An open plan conversion is one or more structural openings, formed in an order that keeps the building standing and the finishes intact. We survey, appoint a structural engineer, form the openings to their calculations, and coordinate the building control application and inspections. We do not produce those calculations ourselves. What follows is about the building types in Beaconsfield and what each one asks of an open plan layout.
Hampden Hill houses are open at the edges and closed in the middle
Their internal walls are the structure. The Hampden Hill Conservation Area appraisal states that the roof load in these houses is borne by internal brick spine walls, which relieves the external walls and allowed them to be replaced by extensive glazing.
An open plan scheme there is therefore a question about the spine, not the perimeter. Taking out a length of spine wall calls for a beam picking up roof load as well as floor load, and for propping that holds a roof rather than a floor. The engineer sizes it. We build the temporary support before anything comes out.
A brick front in the historic core may be hiding a timber frame
Open plan work there starts with finding out what the walls actually are. The appraisal for the Beaconsfield Old Town Conservation Area says it appears that all the timber framed buildings there now have brick infill, in place of the original wattle and daub. It also records that brick re-fronting "was often only for show since the backs and flank walls of building were left with their timber frames exposed".
The appraisal describes number 12 The Broadway as a 16th century timber framed building with a dragon beam at the south-east corner and jetties to the north, south and east sides. A jetty and a dragon beam are load paths rather than decoration. Where a frame like that is present, an opening is designed around the frame, and listed building consent forms part of the route.
In a small terrace the party walls fix the ends of your opening
The width of the house sets the width of the run. The council's appraisal dates the four terraces on the west side of Lakes Lane to around the end of the 19th century, and records them as solid brick workers' housing. They stayed in common ownership of the Hall Barn estate.
In a solid brick terrace the beam bears close to the party walls, which brings the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 into the programme and adds notice periods before work can begin. We identify that at the survey, so the notice period runs alongside the design rather than after it.
- Zoned lighting circuits and dimming for a multi-use room
- Openings formed in stages to keep the home usable
- Side-return integration for a wider ground floor
- Beam depth checked against existing ceiling heights
- Structural engineer coordination and building control sign-off
Trusted Open-Plan Conversions in Beaconsfield
Open plan work is a sequencing problem. One badly ordered opening means propping a house twice and making good twice, so we set the order at the survey and hold to it. We appoint the structural engineer, build to their calculations, and coordinate the building control application and the inspections with Buckinghamshire Council. Kitchen fitting, flooring, electrics and plastering then run to the same programme and the same point of contact, which is the reason to put the whole opening with one contractor. GS Renovation Ltd is fully insured and registered in England, company number 14611254.
- Rated 4.9 from 31 reviews on MyBuilder
- The layout planned around how you actually use the ground floor
- Floor levels and thresholds evened out across the whole space
- Itemised pricing, so you can see what every stage costs
- Materials priced at options, so you choose the finish
- Lighting circuits zoned rather than one pendant in the middle