GS Renovation installs RSJs and structural steel across Barnet, from the 1930s semi-detached homes of Finchley and Mill Hill to the interwar houses of Hendon and Edgware. With over 30 years of experience across EN4, EN5, N3, N12 and NW7, we open up load-bearing walls safely, from the engineer's calculation right through to building control sign-off.
Removing load-bearing walls in Barnet homes
The classic Barnet job removes the wall between the front and rear reception rooms of a 1930s semi, or takes out the old kitchen wall to open up the back of the house. These interwar homes were built with a central spine wall and chimney breasts that usually carry the floor and roof loads above, so nothing comes out until a structural engineer has sized the replacement steel.
We begin with temporary propping to support the structure, then carry out staged demolition so the loads transfer gradually onto the new beam. The RSJ bears onto concrete or steel padstones at each end, spreading the load into the solid brickwork typical of Barnet's interwar stock. Once the steel is seated, packed and the connections are complete, building control inspects the work before we close everything up.
Party wall steps for Barnet semis
In a Barnet semi the dividing wall with your neighbour, and often a shared chimney stack, sits on the party line. Where beam bearings, padstones or foundations affect that shared wall, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies and notice must be served on the adjoining owner before work starts. We help you identify which walls are shared and factor the notice period into the programme from the outset.
The two-month notice period matters most in tightly built streets around Finchley, Hendon and Golders Green, where neighbouring homes share a boundary wall. Alongside party wall matters we handle the building regulations side through Barnet Council or an approved inspector, arranging inspections at propping, beam installation and completion. You receive the engineer's calculations and the building control certificate for your records and any future sale.
Handling and finishing the steel itself
A beam for a Barnet through-room can weigh several hundred kilos and arrives on a lorry that cannot always get down the drive. In most semis it comes in through the side passage or the front door and is moved on rollers along the hall, which is why we lift the floor covering and protect the door linings before delivery day rather than on the morning itself. Where the passage is too tight, the beam comes in through the rear.
Once seated, the steel still needs finishing. The regulations require the beam to be protected so it holds its strength in a fire, which normally means boarding it in plasterboard of the correct thickness rather than plastering straight onto the flange. Where you want a flat ceiling we set the steel up into the floor zone; where you want it visible we case and paint it. That is decided before the section is fixed, not afterwards.
- Bearing checks into party walls and shared masonry
- Temporary propping and staged, controlled demolition
- Steel columns, base plates and bolted connections
- Steel delivered cut, drilled and primed to the engineer's schedule
- Structural engineer's calculations arranged and followed
Why Choose GS Renovation in Barnet
Homeowners across Barnet trust us with structural work because we manage every stage under one roof, from the engineer's calculations to propping, steelwork and building control sign-off. With 30-plus years opening up interwar semis in N2, N3, N12 and NW11, we work cleanly in occupied homes and never cut corners on structure.
- Paperwork and certificates handed over for when you sell
- Building control applications and inspections coordinated for you
- Restricted London access planned before the steel arrives
- Beams boxed and fire protected to the approved detail
- Free, no-obligation quotations
- Clean, tidy and reliable tradespeople