Demolishing a load-bearing wall – is a permit needed and how to get one

Published 2026-10-20. Rates from VP statyba estimates, excluding VAT.

Permits

Partition wall or load-bearing wall?

Everything depends on this. Non-load-bearing partitions demolition is usually simple renovation and no permit is needed. Load-bearing walls demolition or an opening in it is an alteration of the load-bearing structure, which requires a design and a building permit.

How to recognise a load-bearing wall:

It is thicker than the other walls in the flat, often 20 cm or more.
It runs through all the floors in the same position.
The floor slabs rest on it: in panel-block buildings these are the walls perpendicular to the direction of the slabs.
It is marked as load-bearing in the building design or the cadastral file.

In panel-block and monolithic buildings this is not always obvious, so we assess the wall on site before starting work. The site visit is free.

What is needed to demolish a load-bearing wall

Structural assessment and expert review. The structural engineer checks whether the wall can be demolished and what reinforcement will be needed.
Demolition (major renovation) design. It includes the calculation of the beam or steel frame that will take over the load of the wall.
Consents. In an apartment building, the consent of the other flat owners or the owners' association is usually required.
Building permit. It is issued by the municipality on the basis of the submitted design.
Work according to the design. Temporary propping, diamond cutting, frame installation, waste removal.
Updating the cadastral data. So that the changes are legal and no questions arise when selling the flat.

What happens if you demolish without a permit

An altered structure can endanger the whole building, not just your flat.
When selling the flat, the changes will not match the cadastral data and the sale will stall.
The neighbours or the owners' association may demand that the wall be rebuilt at your expense.
The construction inspectorate can impose a penalty and require you to legalise or reinstate the works.

How much it costs and how long it takes

The price of the design, structural assessment and permit depends on the building, the wall and the calculations required, so we quote it after an inspection together with the demolition estimate. The rates for the demolition work itself are known in advance: partition wall removal from 15–20 €/m², diamond cutting from 85 €/m, propping 40 €/m excluding VAT. The permit timeframe depends on the municipality and the consents, and while we wait we can carry out the works that need no permit.

How we handle it for you

One team is responsible for everything: we assess the wall, prepare the design and structural assessment, help collect the consents, obtain the permit and carry out the demolition with the frame. If you wish, after the demolition we fit out the flat to turnkey standard.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Can I determine myself whether a wall is load-bearing?

You can suspect it from the thickness and location, but only a structural engineer can say for certain, based on the building's design or an inspection. A mistake here is costly, so we always check before work begins.

Is a permit needed for a partition wall between a room and the kitchen?

If the partition wall is non-load-bearing, usually not. However, in flats with gas, joining the kitchen with a room may have additional requirements, so we check this during the site visit.

Can you prepare only the design and let someone else do the demolition?

We can. Most clients nevertheless choose to have everything in one place, because then the same team is responsible for both the design and the work.

Load-bearing wall demolition: whether a permit is needed and how to get one