Removing walls and installing structural steelwork is one of the most technically demanding jobs in residential construction. Done wrong, it's dangerous and expensive to fix. For us it's not a sideline — it's a core competency.
Steel in, propped and pinned — a structural opening done properly in Swindon.
Load-bearing and non-load-bearing wall removals to open up your space — properly propped, properly supported.
RSJ & Steel Beams
Expert installation of steel beams to support new openings and layouts, from calcs to padstones.
Open-Plan Conversions
Transform your property with modern open-plan living spaces that don't compromise the structure above.
Reconfigurations
Rework your home's layout — including partition walls and new openings — to suit your needs and lifestyle.
Structural FAQs — Swindon
Common questions
How complex can a structural job actually get?
One recent Swindon extension needed seven separate steel beams, ranging from a pair of 178×102s up to two 254×254×89 UCs — the largest weighing around 580kg on its own. Six of them had to be bolted together in pairs with tube spacers at 1.5m centres, which means each pair has to be lifted, aligned and fixed to the millimetre, in situ, while the house above is held on props. Get the alignment wrong and the load doesn’t share between the sections the way the engineer calculated it. That is the difference between a builder who can put a beam in and a builder who can put seven in, in the right order, and have Building Control sign every one of them off.
Do I need a structural engineer?
For load-bearing work, yes — beam sizes are calculated, not guessed. We work with structural engineers routinely and price their input transparently as part of your quotation.
Is Building Control involved?
Always, for notifiable structural work. We don't consider the job finished until Building Control has signed it off, and you receive the certification for your records — essential when you come to sell.
How disruptive is a wall removal?
Less than you'd think when it's planned properly. Most single-beam installations are completed within days, with dust control and protection in place throughout.
What it costs
Structural alteration costs
What does a wall removal with a steel beam cost?
A single structural opening typically runs £5,000–£7,000 including VAT. Two recent Swindon jobs came in at about £5,140 and £6,910 including VAT. That covers structural design and engineer's calculations, Building Control, the steel beam, padstones, temporary works (props and strongboys), skip and permit, and making good.
What's actually in the price?
The parts people forget are the compliance costs, and they're not small: structural design is around £480, Building Control around £530, and a structural inspection around £370. They're in every quote we write, itemised — because skipping them isn't an option on load-bearing work.
Why do quotes vary so much between builders?
Usually because the cheap ones have left out the engineer, the Building Control application, or both. A beam that isn't calculated and signed off is a problem you'll inherit when you sell.
See it done
Watch a half-tonne steel go in
A 254×254×89 UC — around 580kg of steel — lifted and set on a Swindon job. Temporary works in, beam seated on its padstones, sized by an engineer’s calculation.
Start your project
Thinking of opening up a space?
Send us your plans or photos of the wall in question — we'll tell you what's involved, honestly.
