Removing a stud-wall to create a through kitchen-lounge area

[curium]

Hi, we live in a new build house which has a small living room that leads into a kitchen-diner area which has sliding doors out into the garden.

We are considering removing the wall between the 2 rooms to increase the light and apparent space in the area. We're planning on fitting a new kitchen so it'll be now or never for removing this wall.

The wall is made of plasterboard and i do not believe it to be load-bearing.

The only problems I foresee are a possible mismatch between the levels of the ceilings between the 2 rooms but as the kitchen has been skimmed (after a bathroom leak) and the living room still has the original artex finish (eurgh!) it may be necessary to pull down the two ceilings and replace it to achieve a good finish.

The other issues are the heating thermostat which is mounted on the living room side of the wall (I assume it is connected to the boiler in the kitchen and/or the thermal-store upstairs) and the house alarm PIR sensors (1 shown in photo) which are mounted either side of the top of the wall and are connected by wires to the control box upstairs.

There is also a small radiator to the left of the doorway and the supply pipes (10mm?) to it travel within the wall cavity - we don't have a suitable location to move this radiator to so if we went ahead it would be removed and the pipes cut back and capped.

I know nothing about the detail of the thermostat, PIRs and CH pipes so would appreciate any advice from someone who knows.

Once these are dealt with, is it just a case of smashing down the wall and making good the walls that they joined to and the ceiling?

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Cheers for any advice!

 

[flameport]

I know nothing about the detail of the thermostat, PIRs and CH pipes so would appreciate any advice from someone who knows.

The cables for the alarm sensors and the thermostat can easily be moved / extended so that they can be located elsewhere.

The CH pipes can also be moved, or in the case of the radiator just capped off under the floor, however this would obviously reduce the available heating for the two rooms, so really the radiator should be repositioned, or if there is another radiator, replace it with a larger one.

Once these are dealt with, is it just a case of smashing down the wall and making good the walls that they joined to and the ceiling?

This work will require building regulations approval, so contact your BCO before removing anything.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

The wall is made of plasterboard and i do not believe it to be load-bearing.

A timber stud wall can still be load bearing so are you absolutely sure that the upstairs joists don't span onto it?

The only problems I foresee are a possible mismatch between the levels of the ceilings between the 2 rooms but as the kitchen has been skimmed (after a bathroom leak) and the living room still has the original artex finish (eurgh!) it may be necessary to pull down the two ceilings and replace it to achieve a good finish.

You don't need to pull down the ceilings if the plasterboard is still in good condition. Just skim over the whole ceiling.

The only other thing is have you thought about how you are going to do your washing and watch TV at the same time?