Marcus
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| posted on 3/7/12 at 07:59 PM |
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Supporting wall
Hi all
How can I tell if a wall in my house is a supporting wall. I'd love to take it out completely to give me a nice sized kitchen / diner.
It's deffo brick construction and the house is a 1950s semi.
Thanks
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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mookaloid
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| posted on 3/7/12 at 08:03 PM |
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What is on top of it?
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
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Marcus
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| posted on 3/7/12 at 08:14 PM |
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Above it is another wall separating the bedrooms from the landing, also made of brick, so I guess that means its supporting.....
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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Ben_Copeland
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| posted on 3/7/12 at 08:17 PM |
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Yes i would think so, any weight above needs supporting with a steel beam.
Ben
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stevegough
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| posted on 3/7/12 at 08:19 PM |
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Firstly, Look at the direction the floorboards run above it - if they are parrallel to the wall, that means the joists run at 90 degrees to the wall,
and are likely (but not guaranteed) to be supported by it.
If so, you could still remove part of it by using a lintel.
Luego Locost C20XE.
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macc man
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| posted on 3/7/12 at 09:16 PM |
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If it is a supporting wall you need to inform building control at the council. They will give advice on how to proceed.
Best to get professional help if you are not an expert. My dad removed a wooden glass frame at our council house when I was younger. Not long after,
the upper floor began to sag. He did not think it was carrying any load. Best to be on safe side.
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I predict a Riot
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| posted on 3/7/12 at 09:31 PM |
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That's a structural engineers job!
"Honesty is a very expensive gift. Do not expect it from cheap people ". Warren Buffet on Expectation
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Peteff
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| posted on 3/7/12 at 10:18 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Marcus
Hi all
How can I tell if a wall in my house is a supporting wall.
Knock it out and if the floor above gives way it's a supporting wall  I actually knew someone who tried this theory and the council condemned
his house.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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wilkingj
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| posted on 4/7/12 at 09:13 AM |
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Also look under the floorboards on the ground floor, and see if there is any supporting brickwork down to the foundations.
My guess is that its a supporting wall, sounds a typical build style.
What ever you do, do it right, or it can get extremely expensive, and cost you your house (literally).
Also an Insurance Co probably wouldnt pay out if you didnt do the job properly, with the correct advice, and building regs / planning permissions etc
etc etc.
Its a costly business to get wrong. ie its cheaper to do it right first time.
Its not funny when your neighbour starts to threaten to sue your weakening his half of the Semi, when you start taking walls out. (in my case removing
my half of the chimney breast from the common wall)
I had to shore up the rest of the chimney stack in the loft with some additional Ironwork down to the load bearing wall, as well as stepping back the
bricks for extra support.
I wouldnt want to go thru that again. I had to get in a structural engineer to confirm it was all OK. The builders were right, in what they said, but
couldnt prove it on paper.
It cost extra money, stalled the job (time and money lost to the builder), and costed a shed load more, rather than getting it right before starting
the work.
Believe me... DONT get this wrong.
Just my 2d'sworth.
[Edited on 4/7/2012 by wilkingj]
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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