Botched door move -?

[felixculpa81]

It seems my catalogue of disasters is growing daily...

Today i begin stripping the living room wallpaper to discover that the original doorway to hall has been filled in and replaced by a square opening about 1.8m to the left.

The replacement "square," was next subject to a door being botched into the middle of the square along with two bits of wood, then the wood wall papered over.

I am really worried that this could be a supporting wall

the floor boards on the floors above and below run parallel to the will in question... the joists are therefore perpendicular.


A guy in the DIY shop told me it is nothing to worry about, and that a door would not have been in that wall if it was supporting - is this correct? Seems a bit odd to me.

[/b]

 

[Shytalkz]

No he's not correct.

However, from your description, I'm a bit lost as to what it is that concerns you?

 

[felixculpa81]

hi again shytalkz!

The reason i am worried;
i am pretty sure it's a supporting wall...

and also sure that the previous owner was a total nutter. (Put it this way - he knocked out the bottom of a chimney and left the top in on the next floor.)

So i am worried that his idea to move the position of the door might have affected the structural integrity of that wall, especially because the door is bodged into a larger square shaped hole in the wall.

(i've tried to take a photo but you can't really see much - but i'll pop it up.)

 

[felixculpa81]

View media item 1601
here you go!

 

[Shytalkz]

Erm am I being thick, but how would the original door go around a corner?! Or have you spliced two pix together??

Are you saying that where the door is now was originally a larger opening that he's closed down?

For the age of house you've got, a wooden beam would be extremely likely to have been used to support the masonry, what is it that makes you think he installed it?

 

[felixculpa81]

haha! Shytalkz, however much of a joke this house is - luckily there are no "corner doors" (discovered yet anyway, it wouldn't surprise me!).

You are right the photos are spliced together - it's just the colour difference.




The "original door" area on the picture is where the door would have been when this house was built.
That is where it is situated in all of my neighbors houses currently too.


So i think that it went a little something like this:

Nutter-owner wanted to make the house "open-plan" so he bricked up the original door and knocked a large square through the wall a couple of meters away.

Next, he decided he wanted a door back again, so he jammed in some very bad panels, and a new doorframe and wall papered over the panels.

At the back of my mind i am really worried that perhaps he realised that it was a supporting wall, and had better hide the fact that he had knocked a great hole in it before selling...

-?

Do you think i am overreacting? I really want someone to tell me it's
nothing to worry about!

 

[Shytalkz]

Ah, ok, so the larger opening was not original, is what you're saying then.

It may be that you are being a tad over-sensitive, but if you're worried about it, firstly check to see if there's a lintel that spans the entire width of the larger opening and of what form it is (or is this the timber lintel to which you refer?).

Look for cracks above the large opening (can't see any on the photo) that extend upwards from the bearings and towards the middle of the span, that would suggest that the beam is sagging under the load; also check upstairs directly over the opening for any cracks.

If there aren't any cracks and the lintel runs across the entire opening, then you can probably leave well alone, but if you're still concerned, stick a Catnic CN6X (for a 4 1/2" wall, two for a 9") in the place of the timber lintel, with 150 bearing either end.

 

[felixculpa81]

View media item 1602
here a little closeup of the handywork...

you can see the beam of wood across the top, and the hollow bit next to the door. There is another hollow area on the other side of the door.

 

[felixculpa81]

and the lintel / old bit of wood, does extend the entire length of the square, and 5 inches either side - into the brickwork.

 

[felixculpa81]

Thanks for your reassurance Shytalkz

I feel a bit better now - a good hunt around has shown up no cracks, so i'm more positive about this now.

 

[Shytalkz]

That's a big old lump, looks of the order of 9" deep. Timber itself looks ok, I wouldn't be worried unduly by that, from what I can see.

Of course, post-5pm, Joking Joe will be along to tell you I'm a yob and not to give credence to anything I say .

 

[felixculpa81]

Thanks so much for your help

 

[Shytalkz]

You're welcome