Internal remodelling — JAG Construction London

A lot of our work is reconfiguration — taking a house that doesn't make sense and making it make sense. Knocking through. Moving walls. Opening up the back of a kitchen. Removing a chimney breast. Putting a new opening through a load-bearing wall. Building staircases.

Most reconfigurations involve a structural engineer, building control, and a steel beam or two. We work with engineers we trust, get the calculations done early, and order the steels in time so they don't hold the programme up. We handle the building control inspections from start to sign-off.

We are particular about how steels are dressed in. A naked RSJ across an open-plan room is fine if you want that look. If you don't, we frame and plaster it cleanly so it disappears into the ceiling line. Either way, it is structural first, finished second.

How we approach it

The way we work on every internal remodelling project.

Engineered before the hammer

Nothing structural happens without a calculation. Engineer drawings, building control approval, and the steel ordered to spec — all before the wall comes down.

Propped properly

Temporary works are not a footnote. We prop with the right gear, in the right places, and we do not start a cut until we have walked it through with the engineer.

Squared and plumb

Old houses move. New openings need to sit straight in walls that are anything but. We pack and shim the steel level. The plaster line is level whether the house is or not.

Floors made good

Removing a wall leaves a strip of floor that needs filling. We match the flooring through — board for board on a parquet floor, joist replacement if needed, floorboards stitched in seamlessly.

Building control sign-off

We do not finish a job until building control has signed it off. The certificate goes to you with the handover pack.

Related projects

Recent internal remodelling work.

Devonshire House

A full house refurbishment, finished to the last grout line.

What is typical

Honest, specific, no price list.

Typical scope Wall removal, new openings, steel installation, chimney breast removal, layout reconfigurations.

Typical timeline Three to six weeks for a single reconfiguration; longer if structural work is part of a wider refurbishment.

Typical project size Standalone remodelling from £25,000. Most internal remodelling is part of a larger renovation.

Frequently asked

Real questions, answered honestly.

Do I need an architect?

For a single knock-through, often not — a good structural engineer and a builder who can read drawings are usually enough. For anything more complex (changing room layouts, adding internal stairs, opening up to multiple rooms) you probably want an architect or a designer to draw it properly.

How long does building control take?

In Walthamstow and most of the surrounding boroughs, six to ten weeks from submission to first inspection date, longer for complex jobs. We submit at the consultation stage so it doesn't hold up the build.

What about removing chimney breasts?

Common, doable, and needs proper support. We install a gallows bracket or steel supporting the breast above the floor being removed. Then plaster and finish. The chimney above does not come down with the breast.

Can you do this in a Conservation Area?

Internal works generally do not need planning consent, even in a Conservation Area. We will check at the consultation. Listed buildings are different and need Listed Building Consent for most internal changes.