Demolish and rebuild a wall in new build, possible???

M

mystry4all

Registered User
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Hello all,

I want to demolish a kitchen wall. That wall is attached to the livingroom. I want to have an open kitchen to the livingroom. In that kitchen is a door which i wont use then. So i want to build a wall in the door-opening. Is that possible, my thinking? Or too much work which cant be worked out?

I will be glad to hear from all of you.....
 
When you say 'new build', I presume you mean 'recent build' - the property is built now, right? It may well be possible to do what you say, but you really need an engineer to confirm if this is structurally possible. You might need a beam in the ceiling to provide support (in place of the wall). [Watch the Fawlty Towers builder episode, if you're not sure what this means]
 
As a quick check, assuming that you have floorboards upstairs (rather than sheets); if the boards run parallel to the wall then the wall is almost certainly load bearing and you will therefore need to slip in an RSJ to take the load.

You MUST be sure whether or not it is loadbearing before you take a sledge to it.
 
Hi, Complainer, ya its a recent build, im not moved in yet. Whats a beam? Is that a visible thing?

hi bilk, how will i come to know that, that the floorboards run parallel to the wall? Where will i find the floorboards. I saw cement on the floor. What is RSJ?
 
If you don't know what your looking for, get someone who does. Really, this is serious stuff - not guesswork.
 
Get a few reputable builders in to quote the job and listen to what they say, their advice at this stage is free. I wouldn't be be paying an engineer just yet.
 
A good builder may give sound advice, but he cannot certify the design of the structural intervention. You would be well advised to ask an engineer to comment first, with a view to certifying the design of the work afterwards.

A good builder should offer a cert on work as constructed, stating it complies with the building regulations, etc. You will seldom see sloppy builders putting any bearing pads in hollow block walls, much less taking out hollows and replacing them with solids if the calculations show the point loads are too high.

The removal of a wall can sometimes be straightforward if it is only a space divider and the floor joists run parallel to it and do not rely on it for support. However this is not always the case and if not you will more than likely need to install a beam to support the joists.

The engineer is the building professional best qualified to advise you on structural matters, and he will assess what level of buttressing the wall to be removed currently provides to the walls it abuts at either end, as well as what bearings might be needed for the beam ends.

In addition to the structural compliance, you should consider both cold bridging resulting from the new beam building-in work/support pads and the aesthetic effect of the wall removal. An architect is the building professional best qualified to advise you on these matters.

For maybe ten-fifteen percent extra over you may be able to remove nibs and beams from public view and make it look like the room was always like that. For some people this is a subtle wow factor that repays them every day with a simple elegant solution to their original space problem.


HTH

ONQ.

[broken link removed]
 
I will let u know what will happen. I will get the keys of my house in january and then i will let a builder have a look at it.
 
onq said:
A good builder may give sound advice, but he cannot certify the design of the structural intervention. You would be well advised to ask an engineer to comment first, with a view to certifying the design of the work afterwards.
Click to expand...


I disagree,. why hire a engineer to comment first for a fee, when you could get a few different opinions from experienced builders for free. If more than one builder says it is a non starter, then thats that. if they say it is viable, by all means hire an engineer.
 
Ask a couple of builders, ask for referrals from friends or family first, for their advice on the feasability of what you are trying to achieve and ask for a rough guide budget for the works.

You can also ask if they can suggest an engineer that they know would be interested in the project. If any of the builders ssay you dont need an engineer, strike them off your tender list. You do need the advice of an independent engineer who is insured to give you the design requirements and to certify the structure.

Once you engage the engineer to design the work you want done then go back to your builders and ask them for a quotation for the work.

In your preliminary dealings with the builders you should vet them, ask for copies of insurance, references, current work load etc.

Once you are happy with your selection of a competent builder and engineer, go ahead with the project safe in the knowledge that you have a properly constructed breakthrough of rooms. You will appreciate the extra leg work if you ever come to sell the property.

Sean
 
Hmmzzz dont know the builders of the house....It's a council house...But i will follow ur advise guys thnx
 
hi,
in new houses usually the walls can be takin down as they are not load bearing. depends on size of house of course. concil houses usually have block walls inside may not be load bearing. private houses usually have stud walls. made of timber and plasterboard and very easy to remove.
bang ur hand of wall and you will know straight away. dont get engineer.general builder/carpenter is what you need. could be a very simple job. or could need steel beam. cost more bout 3/4 k.
 
hi,

actually it is a affordable house...bought from the council. so they are same as the private houses. because our neighbours bought it privatly. both houses are the same. and what is steel beam?
 
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