Building Approval | Planning advice | Laytoe Structural Engineers

Wall Removal / Beam Calculation

Removing a wall to create additional space can alter the structure of your building. To ensure safety and compliance with building regulations, it’s crucial to determine whether the wall is load-bearing. Laytoe specialises in providing comprehensive wall removal services, ensuring that every aspect of the process is handled with precision and care.

Our experienced structural engineers will first determine if your wall is load-bearing, a critical step as load-bearing walls support other walls, roofs, or floor joists. If the wall is confirmed to be load-bearing, we will calculate the size and material of the support beams required for safe removal. This includes assessing the correct size of padstones to effectively spread the load on existing walls.

Laytoe will produce detailed calculations and drawings for the structural support beams, which can be submitted to Building Control for approval. This ensures that all modifications comply with building regulations.

By choosing Laytoe, you can be confident that your wall removal project will be executed safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with all relevant building standards.

inspecting the structural elements of a building

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Can I trust my builder to determine the size of beams for wall removal?

While your builder may have experience, it is crucial to have a structural engineer calculate the exact load that needs to be supported. Building Control will not accept the builder’s word; they require detailed calculations for each structural element. Only a structural engineer can provide precise calculations and detailed drawings, including beam size, padstone dimensions, and connection details. Laytoe specialises in these calculations and will provide all necessary documentation. You should submit these to your building control office for approval before your builder orders or installs the load-bearing beam. This ensures safety and compliance with building regulations.

What advice does Laytoe give for wall removal?

Our structural engineers look at existing conditions and support structures and advise you on the new beams needed to provide support once a wall has been removed. We’ll assess load and span against the type of material needed for the beam. We also need to make sure that the beam shape (such as UC – Universal Column, UB – Universal Beam etc) is correct for the design as well as other lateral supports – your builder will use our calculations to order beams before removing any walls.

A crucial piece of advice is to retain all paperwork related to the structural engineer’s calculations and the Building Control Completion Certificate, in case you wish to sell your property in the future.

Can I remove a wall in my flat?

Removing a wall in a flat is often more complex than in a house because the structure of a flat works as a chain and more complicated, where changes to one part can affect the entire building. It’s crucial to determine if the wall is load-bearing, as walls in flats often play a critical role in supporting the overall structure. Additionally, you will likely need consent from the freeholder before carrying out any structural work, as alterations could impact the integrity and safety of the entire building. Be sure to check your lease agreement and consult with the freeholder. Even with freeholder consent, you must obtain approval from Building Control for load-bearing walls.

For more details, please see our page on Freeholder Consent Report. Laytoe can assist you in navigating these requirements and ensuring that all necessary permissions and approvals are obtained before commencing work.