Knock-through walls in Knowle

Knock-through walls in Knowle: approvals and local details

Internal alterations in Knowle don't need planning permission unless the house is listed. Removing or altering a load-bearing wall does need Building Regulations approval, through Solihull Council's building control team or a registered building control approver, and a party wall may bring in the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.

Removing a load-bearing wall needs a structural engineer's calculations and Building Regulations approval.
Textured ceilings applied before 2000 should be tested for asbestos before they're cut or disturbed.
Keep the completion certificate and engineer's calculations safe, as a buyer's solicitor will ask for them.

Postcode district: B93
Planning and building control: Solihull Council
From our West Bromwich base: 14 miles

Options to consider in Knowle

Wide opening instead of full removal

Keeping short sections of wall at each end, or a bulkhead above, lets you open two rooms up while keeping some separation and somewhere to put furniture. It can mean a shorter, lighter steel, and it sometimes gives a better result where the two floors are at slightly different levels or the ceilings don't line up.

Non-load-bearing partition removal

Stud or thin block partitions that carry no weight can be removed without steel, once we've confirmed what's above. The work is mostly making good: patching the ceiling and walls, filling the floor where the wall stood, and moving any sockets or switches. It's the quickest and cheapest kind of knock-through.

What does your knock-through cost in Knowle?

Expect to budget between £1,200 and £14,000 depending on size and specification in Knowle. Opening up a 3.5 m load-bearing wall between kitchen and dining room in a semi: typically £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. We confirm a fixed price for the agreed specification after visiting.

Questions about knock-through walls in Knowle

How much does it cost to knock through a wall?

In the West Midlands, a knock-through typically costs £1,200–£14,000 including VAT where it applies. Removing a non-load-bearing partition is usually £1,200–£2,800. Opening a load-bearing wall of about 3.5 metres between a kitchen and dining room, with an engineer-designed steel, building control and re-plastering, is typically £4,500–£6,800. Decorating and new flooring across both rooms are usually extra.

How do I book a survey in Knowle?

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.

Who approves knock-through walls in Knowle?

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 Solihull Council or a registered building control approver.

Knock-through walls near Knowle

Other work we do in Knowle

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.