Knock-through walls in Kings Heath

Knock-through walls in Kings Heath: approvals and local details

There's no planning application for internal work in Kings Heath, 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.

Keeping a short section of wall at each end can mean a smaller steel and a lower cost.
Removing a load-bearing wall needs a structural engineer's calculations and Building Regulations approval.
Steel beams usually take one to two weeks to make once the calculations are approved.

Postcode district: B14
Planning and building control: Birmingham City Council
From our West Bromwich base: 8 miles

Choices to weigh up in Kings Heath

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.

What does your knock-through cost in Kings Heath?

Prices in Kings Heath match the rest of our area: £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. A free survey turns this guide into a fixed, itemised price.

Before you book in Kings Heath

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.

Do you cover Kings Heath?

Yes. Kings Heath (B14) is about 8 miles from our West Bromwich base and inside the area we cover. Call 0800 088 6248 or send the form on this page to book a free survey.

How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?

You can't be sure by looking, so we check on site. Clues include floor joists running across the wall rather than alongside it, a wall directly above on the next floor, or solid brick rather than hollow stud. Even a wall that seems light can carry a load in older houses. A structural engineer confirms it, and the calculations form part of the Building Regulations approval.

Who approves knock-through walls in Kings Heath?

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.

Also covering nearby

More services in Kings Heath

Book a free visit in Kings Heath and we'll tell you whether your wall is likely to need steel before you commit to anything.