Archway from kitchen/dining room

I have bought a semi which has an archway done up by the previous owner.
It is a terrible job...there is no wood doorway support here. He has created one out of wallboards downside and wood strips and curved boards in archway with a piece/flap covering the arch.

i want to demolish it...its ugly.

Now when i take the covering/flap off i find there is no doorframe support.
How much wood a Joiner charge to put one in..is it a big job?
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see forum rule 9

Do it your self, materials wont cost the earth and theres plenty of good people on here that will advise you

I would like to do it myself. However I not sure if its a job for a joiner or its a DIY. Seems difficult unless someone can point me in the right direction.

will it open up to give you a single or double door opening !!!!!!

if the opening is approximatly 2foot 9" by 6 foot 8" it will nicely fit a standard 30"x 78" door linning

like big-all says if its a standard width opening you can buy a frame which is ready joined if you like, just needs assembling then you can buy a door which will need very little planing or cutting down because its made for your size frame!!!
Couple of hinges and a handle your almost done
There really is people here that will advise you with every step but you will need a few tools (hammer-chisels-drill-planer-maybe a mitre saw for the architraves).
Measure your opening as if the arch is removed and post a pic from each side if you are able it would really help.
I guess by the time you buy the tools it wont end up any cheaper than hiring someone but the experience and tool kit will last with you forever.

After disasembling the arch it seems to amaze me why someone would put a DIY arch made from wallboards/planks over a nice rectangular doorframe support. The original support is still intact..just about with about every nail in the world in it. Took me 2 hrs to remove them and i'm still finding more.

Now this is the point that amazes me even more......He seems to have cut the plaster on both sides exposing the browning along the veritcal sides and top just so he could put wood planks which would hold the thing together.

Which means after i demolished it with full force i'm going to have to reinstate the support with bonding plaster from the wall to the sides and then use finishing over it, then paint over.....what a job.

Why do people ruin something original........If he had plastered the arch using a wire mesh..i could see a better finish....but a wallboard arch....come on...who likes that.....i may be wrong...is it i fashion now?

Just goes to show that there's nothing like craftsmanship - and that's nothing like craftsmanship!

Scrit