part usually takes one to two working days: propping, cutting the opening, fitting the lintel or beam and packing it. Plastering follows, then a few days of drying before linings are painted or a new door is hung. Building control inspection fits in once the support is in place.
Do I need building regulations to widen an internal door?
Only if the wall is load-bearing or the change affects fire safety, such as the escape route from upstairs. Widening an opening in a non-structural stud partition usually does not need structural approval. We confirm which applies at the survey, and handle the building control application or notice where it is needed.
How wide can I make a doorway?
That depends on the wall, what it carries and how much solid wall is left at each side for the support to bear on, and a structural engineer sets the limit. Many people go from a single door to a double-width opening, and beyond that the job starts to become a partial wall removal.