Knock-through walls in Bournville

Planning your knock-through in Bournville

There's no planning application for internal work in Bournville, but Building Regulations still apply to structural changes, electrics, drainage and fire safety. We tell you at the survey which parts need approval or certification.

Keep the completion certificate and engineer's calculations safe, as a buyer's solicitor will ask for them.
Textured ceilings applied before 2000 should be tested for asbestos before they're cut or disturbed.
Steel beams usually take one to two weeks to make once the calculations are approved.

Postcode district: B30
Planning and building control: Birmingham City Council
From our West Bromwich base: 8 miles

Options to consider in Bournville

Through-lounge

Joining the front and back reception rooms gives one long room with light from both ends. The wall between them is often load-bearing, and on some houses a chimney breast sits nearby, which needs its own support if it's removed. A partial opening with nibs left either side can be a good compromise on cost and structure.

Kitchen into dining room

A very common knock-through in older houses, creating one sociable room for cooking and eating. It often goes alongside a new kitchen, so the steel position, lighting and sockets are planned with the kitchen layout in mind. Radiators and doors may move to make the most of the longer wall space.

How much should you budget in Bournville?

For a home in Bournville, our guide range is £1,200–£14,000 depending on size and specification. Opening up a 3.5 m load-bearing wall between kitchen and dining room in a semi: usually £4,500–£6,800.

Guide prices for knock-through walls
Option	Guide price	Good to know
Non-load-bearing wall removed	£1,200 – £2,800	No steel, mostly making good
Load-bearing wall with steel beam (up to about 4 m)	£3,800 – £7,500	The usual kitchen-diner or through-lounge
Wide span, chimney breast or multiple steels	£7,500 – £14,000	Bigger steels, more propping and making good

Guide ranges include VAT where it applies. Access, parking and the state of what's there now can move the price — the survey settles it.

Questions about knock-through walls in Bournville

How messy is it, and can we stay at home?

You can stay at home, but expect dust and noise for a few days. We seal doorways with dust sheets and zip doors, protect floors, and take rubble straight out to a skip or bags. The two rooms being joined will be out of use, and the kitchen may be too, if the wall involved is the kitchen wall.

How do I book a survey in Bournville?

Send the form on this page, use the guide-price tool or call 0800 088 6248 free. We'll ask a few questions about your knock-through and arrange a time to visit.

How long does a knock-through take?

Most take 1–2 weeks on site. The steel usually takes one to two weeks to make after the engineer's calculations are approved, so allow three to five weeks from instruction to finished walls. The wall removal and steel installation themselves typically take two to four days; plastering, drying and refitting sockets take up the rest.

Does Birmingham City Council need to approve my knock-through?

Not for planning — internal work isn't development unless the house is listed. Building Regulations approval is needed for structural work such as removing a load-bearing wall, through Birmingham City Council or a registered building control approver.

Close to Bournville

Other home improvements in Bournville

Give us a call on 0800 088 6248, or send a photo of the wall and your postcode, and we'll take it from there.