Renovations · Dorchester
Kitchen knock-throughs and renovations in Dorchester
Opening up a kitchen in Dorchester means finding out which walls are load-bearing, sizing the steel if one has to come out, and getting Building Control sign-off. We survey it, draw it, engineer it and build it.
- ★ 5.0 on Google (15 reviews)
- Checkatrade 10/10 (20 reviews)
- We reply the same working day.
Houses in Dorchester and what they need
Dorchester is Dorset's county town, with housing ranging from Georgian townhouses on High West Street to Victorian terraces in Fordington, modern family homes in Charlton Down, and the Poundbury development. Open-plan kitchen-diners are popular across all property types here.
Georgian and Victorian properties in the town centre
Dorchester's period properties have solid masonry walls, generous ceiling heights, and compartmentalised layouts. Removing the wall between a rear kitchen and dining room creates an open-plan space with proportions that new-build homes cannot match. These older walls are typically load-bearing, needing structural steel. Our surveys show where the beam would sit and how the open-plan layout keeps the period character of the home.
Poundbury homes and the Design Code
Poundbury's traditionally styled homes have conventional modern construction behind their period facades. Inside walls in newer homes are often lightweight partitions. We check in the survey which ones can come out. Any alteration visible from outside must comply with the Poundbury Design Code. Our surveys for Poundbury focus on internal reconfigurations that create open-plan living without needing external design code review.
Modern estates in Charlton Down and surrounding villages
The newer developments at Charlton Down and in villages like Charminster, Maiden Newton and Cerne Abbas offer straightforward open-plan conversion opportunities, with standard construction methods and regular floor plans.
Planning permission for wall removal in Dorchester
Internal wall removal in Dorchester does not usually need planning permission. Building Regulations apply when load-bearing walls are removed. Dorset Council handles Building Control for the area. Poundbury properties have extra design code considerations for external alterations, but internal open-plan conversions generally fall outside the code's scope.
Building Control for wall removal in Dorchester
Building Control, an independent inspector, checks structural alterations for Dorchester properties. Load-bearing wall removal needs structural engineer calculations, a Building Control application, and inspections at key stages. We arrange the structural engineer and manage the Building Control application as a single service.
Listed Building Consent for wall removal in Dorchester
Dorchester's town centre conservation area includes several listed buildings along High West Street, South Street and in Fordington. Internal alterations to listed buildings need Listed Building Consent from Dorset Council. We check your property's listing status before designing and include heritage impact notes where appropriate.
Why homeowners choose us
We combine design and construction experience, so the early layout discussion considers how a home could be altered as well as how it could look. Detailed scope, pricing and programme are agreed separately for each project.
Free
Free project review
Tell us what you want to do. We call you back the same working day to tell you what your project needs and whether it is worth doing. There is no cost and no obligation.
Clearer scope before work begins
We use the available drawings and project information to discuss the proposed work before a quote and contract are agreed.
One firm and one contract
You don't have to find and manage separate designers, engineers and builders.
You can stop after any step
The drawings are yours to use with any builder.
How it works
There are five steps. You can stop after any of them.
You can stop after any step. The drawings are yours, and you can use them with another builder.
We build in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and about 20 miles around them. For homes further away, our remote layout service works anywhere in the UK, and we can price the work, prepare tender documents and vet local builders.
Step 1
Free project review
Send us a few details or call. We look at what you want to do and tell you what it will need and whether it is worth taking further.
Free
Step 2
Layout Ideas Pack
We draw your home as it is now and up to three ways it could work, then fine-tune your favourite with you on a video call. Done remotely from your Rightmove link, floor plan or sketch, or in person with a measured site survey and a 3D point cloud scan.
Remote or in person
Step 3
Cost estimate
Once you have a layout you like, we can explain the further work needed and quote any separately agreed service.
Quoted separately
Step 4
Drawings, approvals and engineering
Full drawings, structural calculations, and the planning and Building Regulations applications. The house is measured at this stage if it hasn't been already.
Priced after the estimate
Step 5
The build
Near Poole, we can prepare a quote and contract using the information available for the agreed scope. Changes, site conditions and client decisions can affect scope, cost or programme. Further away, we can prepare tender information and support the selection of local builders.
Quoted for the agreed scope
What our customers say
- ★ 5.0 on Google (15 reviews)
- Checkatrade 10/10 (20 reviews)
- We reply the same working day.
“…they can do everything from start to finish for you.”
“…carried out layout drawings for a very reasonable amount. Josh also gave us a budget price to carry out the works.”
“I couldn't recommend Josh enough! He has been absolutely fantastic, nothing was too much trouble, he was happy to bounce lots of ideas back and forth until we were happy. He is polite, friendly and professional in every aspect. I would definitely be using his services again in the future when needed.”
“Josh got the plans for our extension completed and submitted very quickly. We had a number of amendments and obstacles to overcome but nothing was too much trouble for him. A very professional and efficient service.”
Services in Dorchester
Questions
How much does an open-plan kitchen conversion cost in Dorchester?
Start with a free project review. If it makes sense to go ahead, the next step is the Layout Ideas Pack, done remotely or in person. Structural calculations are quoted after the survey if load-bearing walls are involved. Build costs vary but the survey gives builders what they need for accurate quotes.
Can I create an open-plan kitchen in a Poundbury home?
Yes. Poundbury homes have modern construction behind their traditional facades, and internal walls are often non-structural. Internal reconfigurations generally fall outside the Poundbury Design Code's scope, making open-plan conversions straightforward.
Do I need Listed Building Consent for wall removal in Dorchester?
Only if your property is listed. Several properties in the town centre and Fordington are listed. Internal alterations to listed buildings need consent from Dorset Council. We check your property's status as part of our service.
How quickly do you deliver open-plan designs for Dorchester?
We reply the same working day to agree a time. We agree the visit and expected timing with you before booking.
Tell us what you want to change
Send a few details and we will call you back the same working day to tell you what your project needs. There is no cost and no obligation.
We build in Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and about 20 miles around them.
Step 1 of 3