Knocking through a wall to make a kitchen diner

[Hazel444]

Has anyone done this recently and would be willing to share a rough cost and whether you project managed it yourself? We would need a steel beam putting in and someone to fit all the appliances/replaster etc. We do have a few people coming round to give us quotes, but not until next month, so any info about the process and cost would be much appreciated :)

Not only are builders hard to get, building supplies are hard to get too. Huge price hikes so what anyone paid 2 years ago is almost irrelevant now. it’s a new world.

@Glasspen quite large, with floor to ceiling storage

[quote Hadjab]@Glasspen quite large, with floor to ceiling storage[/quote]
Stunning!

I think it depends if you can work around the builders other jobs. If you can it should only cost about £3k for the wall knocking down, steel insert and plastering. If you cant then it will be much more.

You will barely buy the steel for that!

I’m still boggling about how Wren can charge that much for their kitchens . Why would anyone pay that for a Wren?!

@LazyDoll

I’m still boggling about how Wren can charge that much for their kitchens . Why would anyone pay that for a Wren?!

My kitchen is pretty big - but we did it 9 years ago. - the units were £20k can’t remember the brand now, but lots of these big companies give massive discounts when pushed.

From my spreadsheet:
Steel 6k
Structural engineer 300
Planning at council 70
Fire safe window in front room as we lost a potential separate point of egress 50
Plasterer 450 (he did other bits too)
Kitchen 5k (it’s a rental so not high spec and only f/f d/w oven and hob integrated
Building work (needed a brick pillar to support the steel) 600
Paint and decorate 400
Electrics 200
Kitchen fitting 600
Plumbing 200

Oh and my builder project managed it hence the cost

@Dominicains

£300 for a structural engineer is very low. There shouldn’t be any need for a brick pillar (to support the beam?) unless the span is huge. Unless you mean a pier at either end to tie it into the wall.

This was a few years ago, the SE just came out on the request of the builder to OK the pillar as the span needed it and the planning officer (whose brother was the SE - smell the corruption?) also requested it. Basically just signed off the builder’s load bearing assessment.

Glasspen I’m a kitchen designer for an independent supplier. Wren and the like give massive ‘discounts’ to persuade people to buy their kitchens as they think they’re getting a great deal. They’re not. It’s just a hook.

No SE should do that. They should do the calcs. You have a pillar because the SE didn’t design the beam. We have a beam spanning 5m and 2 more keep the corner of the house “floating”. So if you pay for a proper design you get a better outcome. The cost of £300 wasn’t for design of a beam.

@LazyDoll

Glasspen I’m a kitchen designer for an independent supplier. Wren and the like give massive ‘discounts’ to persuade people to buy their kitchens as they think they’re getting a great deal. They’re not. It’s just a hook.

That makes sense.

@Dominicains

From my spreadsheet: Steel 6k Structural engineer 300 Planning at council 70 Fire safe window in front room as we lost a potential separate point of egress 50 Plasterer 450 (he did other bits too) Kitchen 5k (it’s a rental so not high spec and only f/f d/w oven and hob integrated Building work (needed a brick pillar to support the steel) 600 Paint and decorate 400 Electrics 200 Kitchen fitting 600 Plumbing 200

Ah thanks that is really useful to see the costs broken down like that.