Knock-through walls in Smethwick

Before your knock-through in Smethwick

There's no planning application for internal work in Smethwick, 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.
Steel beams usually take one to two weeks to make once the calculations are approved.
Internal alterations to a listed building need listed building consent from Sandwell Council.

Postcode district: B66
Planning and building control: Sandwell Council
From our West Bromwich base: 2 miles

Which options suit homes in Smethwick?

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.

Guide prices for Smethwick

Expect to budget between £1,200 and £14,000 depending on size and specification in Smethwick. 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. Access, parking and the state of what's there now can move the price — the survey settles it.

Before you book in Smethwick

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.

Do you cover Smethwick?

Yes. Smethwick (B66) is about 2 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.

Will I get a certificate for the steel beam?

Yes. When building control is satisfied, it issues a completion certificate for the work, and you should keep that with the structural engineer's calculations. A buyer's solicitor will ask for both when you sell, as unapproved wall removals are a common problem in house sales. Steel and other products carry their manufacturers' terms, which are set out in your quote.

Does Sandwell 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 Sandwell Council or a registered building control approver.

Close to Smethwick

More services in Smethwick

Use our guide-price tool for a knock-through in Smethwick, then get a fixed price for the agreed specification after the survey.