Advice Please On Taking Out Wall.

[boozercruiser]

Hi Guys...I want to take out about 9 foot of breeze block wall including the door as per photo. I then want to relocate the small 3ft 3" wide toilet and put the Pan into the Bathroom beyond that.

The door frame would just be put 3' 3" further back and again becomes the door to the hallway leading to bedrooms.

The object of this exercise is simply to make the living room bigger.

The missus and I live in a 3 bedroom detached Bungalow. Is that wall likely to be a supporting one?

I just want to get going with my sledgehammer!

I am a 68 year old pensioner, fit and not senile!

 

[Static]

As its in line with the chimney breast then theres a good chance it is.. only way to find out is get up in the loft space and see if the ceiling joists or any vertical/diagonal braces sit ontop of the wall..

 

[Deluks]

Old people seem to be getting younger every day

 

[boozercruiser]

As its in line with the chimney breast then theres a good chance it is.. only way to find out is get up in the loft space and see if the ceiling joists or any vertical/diagonal braces sit ontop of the wall..

O.K. Thanks...I will look later.

 

[boozercruiser]

Old people seem to be getting younger every day

OLD?....who is OLD?

I reckon that I am fitter and have more brain cells than many (far from all of course) of the lardy younger generation who wouldn't know what work was if they fell over it.

 

[boozercruiser]

As its in line with the chimney breast then theres a good chance it is.. only way to find out is get up in the loft space and see if the ceiling joists or any vertical/diagonal braces sit ontop of the wall..

Thanks for advice and I have uploaded two photos.

1. The Loft rafters. The wall to be taken out is just to the left of where the door on the floor ends. The chimney stack is to the far right of that on the side of the property. The Stack does not come into the loft space as such.

2. The Chimney Stack is on the side of the property. The fire place opening is just 4 foot into the room and the stack veers off to the side of the property.

The opposite side to the side I am taking the wall out.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards

Kenny Thain.

 

[Static]

Well looks more promising that its non load bearing with a trussed rafter roof.. but still you need to be 100% sure.. measure out exactly where the wall is in relation to the loft hatch, then go up there and measure its location..
Then move the insulation till you see the exposed ceiling boards below where the wall should be, if the wall top is visible and has a timber plate running on top then best get out a professional to have a look see..

If the ceiling runs over the walls location and there are no odd timbers sitting where the wall should be, then its moderately safe to assume its non-load bearing and can be removed..

Always take a wall down, from the top down.. and to remove any last doubt about the wall remove a single block/brick from the top of the wall about mid span of the new opening and check from underneath what you checked in the loft space..

If in any doubt best get a professional out and look it over (least you have some come back)

 

[boozercruiser]

Well looks more promising that its non load bearing with a trussed rafter roof.. but still you need to be 100% sure.. measure out exactly where the wall is in relation to the loft hatch, then go up there and measure its location..
Then move the insulation till you see the exposed ceiling boards below where the wall should be, if the wall top is visible and has a timber plate running on top then best get out a professional to have a look see..

If the ceiling runs over the walls location and there are no odd timbers sitting where the wall should be, then its moderately safe to assume its non-load bearing and can be removed..

Always take a wall down, from the top down.. and to remove any last doubt about the wall remove a single block/brick from the top of the wall about mid span of the new opening and check from underneath what you checked in the loft space..

If in any doubt best get a professional out and look it over (least you have some come back)

O.K.....and thank you for this valuable information. I will look into it as advised.

I am already wondering if the job is worth the grief though as I am doing this as part of the job........

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1892227#1892227

 

[boozercruiser]

Hello Again......a few more pictures have been posted. One of the house from the road. Another shows the far corner where the wall to be taken out and the wall continues beyond into the next room.

The one showing the pipes in the loft is where the wall is underneath. I would say that this particular rafter is over the wall below....but the rafter continues over into the wall in the next room of course.

Another shows where I have taken the insulation up where the wall is just below.

I do hope that my gobldegook helps you to help me!

Cheers

Boozercruiser

 

[boozercruiser]

I havent done anything about this job yet as I need to be absolutely sure the wall mentioned in my photees is load bearing or not.

Trying to find out a bit more information on another Forum I came across this post which I thought was hilarious

"Knock out a test brick. If everything is fine, knock out the brick above and below and the bricks either side. Keep doing this until the wall is gone.

Ignore any loud noises or clouds of dust. Don't be put off by anything once you have started - cracks running across ceilings, creaking noises, sounds like loud gunshots, just keep going".

Good luck

But I don't think I will take that advice...thank you very much!

 

[mointainwalker]

Please tell us where that was BC !

 

[boozercruiser]

Please tell us where that was BC !

Hi...I have been all over the place and used different search words in respect of this particular job.

I cannot remember the exact forum I went to for this....but I am looking.