YOUR STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS ENQUIRY
Planning your structural alterations job
Discuss an opening or structural change with design and approval requirements identified before construction.
What to include in your enquiry
- Proposed change and drawings
- Existing structure if known
- Access and occupied rooms
What should the quote cover?
Separate structural design, temporary works, construction, inspection and making good.
Can I obtain a fixed build quote before the structure is investigated?
Unresolved structure can leave important assumptions. Ask which investigation and design are needed and how variations are approved.
Local property and responsibility checks
Building control, heritage, ownership and adjoining rights are separate matters; no generic permission or beam specification is established here.
- Proposed change and drawings
- Existing structure if known
- Access and occupied rooms
Further guidance: Planning heritage and building control
Do not remove first and assess afterward
Quick answer
Enquire about a wall opening or other structural alteration, with the design, assessment and construction responsibilities established before work is agreed.
A proposed opening or wall removal needs an assessment of the structure and affected building before work starts. Appearance does not establish whether a wall is load bearing or what it supports. Do not remove material, install improvised props or rely on an online beam-size guide. HSE requires alteration work to be planned and carried out competently to prevent unplanned collapse. An unsafe existing structure needs direct appropriate help; this form does not provide emergency assessment.
Design the complete load path
The design must consider the retained structure, supports and how loads are carried, not only the visible beam. Ask who undertakes assessment and calculations, how findings are communicated and which drawings govern construction. Temporary works and the permanent structure need their appropriate design and responsibility. Existing services and concealed construction can affect the proposal. A supply price for a steel member is not a complete alteration plan. The actual building requires suitable professional input.
| Part of the proposal | Clarify |
|---|---|
| Permanent design | Who assesses the retained structure and specifies the final arrangement? |
| Temporary conditions | Who designs and manages support and the work sequence? |
| Construction and records | Who follows the agreed details and obtains required inspection evidence? |
Temporary support and work sequence
HSE explains that temporary support must be designed, installed and maintained for foreseeable loads. Ask who plans the sequence, manages support and confirms when each stage may proceed. Do not assume the builder’s permanent beam calculation covers every temporary condition. Keep occupied areas separated through the contractor’s safe arrangements. If assessment changes the design, pause dependent work until the appropriate revision is agreed. This site does not specify props or authorise a demolition method.
Keep design, approval and adjoining rights separate
Keep structural design, statutory approvals, ownership and any adjoining arrangements separate. Clarify responsibility for each before removing fabric; no generic beam size or planning status can be given from an enquiry.
Services and the finished room
The opening can affect wiring, plumbing, heating, finishes and doors. Define the qualified trades and order of work. Fire-related design requirements and interfaces need assessment for the whole proposal, not an assumption that covering a beam completes compliance. Agree floor/wall/ceiling reinstatement and decoration separately where needed. The room outcome should be described alongside the structural scope, with access and temporary loss of services understood before comparing construction quotes.
Costs, inspection and completion evidence
Ask before authorising
Compare structural design assumptions, temporary support, installation, inspections and making good. Specify what is provisional until opening-up and how changes are approved; decorative reinstatement and structural completion are different deliverables.
- Who owns permanent design and temporary-work responsibilities?
- Which approvals and inspection stages apply?
- What records and complete finished scope are supplied?
Tell us the intended change
Provide postcode, intended opening/change, current drawings and known property restrictions. Photos can explain the brief but cannot prove structural safety or substitute for a site assessment. We review requests and may help connect suitable local building businesses. Sending an enquiry does not book an engineer or builder, approve work or guarantee feasibility. Use direct appropriate help if there is an existing immediate safety concern.
Useful next steps