Renovations · Poole
Kitchen knock-throughs and renovations in Poole
Opening up a kitchen in Poole 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 Poole and what they need
Poole's housing stock spans Edwardian villas in Parkstone, 1930s semis in Oakdale, post-war terraces in Hamworthy, and modern waterside apartments along the Quay. Each property type has a different internal wall arrangement, and a different chance the wall between the kitchen and the next room is load-bearing.
Edwardian and Victorian homes in Parkstone
Parkstone's period properties often have a narrow hallway separating the front reception room from the rear kitchen. Removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room, or the hallway wall, can turn a compartmentalised ground floor into one open space. These older homes typically have solid brick internal walls, some of which are load-bearing. Our survey shows which walls can move and where a steel beam would sit to support the structure above.
Post-war semis in Oakdale and Hamworthy
The three-bedroom semis of Oakdale, Broadstone and Hamworthy have a similar layout: a front living room, a separate rear kitchen, and a narrow galley connecting them. Removing the dividing wall creates a single kitchen-diner. In some of these homes the wall is a lightweight partition that does not hold anything up. We check this in the survey.
Waterside apartments and modern homes
Poole's newer homes and flats, along the Quay, at Hamworthy Marina and around Parkstone Bay, often have lightweight inside walls. If you own a flat, you may also need permission from the freeholder before changing walls. We check both in the survey.
Planning permission for wall removal in Poole
In most cases, internal wall removal in Poole homes does not need planning permission, as it falls under Permitted Development, the rules that let some internal alterations go ahead without an application. If the wall is load-bearing, you will need Building Regulations approval and structural engineer calculations. If your property is listed, you will also need Listed Building Consent from BCP Council.
Building Regulations when removing a wall in Poole
When a load-bearing wall is removed, Building Regulations require a structural engineer to calculate the size of the replacement steel beam and specify the padstones and bearing points. Building Control, an independent inspector, checks the work at key stages. We arrange structural engineer calculations from our 3D scan data, quoted after the survey, so you are not dealing separately with the engineer, Building Control, and your builder.
Party Wall Notices for open-plan conversion in Poole
If a new steel beam will rest on the wall you share with your neighbour, which is common in semi-detached and terraced homes in Hamworthy and Oakdale, the Party Wall Act 1996 usually means you must give them written notice first. We tell you in the survey if this applies.
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 Poole
Questions
How much does it cost to create an open-plan kitchen in Poole?
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. The survey shows how your Poole home would look with walls removed. If structural steel is needed, engineer calculations are quoted after the survey. The build cost depends on the wall type and finishes, but the survey gives you what you need for accurate builder quotes.
How do I know if a wall in my Poole home is load-bearing?
You can't always tell by looking. We check the wall in the survey, and if it holds up part of the house, a structural engineer works out the size of the steel beam needed.
Do I need planning permission to remove a wall in Poole?
Internal wall removal is generally Permitted Development and does not need planning permission. You will need Building Regulations approval if the wall is load-bearing, and Listed Building Consent if your property is listed. We advise on the requirements in your survey.
What do I get with the Layout Ideas Pack?
Done remotely from your Rightmove link, floor plan or sketch, or in person with a measured site survey and 3D point cloud scan. Either way you get an existing floor plan and at least two layout options, then a video call to fine-tune your favourite. You see which walls move, where the kitchen flows into the living space, and how the new layout works day-to-day.
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.
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