Edinburgh · Midlothian · The Lothians
Building Services in Edinburgh & the Lothians
Slap throughs, new openings and the structural work behind them, done by experienced bricklayers who leave your home tidy.
- TrustATrader 4.97/5
- Checkatrade 9.89/10
- Insured with AXA
- 14+ years in the trade
Not in Edinburgh? We cover your town too:
Our building services in Edinburgh cover the structural jobs around your home – slap throughs, new openings and the groundwork behind them – planned properly and finished tidily.
A lot of people come to us for a patio or a wall and then ask whether we can also knock the kitchen through into the dining room. We can. The skills are the same ones we use outside: understanding what a wall is carrying, supporting it properly and building it back neatly.
01
Building services in Edinburgh from an experienced local team
Slap throughs
Opening up a wall between two rooms, most often a kitchen and dining or living room, with a lintel or steel beam carrying the load above.
New doorways and widened openings
A new doorway into a hall or utility room, a narrow opening widened, or an old serving hatch turned into a proper opening. Formed with the right lintel and made good around the edges.
Blocking up openings
Old doorways, hatches and fireplaces bricked or blocked up and made good, ready for plaster, so a room can be laid out differently.
02
Structural work done the right way
Any opening in a load-bearing wall changes how the building carries its weight.
Done properly, it's routine. Done badly, it shows up as cracks in the ceiling above, sticking doors upstairs or worse. So we never guess at what a wall is doing.
Building warrants. In Scotland, most structural alterations need a building warrant from the council before work starts. That covers taking out or opening up a load-bearing wall. The warrant is approved by the council's building standards team, and at the end a completion certificate confirms the work meets the regulations. That paperwork matters when you come to sell.
Structural engineer. A structural engineer works out what's being carried and specifies the lintel or steel, its size and what it bears on. That specification goes into the warrant application.
03
Extra things to check in Edinburgh homes
Edinburgh's housing throws up a few situations that don't come up everywhere.
Tenement flats
In a tenement, load-bearing walls are usually treated as common property shared by all the owners. Before opening one up you may need the other owners' agreement as well as a warrant. Your title deeds and the Tenement Management Scheme set out the rules.
Listed buildings
Much of the New Town and Old Town is listed. Internal changes to a listed building, including taking down walls, can need listed building consent from the council.
Older stone houses
Victorian and Edwardian villas often have thick stone internal walls and timber lintels that need careful support. We take our time on these.
04
Working inside your home
We know an internal job is more disruptive than work in the garden, so we keep it contained.
Floors and furniture protected with dust sheets and boards
Dust screens around the work area, with doors to other rooms sealed
Temporary props in place before any brickwork comes out
Rubble bagged and removed as we go, not left in the hall
The opening made good and ready for your plasterer or decorator
Building services FAQs
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
You can't always tell by looking. Clues include joists above running across the wall, walls that line up with walls on the floor above, and solid brick or stone rather than a hollow stud wall. We'll check on site, and an engineer confirms it for anything structural.
How long does a slap through take?
The building work itself often takes a few days. The paperwork usually takes longer: the engineer's calculations and the warrant need to be in place before we start, so allow for that in your plans.
Do you also do extensions?
We focus on openings and structural alterations rather than full extensions, but we're happy to talk through your plans.
06
Get a quote for building work
Send a photo of the wall and tell us what you'd like to open up. We'll come and look, explain what's involved and give you a written quote. Call or text 07426 792387 or request a free quote.
Building Services services
Free quotes
Get a free, no-obligation quote
Call or text 07426 792387, or send photos through the quote form.