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What do you need to check before bricking up an opening?
Bricking up a doorway, window or old opening changes the wall, so check planning rules if you live in a listed building or designated area, and ask building control whether approval is needed. A builder should also plan for damp, insulation and matching the outside face.
Last reviewed:What does bricking up mean?
Bricking up means filling an opening in a wall with masonry so it becomes part of the wall again. People do it to:
- close an old back door after a kitchen is moved
- fill a window that faces a neighbour or a new extension
- close an old fireplace or serving hatch
- block a gap left by a removed vent, pipe or boiler flue
The job sounds simple, but the builder is joining new brick or block into an existing wall. That join needs to stay dry, stay strong and, on the outside, look right.
QuoteZila starts in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach first, and anyone in the UK can post a building job.
Does it need planning permission or building regulations?
Planning. For an ordinary house, changing an opening is often allowed without a planning application, but there are exceptions. The Planning Portal says that if you live in a listed building you need listed building consent for any significant works, internal or external, that designated areas may have extra restrictions, and that leaseholders may first need their landlord's permission [S1]. It strongly advises checking with your local planning authority before work in those cases [S1].
Building regulations. GOV.UK says building regulations approval is different from planning permission and you might need both, and that you should check with a building control body if you can't decide [S2]. Filling an opening in an outside wall can raise questions about insulation and damp, and filling a window can raise questions about light, ventilation and escape. Ask before work starts. GOV.UK explains when you need building regulations approval. GOV.UK: building regulations approval. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
Shared walls. If the opening is in a wall you share with a neighbour, the Party Wall Act may apply. GOV.UK says you must tell your neighbours if you want to carry out building work on or near a party wall in England and Wales, and that this is separate from planning and building regulations [S4].
What should a builder plan for?
The ties into the old wall. New brickwork has to be bonded or tied into the sides of the opening so it doesn't crack away. Ask how they will do it.
Cavity walls. The Planning Portal explains that many walls are cavity walls, with an outer skin of brick or block and an inner skin that is generally block, tied together with wall ties [S3]. Filling an opening in a cavity wall means building both skins, and dealing with the cavity at the edges, so damp can't cross from outside to inside.
Insulation. The new section should keep heat in at least as well as the wall around it. Ask what insulation goes in.
Damp-proofing. If the opening was a doorway, the new brickwork needs to tie in with the damp-proof course at the bottom of the wall.
The lintel above. The beam over the opening usually stays in place. If it is cracked or rusty, the builder should say so in the quote rather than build up to it.
The finish. Outside, new bricks should match the old ones as closely as possible, in the same bond and mortar colour. Inside, the area is usually plastered and decorated. Ask who does each part.
This page gives no step-by-step method. Changing the structure of a wall is a job for a builder, and building control can tell you what applies.
Is a fireplace different?
Yes. Closing a fireplace opening is usually about ventilation and damp rather than structure. A sealed chimney with no airflow can trap moisture. Ask the builder whether they will fit a vent, and whether the chimney pot needs a cap. If you plan to remove the chimney breast itself, that is a structural job: removing a chimney breast explains what applies.
What should the quote include?
| Item | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Removal | Taking out the door, frame or window, and who disposes of it |
| Brick or block | Which materials, and whether they match the outside face |
| Ties and cavity | How the new section ties in, and how the cavity edges are closed |
| Insulation | What goes in, and how it matches the wall |
| Plastering and making good | Who does it, and whether decorating is included |
| Approvals | Who deals with building control or any other consent |
Citizens Advice says a quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is just a rough guess, and suggests getting written quotes from at least 3 different traders [S5]. Our builders and plasterers pages cover the trades, and the brick cost guide explains what affects the price of matching bricks.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Old back door no longer used after kitchen refit. Want it bricked up outside and plastered inside."
- "Small landing window faces next door's new extension. Would like a quote to brick it up, matching the house bricks."
- "Open fireplace in the back bedroom. Want it closed off with a vent."
Photos of both sides of the opening help a builder price it. Your job goes to up to five matched local businesses [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
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Questions about bricking up
Do I need planning permission to brick up a window?
Often not for an ordinary house, but it depends. The Planning Portal says listed buildings need listed building consent for any significant works, inside or out, and designated areas may have extra restrictions. Check with your local planning authority first if either applies.
Does bricking up a doorway need building regulations approval?
It can. Building regulations approval is different from planning permission and you might need both. If you are not sure, GOV.UK says to check with a building control body. Your builder can also tell you what they plan to submit.
Can I brick up a window in a bedroom?
Ask building control before you do. A window can be part of a room's light, ventilation and escape arrangements, and removing it may affect whether the room meets the rules. Do not take the window out until you have an answer.
Does QuoteZila check builders?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
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Related pages
- Building Sand and Sharp Sand: What to Specify. Building sand and sharp sand are different bags. In Cheshire, do not swap them. Ask the person who specified the mix to name the sand on the quote.
- Chimney Breast Removal: Who Must Design It. Removing a chimney breast in Cheshire is structural work. Building regulations approval applies, and planning is a separate question from a party wall.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
- S1: Doors and windows: planning permission, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/doors-and-windows/planning-permission/
- S2: Building regulations approval, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval
- S3: Is building regulations approval needed for work to external walls?, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/external-walls/building-regulations/
- S4: Party walls and building work, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/party-walls-building-works
- S5: Before you get building work done, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/