LOAD-BEARING WALLS · SMALL ALTERATIONS
Building Control Fees for Wall Removal in London
Planning to remove a load-bearing wall, widen a structural opening or carry out a small alteration? Use this guide to find the relevant council Building Control fee information for your proposed work.
Check the applicable alteration category, what the charge covers and whether VAT is included. A Building Notice is not suitable for every project, so confirm the application route and fee with Building Control before applying.
This guide focuses on wall removal and small alterations, not general fees for extensions, loft conversions or new buildings. Growchance is a building contractor, not a building control body.
Describe the wall removal, structural opening or other proposed small work clearly.
Ask Building Control whether a Building Notice or another application route is appropriate.
Confirm the applicable fee, VAT treatment and what checks or inspections the charge includes.
WALL REMOVAL · COUNCIL FEE SOURCES
Find fee information for your proposed alteration.
Select the council responsible for your property. Look for charges covering domestic alterations, structural openings or load-bearing wall removal, rather than assuming a general building-work fee applies.
If the work is not clearly listed, send Building Control a description of the proposed opening and any available plans. Ask them to confirm the correct application route, charge and VAT treatment.
Council documents can cover several types of work and may be replaced or superseded. Some sources below have older dates or require a category check. Confirm the current charge directly with Building Control before applying. Links open in a new tab; many open PDF documents.
- Barking and DagenhamPDF filename refers to 2021 — confirm the current schedule.
- BarnetOpen the supplied council fee document.
- BexleyView council fees and internal-alteration categories.
- BrentGeneral fee schedule — locate the relevant Building Control entry.
- BromleyView the council’s Building Control charging information.
- CamdenOpen the supplied Schedule 3 document.
- CroydonOpen the supplied council fees page.
- EalingView application and charging information.
- EnfieldOpen the supplied council fee document.
- GreenwichOpen the supplied council fee document.
- HackneyFilename says proposed charges — confirm the adopted schedule.
- Hammersmith and FulhamDated fee-document link — confirm it remains applicable.
- HaringeyOpen the supplied council charging scheme.
- HarrowSource names new-build/conversion fees — request the alterations table.
- HaveringOpen the supplied council fee document.
- HillingdonConfirm this supplied download is the council’s current source.
- HounslowOpen the supplied Building Regulations charges.
- IslingtonOpen the supplied charges and explanatory notes.
- Kensington and ChelseaBudget-document source — confirm the current alteration charge.
- Kingston upon ThamesView the supplied other-charges page.
- LambethFilename refers to 2024–2025 — confirm the current schedule.
- LewishamOpen the supplied council fees page.
- MertonOpen the supplied council charges page.
- NewhamURL refers to October 2011 — confirm the current schedule.
- RedbridgeOpen the supplied council fee schedule.
- Richmond upon ThamesFilename refers to 2025 — confirm it remains applicable.
- SouthwarkOpen the supplied council fee document.
- SuttonOpen the supplied council charging-schedule page.
- Tower HamletsCheck the domestic-alterations category.
- Waltham ForestFilename refers to April 2023 — confirm the current schedule.
- WandsworthOpen the supplied council fee document.
- WestminsterOpen the supplied Building Regulation charges.
Additional council source: Dartford
Dartford is outside Greater London and is listed separately for properties within Dartford Borough Council’s area.
DartfordOpen the supplied council fee document.A fee document does not confirm that a Building Notice is suitable for your property or proposed alteration. Confirm the application route and full charge with Building Control. If a source has moved, use the council’s website to locate its Building Control department. City of London is not included in this directory.
BEFORE YOU APPLY
Check the right fee for your wall alteration.
A council schedule may contain several tables and application types. Before choosing a figure, confirm that it relates to your property, proposed alteration and the application route Building Control has advised.
Describe the complete alteration
Explain whether you are removing one load-bearing wall, widening an existing opening or carrying out several connected alterations. Include any available drawings and the approximate opening dimensions.
Confirm the correct category
Ask which entry applies to the work. Do not use a fee for a new dwelling, extension or conversion simply because it appears in the same document as the alteration charges.
Check the application route
Confirm whether a Building Notice is appropriate or whether another route is required. The choice should reflect the property and proposed work, not simply which fee appears lower.
Confirm VAT and payment stages
Check whether the published amount includes VAT and whether any plan assessment or inspection charges are listed separately. Ask for the total payable for the agreed application scope.
Ask about additional charges
Confirm what checks or inspections the charge covers and whether changes to the work, additional services or other circumstances could result in a further charge.
Use the applicable schedule
Check the effective date and confirm that the document has not been replaced. If your work is not clearly covered, request a fee quotation rather than selecting an approximate category yourself.
Confirming or paying a charge does not, by itself, establish that a wall can safely be removed or that every requirement has been met. Structural information, application requirements and inspection arrangements must be addressed for the particular property and work.
Understanding the complete budget
The Building Control fee is not the wall-removal price.
A wall-removal project can involve application charges, structural design and construction work. Identify these separately in your budget, even when some are brought together within one contractor’s quotation.
Building Control charges
The charge associated with the agreed Building Control application and its stated scope. Confirm the applicable category and total directly with the body handling the work.
- Application route and work category
- Included assessment and inspection stages
- VAT and any separately payable charges
Structural-engineering fees
Where structural input is required, establish the engineer’s agreed appointment separately. Do not assume that paying Building Control includes the design of the new opening.
- Assessment and advice within the appointment
- Required calculations and drawings
- Any additional visits or design revisions
Building and finishing work
The contractor’s scope covers the agreed physical work. Check what is included in the quotation rather than treating a council fee as an indication of the construction price.
- Protection, support and controlled removal
- Specified beam and associated installation
- Waste removal and agreed making good
Ask whether the contractor’s quotation includes engineering, Building Control fees or application assistance, or whether you will arrange and pay for them separately. Record the agreed responsibilities, exclusions and VAT treatment before comparing the complete project budget.
Cost and budget guidance
Planning the overall cost?
Use the separate cost guide for the wider wall-removal budget, including structural design, construction and finishing considerations.
Load-Bearing Wall Removal Cost GuideSpecialist building service
Looking for wall-removal contractors?
See how Growchance carries out load-bearing wall removal, with the structural requirements and agreed construction scope considered before work begins.
Load-Bearing Wall Removal in LondonWALL-ALTERATION FEE QUESTIONS
Useful answers before you apply.
These answers help you use the council fee sources and separate application charges from the wider project budget. The relevant Building Control team should confirm the charge and application route for your property.
How much is the Building Control fee for removing a load-bearing wall?
There is no single London-wide charge. Use the relevant council’s schedule and ask which category applies to your proposed wall removal or structural opening.
If the work is not clearly listed, request a fee quotation. Confirm the application route, VAT treatment and whether the stated amount includes all applicable assessment and inspection charges.
Which entry should I use in the council’s fee table?
Look for wording covering domestic alterations, structural alterations or wall openings. Council categories differ, so the entry may not specifically say “load-bearing wall removal”.
Do not substitute a fee for an extension, new dwelling or conversion. Ask Building Control to confirm the correct category where the description is unclear.
Can I automatically use a Building Notice for a small alteration?
No. Describing work as a small alteration does not establish which application route is appropriate. Confirm the route with Building Control for the particular property and scope before selecting a fee or submitting an application.
Does the fee include structural calculations and drawings?
Do not assume that the Building Control charge includes designing the structural opening. Where engineering input is required, confirm the engineer’s appointment, calculations, drawings and any visits separately.
If your contractor arranges these services, the quotation should make clear which items are included and which you will pay for separately.
Are VAT and inspection charges included?
Check the notes and column headings in the relevant schedule. A displayed amount may exclude VAT, and the document may list different charges or payment stages for different application routes.
Ask for the total payable for your agreed scope and confirmation of what inspections or other services it covers.
What if we are changing more than one wall?
Describe all proposed openings and connected alterations when requesting the fee. Do not assume that a charge for one opening applies to several, or that multiplying a single-opening fee gives the correct total.
Building Control should confirm how the complete scope is assessed and charged.
Does paying the fee mean the wall can be removed?
No. Payment alone does not confirm structural suitability or that every requirement has been met.
The necessary structural information, application requirements, inspection arrangements and any other relevant permissions must be addressed before the work proceeds.
What should I do if the linked document is old or unavailable?
Visit the council’s website and locate its current Building Control charges or contact the department directly. Do not rely on an older document simply because the download still opens.
Confirm the effective date, relevant alteration category and total charge before applying.
DISCUSS YOUR WALL ALTERATION
Planning the opening? Talk to us about the building work.
Growchance carries out load-bearing wall removal and internal alterations in London. Tell us about the property and the opening you want to create. We can review the proposed work, discuss the structural input required and establish the appropriate next step towards a quotation.
- Your property
- Share the postcode, property type and whether the work is in a house or flat. Mention any known access restrictions.
- The alteration
- Describe the wall or existing opening, the rooms it connects and the approximate width you would like to achieve.
- Available plans
- Tell us whether you already have photographs, drawings, structural calculations or correspondence from Building Control.
- Scope and timing
- Explain the finish you want, any connected renovation work and your preferred timescale.
For confirmation of council fees or the applicable application route, contact the relevant Building Control team directly. This form is for enquiries about Growchance’s building work. An enquiry does not confirm a booking, price or approval.