Structural Alterations in Barnes, SW13
Opening up the ground floor, removing load-bearing walls and forming new openings in Barnes houses, with our own structural engineers and building control approval.
Covered under one contract
- Architectural and structural design
- Planning or lawful development certificate
- Foundations, walls, roof and steels
- Glazing, rooflights and doors
- Kitchen designed and fitted
- Building control and party wall handled
Structural Alterations in Barnes.
Most of the houses in Barnes were planned as a series of small rooms. Opening them up, whether that is knocking two reception rooms together, taking out the wall between the kitchen and dining room, or forming a wide opening onto the garden, is structural work, and it needs to be designed rather than improvised.
Our engineers design the steel beams, padstones and any temporary works, and our team installs them. The beam is usually hidden within the ceiling so the finished room shows no trace of the wall that was there. Building control inspects the work, and where the wall is shared with a neighbour we serve the party wall notices.
Structural alterations are often the first stage of a wider refurbishment, and we plan them as such, so the services, floor levels and finishes that follow are all designed together.
- Area
- Barnes, SW13
- Council
- London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
- Housing
- Georgian and Victorian houses around the Green and the river, Victorian and Edwardian terraces, larger houses on the Castelnau estate and by the Common
- Transport
- Barnes, Barnes Bridge (rail), Hammersmith (Piccadilly, District)
- Rear or side return, on site
- 10 to 16 weeks
- Design and approvals
- 8 to 14 weeks before start
- Glazing lead time
- 6 to 10 weeks, ordered early
- Consent
- Permitted development or householder application
- Party wall
- Notices served by us
Barnes: the houses and the planning rules.
Barnes is a riverside village inside a loop of the Thames: Georgian houses on the Terrace, the Green with its pond, Victorian streets running back towards the Common, and the wide Castelnau estate leading to Hammersmith Bridge. It is quiet, well kept and closely protected.
The projects match the houses: refurbishments of Victorian family homes, side-return and rear extensions, lofts, and the occasional basement where the ground conditions near the river allow. Richmond's conservation guidance applies almost everywhere, and flood risk is checked on riverside sites.
The Barnes Green, Castelnau and Barnes Common conservation areas cover most of the village.
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
Richmond decides applications; Article 4 directions in the Barnes conservation areas mean most external changes need a full application.
River and flood risk
Riverside streets sit in the Environment Agency flood zone, which affects basements and requires a flood risk assessment.
Castelnau
The paired villas of the Castelnau estate have specific guidance on roofs, side extensions and boundary walls.
Approvals for structural alterations in Barnes.
Structural work needs building regulations approval and an engineer's calculations; where the wall is shared with a neighbour, party wall notices are required, and listed buildings need listed building consent for internal alterations.
Richmond decides applications; Article 4 directions in the Barnes conservation areas mean most external changes need a full application.
What structural alterations in Barnes includes.
- Architectural and structural design
- Planning or lawful development certificate
- Foundations, walls, roof and steels
- Glazing, rooflights and doors
- Kitchen designed and fitted
- Building control and party wall handled
From site visit to handover.
- 01
Site visit & consultation
We visit, listen and measure. Brief, budget and constraints understood before any advice is given.
- 02
Design & itemised quote
Our architects and engineers draw the scheme, and from that we provide a transparent, itemised quotation for your approval.
- 03
Planning & approvals
Planning applications, building control and party wall matters handled for you.
- 04
Build, managed weekly
Our own trades, sequenced by a site manager. Progress reported every week.
- 05
Handover & aftercare
Joint snagging walk-through, documentation, and a guarantee on our workmanship.
Structural Alterations in Barnes: your questions.
Can you remove a load-bearing wall in a Barnes house?
Yes. Our structural engineer designs the steel beam and padstones, building control inspects the work, and if the wall is a party wall we serve the notices. The beam can usually be concealed within the ceiling depth.
Do structural alterations need planning permission?
Internal structural work does not need planning permission, but it always needs building regulations approval. Listed buildings need listed building consent for internal alterations.
Which parts of Barnes do you cover?
All of Barnes and SW13, including The Terrace, Castelnau, Church Road, Station Road, Lonsdale Road, Nassau Road, and the neighbouring districts. We are based in London and our teams work across central, north, north-west, west and south-west London.
Other services in Barnes.
House Refurbishment in Barnes
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Flat Refurbishment in Barnes
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House Extensions in Barnes
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Loft Conversions in Barnes
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Basement Conversions in Barnes
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Kitchen Renovation in Barnes
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Bathroom Renovation in Barnes
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Bespoke Joinery & Fitted Furniture in Barnes
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Architectural & Interior Design in Barnes
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Planning Permission & Building Regulations in Barnes
Read moreStructural Alterations across London.
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We will visit, listen and explain what is possible for your property and how it would be approved. No pressure, no sales pitch.