Edinburgh · Midlothian · The Lothians
Slap Throughs in Edinburgh & the Lothians
Kitchens opened into dining rooms, through lounges and new doorways, with the right support fitted and the opening finished neatly.
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We form slap throughs in Edinburgh homes – knocking through walls to open up kitchens and living spaces, adding new doorways and widening openings – with the right lintel or steel and everything made good.
Slap is the Scots word for an opening in a wall, and in the trade a slap through is simply a knock through: a wall partly or fully removed so two rooms become one. It's one of the most effective changes you can make to how a home feels, and one of the jobs where getting the structure right really matters.
01
Slap throughs in Edinburgh, done safely and tidily
The projects we're asked to do most often:
Kitchen into dining room
The classic: a closed-off kitchen opened up into a family kitchen-diner.
Through lounge
Front and back rooms joined, common in Edinburgh bungalows and semis.
Kitchen into living room
An open-plan ground floor, often alongside a new kitchen fit.
Wider openings
An existing doorway widened into a broad opening, or a pair of doors.
New doorways
A door formed into a hall, utility room or under-stair space.
02
How the weight above is carried
When part of a load-bearing wall comes out, whatever it was holding up needs a new route down to the ground.
The engineer decides how, but the usual options are:
| Support | Typical use | What you see after |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete or steel lintel | Doorways and smaller openings | Nothing once plastered |
| Steel beam below the ceiling | Wider openings where the ceiling can't be opened | A boxed-in beam below ceiling height |
| Steel beam within the ceiling | Wider openings where a flat ceiling matters | A flat ceiling, but more work above |
The lintel or beam sits on padstones or piers at each end, which spread its load onto the wall below. Those bearings are just as important as the steel itself, and they're specified by the engineer.
03
Before we start
The building work is often the quickest part. These need to be in place first:
- 1
Engineer's calculations
A structural engineer sizes the lintel or beam and the bearings at each end.
- 2
Building warrant
In Scotland, removing or opening up a load-bearing wall needs a building warrant from the council before work begins. At the end, a completion certificate confirms the work was done to the approved plans. Keep it safe; your solicitor will want it when you sell.
- 3
Other owners and consents
In a tenement or a converted flat, structural walls are usually shared property, so the other owners' agreement may be needed. Listed buildings may need listed building consent.
- 4
Services in the wall
Pipes, cables, radiators and switches that run through the wall need moving by a plumber or electrician.
04
How we form a slap through
- 1
Protect the house
Floors and furniture covered, dust screens put up and other rooms sealed off.
- 2
Prop the structure
Temporary steel props and supports go in above the opening to carry the load while the wall comes out.
- 3
Take out the brickwork
The wall is carefully cut and removed to the opening size on the drawings.
- 4
Build the bearings
Padstones or piers built at each end to the engineer's specification.
- 5
Fit the lintel or beam
Lifted into place, levelled and packed tight to the structure above.
- 6
Remove the props
Only once the new support is carrying the load.
- 7
Make good
Edges of the opening built up and finished, the beam boxed in or fire-protected as specified, ready for plaster.
- 8
Clear up
Rubble removed and the rooms cleaned.
The council's building standards team may want to inspect at set stages. We'll work around those visits.
05
What affects the cost of a slap through
We quote every job after a visit, because no two walls are alike. The main factors are:
Width of the opening
Wider openings need bigger steel and stronger bearings.
What's above
A single-storey bungalow wall carries far less than a wall holding up two floors and a roof.
The wall itself
Solid stone walls in older Edinburgh houses take longer to cut and support than brick or block.
Ceiling finish
A beam hidden within the ceiling costs more than one boxed in below it.
Services and making good
Moving radiators, pipes or cables, and how finished you want the opening left.
On top of the building work, allow for the engineer's fee and the council's warrant fee.
06
Slap throughs across Edinburgh and the Lothians
We form openings in homes across Edinburgh, from bungalows in Corstorphine and Liberton to stone villas in Morningside and tenement flats in Leith. We also work across Midlothian, East and West Lothian, including Loanhead, Dalkeith, Bonnyrigg, Penicuik, Musselburgh and Livingston.
Slap through FAQs
Do I need a building warrant for a slap through?
If the wall is load-bearing, almost certainly yes. Even a non-structural wall can be affected if it's part of a fire escape route. If you're unsure, ask us at the site visit and we'll tell you what we see. The council's building standards team gives the final word.
Can a slap through be done in a tenement flat?
Often, yes, but it takes more preparation. Structural walls in a tenement usually belong to all the owners, so you'll likely need their agreement as well as a warrant and an engineer's design.
How much mess is there?
Cutting through brick or stone is dusty, but it's manageable. We screen off the work area, seal doors and clear rubble as we go. Most customers stay at home throughout.
How long does it take?
Once the warrant is in place, the structural work for a typical kitchen opening usually takes a few days. Larger openings, stone walls and making good take longer, and we'll give you a timescale with the quote.
Can you put in a pair of doors or a wider doorway instead of removing the whole wall?
Yes. A partial opening keeps some wall for kitchen units or furniture and often needs smaller steel. We can talk through both options at the visit.
07
Thinking about opening up a wall?
Send a photo of both sides of the wall and tell us roughly what you'd like. We'll come out, explain what's involved and give you a written quote. Call or text 07426 792387 or request a free quote.
Free quotes
Get a free, no-obligation quote
Call or text 07426 792387, or send photos through the quote form.