GS Renovation carries out structural alterations throughout Lewisham, from new openings in Deptford's SE8 terraces to replacement joists and underpinning in Catford and Forest Hill. With more than 30 years working on the borough's Victorian and Edwardian homes, We build supported openings to the engineer's design that are engineered, propped and signed off correctly.
Structural alterations for Lewisham period homes
The bay-fronted terraces around SE6, SE23 and SE26 present a familiar set of structural jobs: forming a wide opening into a rear closet wing, cutting a new doorway through a solid brick wall, replacing tired or overloaded floor joists, and occasionally underpinning where old foundations have moved on Lewisham's clay-rich ground near Forest Hill and Blackheath.
Every one of these begins with a structural engineer's design. New and enlarged openings are formed with a steel beam or lintel bearing onto padstones, joists are specified to the correct span and grade, and underpinning is carried out in controlled sequenced bays. We prop, then work, then load, so the SE8 or SE13 home is never left unsupported at any stage.
Getting it signed off in Lewisham
Structural alterations inside your home fall under the Building Regulations, so Lewisham Council's building control inspects the propping, the beam bearings and the finished work rather than any planning department. Planning only enters the picture for exterior changes in a conservation area or to a listed building, which we will flag clearly if your Blackheath or Telegraph Hill property is affected.
Where an opening or underpinning affects a wall shared with the neighbouring terrace, the Party Wall Act applies and you serve notice on the adjoining owner first. We coordinate the engineer and the building control inspections as one package, keeping the paperwork straight so your alteration is legitimate, certified and ready to build on.
Strengthening a floor for a heavy load
Not every structural alteration involves a wall. A stone worktop on a large island, a cast iron or freestanding bath full of water, or a wall of bookshelves all put far more weight on one small area of floor than a Victorian joist was ever sized to take. In a Lewisham terrace with original timbers spanning the full width of the room, the result is a floor that feels lively underfoot or slowly dips.
The fixes are straightforward when they are designed. Doubling up joists under a specific load, adding a new bearer, sistering a new timber alongside a sagging one, or installing a steel below where the span is too great for timber at all. Any of these needs the engineer to confirm the span and the section rather than a guess. We open the floor, record what is there, and price the work with the sizes already established.
- New door and window openings in solid masonry
- Lintel replacement and repair over failed openings
- Reinstatement, plastering and finishing after structural works
- Wall plate, joist hanger and restraint strap installation
- Basement and cellar alterations with retaining support
Why Choose GS Renovation in Lewisham
For structural alterations in Lewisham, GS Renovation gives you a single team that manages the engineer, Lewisham building control and the build itself. New openings, replacement joists and underpinning are designed, propped and inspected properly. We work cleanly in occupied homes and stand behind the result with 30+ years of local structural experience.
- Paperwork and certificates handed over for when you sell
- Photographs kept at each stage for your records
- Trial holes dug to confirm what is under the building
- The engineer's calculations obtained and worked to on site
- Honest updates if a date or a detail has to move
- Fully insured, with cover in place on every site