Creating an open-plan kitchen or living area is one of the best ways to add value and light to your home. But removing a wall is a structural change that needs professional oversight — your builder needs our calculations before they can legally start, and Building Control need them before they'll sign off the work.
At Simplify Structures, we make this process straightforward. As ICE-chartered engineers, we provide the expert design and documentation you need for a safe, legal, and stress-free renovation.
Our 3-step process
Our engineer visits your home to assess the wall. We determine whether it's load-bearing and advise on what's possible for your specific property.
We design the necessary support system — selecting the correct RSJ (steel beam) and calculating the padstone sizes to ensure weight is distributed safely.
You receive a contractor-ready structural drawing and calculations. Your builder uses this to buy the correct steel and complete the installation to Building Control standard.
Building Control: what you need to do
1. Notify Building Control before work starts
You must file a Standard Building Notice form with your local council (or a private building control inspector) at least 48 hours before work starts. Submit our drawings and calculations with this form.
2. The “no-cover” inspection
Do not let your builder close up the ceiling or add plasterboard until the work has been inspected. Building Control must see the installed steel beam and padstones to verify they match our specifications. Once satisfied, they issue a completion certificate.
3. Fire protection
Once the inspector approves the steelwork, box it in with two layers of 12.5mm fire-rated (pink) plasterboard. This is a UK Building Regulations requirement.
Choosing the right builder
Removing a load-bearing wall is a routine job for an experienced builder, but choose someone who has carried out structural knock-throughs before. A good builder will:
- Use Acrow props to support the structure safely while the wall is removed
- Follow our drawings exactly — including steel grade and padstone sizes
- Not start ordering steel until they've confirmed the span on site
- Call Building Control for the inspection before plastering over the beam
If a wall was removed more than 12 months ago without approval, this doesn't automatically prevent a sale or remortgage. We can carry out an SSI to confirm the current adequacy of the structure, which most solicitors and lenders will accept alongside Building Control indemnity insurance.
When you need this service
- Removing a load-bearing wall
- Knocking through rooms to create an open-plan layout
- Installing or replacing RSJs or steel beams
- Removing chimney breasts
- Making internal layout changes to a house