Can windows and doorways be moved?

[LittleEsmeWeatherwax]

DH reckons not because existing brickwork and supports cannot be moved. I'm pretty certain I've seen this done on TV programmes armchair expert that I am

Who is right?!

Am sure they can if you have enough money to cover the work involved!

Yes they can. Obviously there might need structural supports, for this reason you should involve an expert from the building trade and not just do it yourselves.

I presume you're referring to external doors? Though internal ones can be changed too.

External mainly. Although the project we're considering would involve both!

Yes but you would need to get supports in place to hold up the walls above the new holes you create.
This would be very messy and quite costly I would imagine.

Typically above doorways and windows there will be a lintel which is the structural support so if adding a new opening you will need to add a lintel for support.

Existing doorways can be blocked up easy enough.We have changed a few doorways in our house and it can make an incredible difference. We have also knocked through dining/kitchen (putting in steel supports). My friend put a new window in her sitting room wall and it dramatically changed what was a dark room to something light and airy.

A builder would advise once you have decided on where new doorways/windows.

Internally if it's not a supporting wall there's no issue. On the floor above check the direction of the floor boards, the supporting walls underneath are the ones that run in the same direction (because joists are perpendicular to floor boards)

if it's the attic above just check the joists and the walls perpendicular under may be supporting.

Though not all walls are supporting that are in that direction.

We are doing this. I've been quoted £1,800 to knock through an external wall in my kitchen to create a back door / kitchen door. It does require a new lintel therefore structural engineer calculations, and permissions from the council.

Yes we have moved windows in our house - an extension on the back meant that it covered a bedroom window so that was blocked up and we had a new one put on the side of the house. Lintels need to be put in to support the brickwork above