--- title: "Structural Alterations in Reading & Berkshire | Steel Beams & Knock-Throughs | Philbert Construction" description: "Load-bearing wall removals, RSJ steel beams, chimney breast removal and structural openings across Reading, Newbury & Basingstoke. Engineer-designed, Building Control signed off. Free quote in 48hrs." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": [ "LocalBusiness", "GeneralContractor", "HomeAndConstructionBusiness" ], "@id": "/#business", "name": "Philbert Construction Ltd", "alternateName": "Philbert Construction", "url": "/", "telephone": "+447446909887", "email": "philbertconstruction@gmail.com", "priceRange": "££", "currenciesAccepted": "GBP", "paymentAccepted": "Cash, BACS, Bank Transfer", "taxID": "11797167", "foundingDate": "2008", "slogan": "Built right. 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We provide free, no-obligation written quotes after a site visit so you can see exactly what's included before committing." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need a structural engineer?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — any load-bearing alteration needs calculations from a qualified structural engineer. We work with two local SEs in Reading and Newbury we trust and can coordinate the calcs as part of the quote, or work alongside an engineer you've already appointed." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need Building Control?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — every structural alteration in England requires Building Control sign-off. We submit the application (or work with your appointed approved inspector), book the inspections at the right stages, and hand you the final completion certificate at sign-off." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does a knock-through take?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "A typical single-room knock-through with a single steel is 5–7 working days on site once the engineer's calcs and Building Control notice are in. Larger kitchen-diner openings with twin or triple steels run 8–12 days. We give you a day-by-day plan with the quote." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I stay in the house during the work?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — almost always. We seal the working area with dust barriers, prop safely so the rest of the house is unaffected, and time the noisiest cutting work to suit you. You'll have water, power and a usable kitchen throughout." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you remove a chimney breast?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes. Lower-floor chimney breast removals need either galvanised gallows brackets fixed to the party wall or a structural steel to carry the masonry above — the engineer decides based on the load. We handle the full strip-out, structural support, hearth reinstatement and making good." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What about pipes, cables and gas runs in the wall?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We trace and isolate services before cutting — water and electrics through our own first-fix team, gas through a Gas Safe engineer we book in. Anything that needs re-routing is in the quote up front, not added at the end." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you do commercial alterations?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — we regularly carry out shopfront alterations, gym fit-outs and small commercial unit reconfigurations in Reading, Newbury and Basingstoke. We coordinate with landlords, licences-to-alter, and trading-hour restrictions where needed." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you guarantee structural work?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We don't issue formal written guarantees, but every structural alteration is engineered, inspected and signed off by Building Control in writing — that paperwork is your real guarantee. We're fully insured and your statutory rights are unaffected." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Are you insured for structural work?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes — we're fully insured for structural alterations including public liability. Certificates are available on request." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Structural Alterations", "item": "/services/structural-alterations" } ] } ] --- [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) Tadley, RG26 4LU Mon–Sat 8:00–17:30 · Sun 8:00–16:00 [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) [![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png)](/) [About](/about) [Services](/services) [Areas](/service-areas) [Our Work](/our-work) [Reviews](/reviews) [Contact](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887)[Request Estimate](/contact) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Services](/services) 3. Structural Alterations ![Structural Alterations project in Reading — Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/85a135a7-e1bc-43c2-a20c-00812b88a697/hero-structural-alterations.jpg) Structural Alterations · Reading & Berkshire # Structural Alterations, Steel Beams & Knock-Throughs Across Reading & Berkshire Removing a wall, opening up a kitchen-diner or putting a steel into a shopfront isn't a job for guesswork — it's engineered, signed off and built by a team that's done it hundreds of times across Berkshire homes and commercial units. [Get a Free Written Quote](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) 5.0 average from verified Google reviews Fully insured · 18 years building in Berkshire 18 years Building across Berkshire Fully insured Cover on every project Written quotes Itemised within 48 hours Free quotes No-obligation, in writing Same-day Response on enquiries Recent work ## A look at projects across Berkshire. [View all](/our-work) ![Block paving driveway with front wall](/__l5e/assets-v1/72e7228c-b78f-43b8-850f-2304bcf536fe/480080872_1086022363324893_8599073537129495081_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway of a large house](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb4ab9c9-51e5-4a6b-a445-d0e9026edb7e/480105703_1085140566746406_9031678587810065028_n.jpg) driveways ![Block paving driveway with curved lawn](/__l5e/assets-v1/0f5e5563-edd0-49d5-b89a-abba5e6dc846/480238940_1086022796658183_436938064635199783_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway in front of brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/8f388a53-600c-4737-b1d9-0ec2e6801c7b/480393816_1086022319991564_2781699704335370881_n.jpg) driveways ![New house extension with modern bifold doors](/__l5e/assets-v1/1fd646cb-8a90-4dcb-886d-cdc311c87b4e/480854993_3895339790780895_7526137736934487079_n.jpg) extensions ![Completed brick house extension with large windows](/__l5e/assets-v1/206467b5-e6d8-4393-a30a-fe0bb44c25e1/481151972_1094648239128972_1070400166830768780_n.jpg) extensions ![Gravel driveway in front of large red brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/f5c5e444-8c94-474c-8e60-42c03a0a6b65/481240993_3895339984114209_3698667434209698521_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house with gravel driveway and wooden porch](/__l5e/assets-v1/f97318c3-8249-4dbd-ba70-8dbe4b48bcf1/481267970_3895340080780866_8552531333452770995_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house showing lawn, gravel driveway, and fences](/__l5e/assets-v1/8821b9d2-48dc-4d22-8d5a-7393c51f9ff0/482268556_3904298196551721_2009600277385838606_n.jpg) landscaping ![tarmac driveway with brick and flint wall and gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/b9a2f0c2-c584-49f7-a0bd-8bd510af5749/483876245_1105897564670706_4172320846332780299_n.jpg) driveways ![tarmac driveway with brick pillars and wooden gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/65ee1340-caae-443b-8e0d-ce52e2fb62bb/484586705_1105897558004040_8849210585312474729_n.jpg) driveways ![new brick and flint wall with wooden gate and tarmac drive](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb23a941-2348-44d9-a65b-e3e68556a7a2/484615654_1105897551337374_805596375624489868_n.jpg) brickwork ![new build house under construction](/__l5e/assets-v1/e096a49c-7b10-4bac-a465-0b4abc022643/484648283_1106418277951968_5046185084479331938_n.jpg) extensions ![Newly built house, modern rendering.](/__l5e/assets-v1/ebdb8edb-a9ea-4d64-8675-aa11efc4b1cd/484698262_3912002745781266_8739382140586069315_n.jpg) extensions [View all work](/our-work) What we do ## Structural Alterations done properly — the first time. What it is Load-bearing wall removals, RSJ and steel beam installations, structural openings for bi-folds and bay windows, chimney breast removals, and shopfront alterations — all coordinated with a structural engineer and Building Control from quote to sign-off. Who it's for Homeowners opening up dark Victorian terraces into open-plan kitchen-diners, families adding a wider opening to the garden, landlords reconfiguring HMO layouts, and commercial tenants altering retail units, gyms and offices in Reading and Newbury. When you need it When you want to knock through into the kitchen, take a chimney breast out, widen a doorway into a structural opening, fit bi-folds where a wall used to be, or alter the shell of a commercial unit you're fitting out. Why a specialist matters Structural work is the one part of a build where cutting corners doesn't just look bad — it brings the ceiling down. The right steel, the right bearing, the right padstones, props sequenced correctly and Building Control sign-off in writing are what separates a 50-year alteration from a structural insurance claim. The cost of waiting ## A steel that's wrong on paper is wrong forever — and the cracks don't show up until year two. ### What happens if it's ignored - Undersized steel beams sag over time — you'll see hairline cracks open in the plaster above, doors stop closing and floors above start to bounce. - Inadequate padstones or bearings concentrate load onto a few bricks — those bricks crush, the steel drops and the wall above it cracks in a step pattern. - Skipping Building Control sign-off makes the alteration unmortgageable — buyers' solicitors flag it every time and the sale falls through or the price gets chipped 10%. - Removing a chimney breast without supporting what's above (gallows brackets or a steel) is a textbook way to end up with masonry collapsing into the loft. ### Mistakes we fix every month - Letting a general builder 'eyeball' the size of a steel instead of paying for a structural engineer's calcs — usually undersized by one full section. - Propping with a single acrow either side of the opening instead of strong-boys and a full propping plan — walls drop mid-cut. - Hiding the steel before Building Control inspects it — they make you cut the plasterboard back open, every time. - No regard for services in the wall — water pipes, gas runs and cables sliced through, then patched and forgotten until something fails. Our process ## A clear five-step system from first call to final handover. 1. Step 1 ### Site Visit & Inspection We come to you, measure up, photograph the site and listen properly to what you want from the structural alteration. 2. Step 2 ### Written Quote & Diagnosis You get an itemised, fixed-price quote within 48 hours — labour, materials, timings and what's specifically excluded. 3. Step 3 ### Schedule & Prepare We agree a start date, order materials in advance and protect your home — dust sheets, walkways, skip placement. 4. Step 4 ### Build & Communicate Daily progress updates from your dedicated foreman. No subcontractor merry-go-round — you see the same faces every day. 5. Step 5 ### Sign-Off & Handover Final walk-around with you, snags fixed on the spot — we don't leave until you're happy with the finish. What you get ## Specific outcomes — not vague promises. ### Engineer-designed, signed off Every steel and opening designed by a structural engineer with calculations, then inspected and signed off by Building Control in writing. ### Built to outlast the house Correctly sized UC/UB beams, proper padstones, intumescent or boarded fire protection — the opening behaves like it was always there. ### One team, one timeline Engineer's calcs, propping, cutting, steel, brickwork-up, plastering and decoration all sequenced by the same foreman — no gaps between trades. ### Liveable through the works Dust-sealed openings, daily clean-down, structural propping kept tidy and safe so the rest of the house keeps working around the build. ### On site in weeks, not months Most domestic knock-throughs and chimney breast removals are 5–10 days on site once calcs and sign-off are in. We tell you the schedule before you commit. ### Itemised, fixed-price quote Engineer's fees, Building Control fees, steel, padstones, propping, making good and decoration — all listed in writing so there are no mid-build surprises. The detail ## Materials, methods and variations for structural alterations in Reading. Most Berkshire homes — Victorian and Edwardian terraces in Reading and Caversham, 1930s semis in Newbury and Thatcham, post-war detached around Basingstoke — were built with internal load-bearing walls that divide the house into small rooms. Modern living wants those walls gone. Doing it properly means engineer's calcs, the right steel, the right propping sequence and Building Control sign-off. Here's how we approach it. ### Materials we work with Structural steel beams (UC & UB) Universal Beam and Universal Column sections — typically 152, 178 or 203mm depths for domestic openings, sized to the engineer's calcs based on span, point loads and brickwork above. Padstones & bearings Concrete padstones (Stressline or hand-cast) or engineering brick courses to spread the load from the steel onto the existing masonry without crushing. Propping equipment Strong-boys (under brickwork), acrow props (under joists and ceiling timbers), needles and Acrow Acrobat heads where heavy loads sit above the proposed opening. Fire protection Intumescent paint (1 or 2 coats to 30/60-minute rating) or boxed-in twin-layer plasterboard — both meet Building Control's minimum fire resistance for residential steelwork. Gallows brackets & chimney support Galvanised steel gallows brackets bolted to the party wall to carry an upper chimney breast where ground-floor and first-floor breasts are removed but the stack above stays. ### Methods & techniques Structural opening (load-bearing knock-through) Engineer specifies steel, span and bearings. We prop above the line of cut with strong-boys and acrows, cut the brickwork in sections, bed padstones, lift and seat the steel, pin up to the brickwork above with slate or dry-pack mortar, then remove props once cured. Chimney breast removal Stack above supported on gallows brackets or a structural steel, lower breast cut out in sections, hearth reinstated, original joists scarfed in or replaced as needed, plasterboard and skim to finish. Wider bi-fold openings Existing window and below-window masonry removed, lintel or full steel beam installed across the new opening, cavity closer details corrected, threshold drained and a level access detail formed so bi-folds slide cleanly. Commercial shopfronts & retail alterations Existing fascia and stallriser stripped, propping sequenced to keep the upper façade safe, new structural steel for the wider opening, shopfront frame fitted and made watertight before trim and signage. ### Common variations & situations - Single-room knock-throughs (lounge into dining) - Full kitchen-diner openings spanning 4–6m with double or triple steels - Chimney breast removals (ground floor only or full house) - Bay window structural alterations and bi-fold openings - Internal stair re-positioning with new structural openings - Garage-to-living-space conversions with infill walls and openings - Commercial shopfront alterations in Reading, Newbury and Basingstoke - Gym, retail and small office structural fit-outs ### Residential vs commercial Domestic structural alterations are about minimising disruption to the rest of the house, matching plaster and decoration into existing rooms, and giving the homeowner Building Control paperwork that protects future resale. Commercial alterations (shopfronts, gym fit-outs and small unit reconfigurations we do in Reading and Newbury) are about hitting fixed trading-window deadlines, coordinating with landlord licences-to-alter and protecting the public realm during the cut. We handle both with the same engineering rigour. Common questions ## What homeowners in Reading ask before booking. ### How much does a structural alteration cost? ### Do I need a structural engineer? ### Do I need Building Control? ### How long does a knock-through take? ### Can I stay in the house during the work? ### Can you remove a chimney breast? ### What about pipes, cables and gas runs in the wall? ### Do you do commercial alterations? ### Do you guarantee structural work? ### Are you insured for structural work? Related services ### Often booked alongside structural alterations - [Extensions — Single & double-storey extensions designed and built end-to-end. ](/services/extensions) - [Brickwork — Specialist brickwork and pointing — the craft we built our name on. ](/services/brickwork) - [Groundworks — Foundations, drainage and site prep — done right the first time. ](/services/groundworks) [See all services](/services) Areas we cover for structural alterations ### Local structural alterations crews near you - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Basingstoke](/service-areas/basingstoke) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) [All service areas](/service-areas) Ready when you are ## Get a fixed written quote for your structural alterations — within 48 hours. No high-pressure sales. No vague day rates. Just an itemised quote from a builder who's been on the tools for 18 years. [Request Free Estimate](/contact) [Call 07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) Fully insured 18 years on the tools Quote within 48 hours Or [return home](/) · [see recent work](/our-work) · [read reviews](/reviews) ![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png) A family-run construction company based in Tadley. 18 years of brickwork, extensions, roofing and groundworks across Berkshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) #### Services - [Brickwork](/services/brickwork) - [Extensions](/services/extensions) - [Structural Alterations](/services/structural-alterations) - [Patios](/services/patios) - [Groundworks](/services/groundworks) - [Driveways](/services/driveways) - [Roofing](/services/roofing) #### Areas - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Basingstoke](/service-areas/basingstoke) - [Thatcham](/service-areas/thatcham) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) - [Pangbourne](/service-areas/pangbourne) - [Bucklebury](/service-areas/bucklebury) - [Goring](/service-areas/goring) - [Oxford](/service-areas/oxford) #### Get in Touch - [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) - [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) - 14 Willow Road, Tadley, England, RG26 4LU Opening Hours Mon–Sat · 08:00–17:30 Sunday · 08:00–16:00 © 2026 Philbert Construction Ltd. 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