Making single door into double door - load bearing wall ?

[Blaze]

Hi everyone, thanks for reading. I am about to convert a 21" wide door (1st floor airing cupboard) into a 36" door (2x 18" doors).

This will involve widening the existing. I will be checking with building regs etc to see if the wall is load bearing or not, but thought it worth posting the question here beforehand, as there is alot of expertise around!

My current thought process is to isolate the lights and power, cut the brickwork, maybe add a lintel above ? then make the door good. I've included some pictures.

Feedback would be welcome as to whether the wall may be load bearing, and whether a single to double door should be tackled in a certain way.

Thanks in advance. P.S. Double doors will allow for better access to cupboard, and make the cupboard slightly deeper, in order to install a larger water cylinder.

Before:-

Desired look After work is complete:-

Picture of loft floorspace above wall:-

Turning left (in loft), picture of roof joists above, which have the same distance below chipboard:-

 

[Richard C]

Seems like a lot of effort to go to for an airing cupboard! I assume that picture is constructed & not of a similar property with the work already done? Presumably you’ve confirmed it’s not studwork! Does the same wall extend through to the ground floor? Is it brick or block? Does it run full width, roughly through the centre of the house? I assume the same wall also continues on through the door on the right? Is that another door I can see immediately to the left? If it is, & the wall is taking any load, the chances are there will already be a lintel, double joist or something underneath that chipboard in the loft.

Most modern houses are designed with roof support joists that span across the external walls but some also have an intermediate support wall running through the centre, usually associated with the stairway. The fact than the ceiling joists appear to run parallel with the wall below, my guess that it probably isn’t load bearing but you can never be sure without actually seeing the layout of the internal walls & loft space so I would get some local advice.

One potential problem I can see is the position of the socket & light switch; check with the guys on the electrical forum but I’m pretty sure they have to be spaced a minimum of 50mm from that adjacent wall (door).

 

[Blaze]

Hi Richard - yes it is alot of work, but unfortunately, the cupboard needs to be that little bit bigger in order to fit the new heating bits inside.

In answer to your questions, the 2nd picture is constructed (made up) just by playing around with the first.

The wall is blockwork, and does not extend through to the ground floor. It runs 1/3 across the house in the middle. There is already a door to the left and to the right of this one. The house was built in 1963.

Will check on the electrics. Thanks.

 

[noseall]

you do appear to have a summil beam (ceiling binder) running across the loft. the wall below may lend some support to this element. a builders concrete 100 x 75 mm lintel, would normally be adequate for the span, but as there are structural elements above, a steel catnic box may be necessary.

there is also, what looks like a timber sprag connecting the ceiling binder to the purlin, though i can't be sure with the picture posted.

you need to be careful that the lintel bearing from the adjacent door does not interfere with with your new lintel. you will need a 150mm lintel bearing at each end.