Case study · Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire
Full kitchen-and-diner renovation in Newton Mearns (G77)
A Newton Mearns kitchen renovation removes the dining-room wall, installs a structural steel and fits a 3.6 metre island. The completed project is a painted-slab kitchen with a timber-clad island, finished in 6.5 weeks for £42,000–£48,000 including structural and finishing works.
Privacy: Exact street and client details withheld for privacy. Postcode district and project facts are accurate.
Project at a glance
- Area
- Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire
- Postcode
- G77 (district level)
- Property
- 1990s detached, open-plan after wall removal
- Completed
- 2023
- Cost band
- £42,000 – £48,000 (kitchen, structural steel, finishes and electrics)
- Time on site
- 6.5 weeks on site (including structural works), 7 week lead time on units
The brief
The owners had outgrown a closed-off 1990s kitchen with a separate dining room. They wanted one room, a clear sightline to the garden, and an island large enough to seat the whole family. A building warrant was required for the wall removal, which we coordinated.
Scope of work
- Structural engineer's calcs, building warrant application and inspection
- Removal of load-bearing wall and installation of 4.5m UC steel
- Full strip-out of existing kitchen, dining-room flooring and ceiling
- Painted slab units in warm off-white with a smoked-oak veneer island
- 3.6m × 1m island with quartz worktop and integrated wine cooler
- Two ovens, induction hob and ceiling extractor centred over the island
- New Karndean flooring run wall-to-wall across the unified space
- All snagging, decoration and final building-control sign-off
Challenges and how we solved them
Structural steel changed the ceiling height
The new steel sat 240mm below the original ceiling line. Rather than box it in and lose headroom, we designed a flush plaster bulkhead that runs the full width of the room and houses the extractor ducting, recessed lighting and a linear AV speaker run.
Two trades on site at once
Structural and finishing trades overlapped on weeks 2–3. We sequenced first-fix electrics behind the steel before plasterboard went up, so no chasing was needed after decoration. The build programme was issued weekly so the owners always knew which trades were on site.
Building warrant timing
The warrant took 9 weeks from submission to approval. We submitted at design stage, before units were ordered, so the lead time ran in parallel and the project did not stall.
Outcome
Completed in 6.5 weeks on site against a 6–7 week plan. Final cost £45,800 against a £42k–£48k estimate. Building control signed off on first inspection with no remedials. The owners describe the space as 'the room we should have had 20 years ago'.
"What sold us was the weekly programme. We always knew who was on site, what they were doing and what was next. The warrant, the steel, the kitchen — one number to call, one team responsible."
Frequently asked questions
How much is a full kitchen renovation with wall removal in Newton Mearns?
Budget £35,000–£55,000 for a renovation that includes structural works, a new kitchen, flooring, electrics and decoration. This project landed at £45,800.
Do I need a building warrant to remove a kitchen wall in Scotland?
Yes if the wall is load-bearing. A structural engineer's calculations plus a building warrant from the local council are required. Allow 8–12 weeks for warrant approval and submit at design stage to avoid project delays.
Can you manage the structural works as well as the kitchen?
Yes. We coordinate the structural engineer, the warrant submission and the steel installation alongside the kitchen fit, with one project manager responsible end to end.
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