GS Renovation creates open-plan spaces across Catford, opening up the Victorian and Edwardian terraces of SE6 into bright kitchen-diners and knock-through living areas. With more than 30 years in Lewisham, we handle the structural side properly, from engineer-sized steels to Lewisham building control sign-off, so your period home flows the way modern family life needs.
Open-plan conversions for Catford terraces
The classic Catford layout, two reception rooms front and back with a narrow kitchen in the closet wing, was designed for a very different way of living. Knocking the receptions together and opening the kitchen into the dining space transforms how these SE6 homes feel, but the spine wall between the rooms is load-bearing, so a properly sized steel beam has to take over its job.
We tailor each conversion to the house. A full knock-through suits some families, while others prefer broken-plan with a Crittall-style glazed divider that keeps the two spaces distinct while letting light run through. Either way the structural opening is engineered first, and the side return and closet wing are factored into where the beam bears.
Steelwork and sign-off in SE6
Opening up a Catford terrace means installing an RSJ that a structural engineer has sized for the loads above. The beam bears onto padstones at each end, the floor above is propped on Acrows while we remove the wall in stages, and the steel is lifted in and pinned up tight before the props come out, so the house stays stable throughout.
This is Building Regulations work rather than a planning matter, so Lewisham Council's building control inspects the beam and its bearings and issues the completion certificate. Because the spine wall meets the party wall shared with your neighbour, the Party Wall Act applies and you serve notice first, then finish with plastering and making good so the new open space is ready to decorate.
- Structural engineer coordination and building control sign-off
- Knock-throughs between front and rear reception rooms
- Side-return integration for a wider ground floor
- Heat loss and acoustic considerations before the wall comes out
- Making good, plastering and decorating the finished space
Why Choose GS Renovation in Catford
GS Renovation is the single team behind your Catford open-plan conversion: engineer's beam design, building control inspections and the build itself, all in-house. We prop and remove safely while you stay in the home, protect floors and keep dust contained, and hand back a clean, certified open space, drawing on 30+ years across SE6.
- Beam depth checked against ceiling heights before you commit
- Structure and finishes delivered by one team on one programme
- Lighting circuits zoned rather than one pendant in the middle
- Fully insured, with cover in place on every site
- Rated 4.9 from 31 reviews on MyBuilder
- Free follow-up visit after completion if anything needs attention