likely hood of this wall in my flat being load bearing..?

[Berger3]

Hi all,

i had a (badly) blocked up serving hatch in my flat that I have always meant to rip out and redo, I ripped it out the other day but im now thinking i wouldn't mind making the opening bigger and make it semi open plan. I have a couple of house cats so wouldn't want to make it completely open plan as i need to retain the "porch" part of the flat so there is a barrier between them and the front door when its opened. It would just be a case of making an opening about 1.5m x 1m as a rough guess.

I have attached some pictures below of the flat from, I am the 2nd floor with one flat above me. the floor plan, and the wall in question. I dont know the age, im guessing 50's? i dont have any plans or anything to have a look at

the wall in question is breeze block, the thickness of a normal brick, the lounge wall adjacent is deffinately brick and a lot thicker as i have drilled into it, as are some of the other walls in the flat.

the floors are concrete, i dont have a picture but the communal stairwell is solid concrete and appears to part of the floor if that make sense, like its cast out of one block of concrete if that makes sense.

the only other clue i have to any sort of construction method is that the part highlighted red appears to be a concrete beam above the door about a foot thick.

any ideas based on the info if the wall is likely to be load bearing? I appreciate i need to know for deffinate and cant rely on opinions, just want an idea before i pursue things.

Untitled

• Berger3
• 23 Jul 2011
• 1

Untitled

• Berger3
• 23 Jul 2011
• 1

Untitled

• Berger3
• 23 Jul 2011
• 1

 

[cajar]

Pictures are too small

 

[Berger3]

Thank you for adjusting the pics for me.

 

[^woody^]

As a rough guide for these types of maisonettes, brick walls are structural and breeze are just partitions

But ..

These maisonettes can have slightly different construction even in the same locality, so you need it looking at to be sure

You also need to ensure that you are not compromising any fire safety issues and means of escape when removing kitchen walls.

Any you may also need the building owner's permission

 

[Berger3]

Thanks for your reply, I have read a bit about the fire safety issues, I wouldn't be compromising any exits, they wouldn't be changing, I'm just planning to make the serving hatch into a larger opening. On the other hand I know there are issues regarding opening the kitchen up and it being a fire risk from the point of of view of it spreading, but then it was built with an opening, all be it a smaller one

The property is leashold but I do own it, I'm not renting , there is no owner as such just a management company who the service charge is paid to

I am going to get it checked out properly, but I'm becoming more inclined to think it isn't load bearing. I'm on the 2nd floor but assuming the ground floor flats are breeze as well, then would very thin breeze block be used to support what is effectivley the weight of the same 3 walls above it, and the 3 concrete floors resting on those?

 

[^woody^]

The property is leashold but I do own it, I'm not renting , there is no owner as such just a management company who the service charge is paid to

Check your lease, as although you may own the flat, you may need permission for internal alterations of a structural nature - as these could have implications for the block as a whole

 

[Static]

Often only real way to know if its load bearing is to get out a hammer and hack away some of the ceiling at the top of the wall.. see whats above.. even then not guaranteed..
Best get an SE to take a look at it..

 

[Berger3]

Thought I'd do a bit of exploration, chipped some plaster off by the ceiling, there is breeze block, then a mortar line, then what appears to be 2 or so inches of sand and cement going into the ceiling, not sure what this even indicates.

Also I chipped away some plaster to reveal the lintel above the serving hatch, and its 6 inches tall. This seems a bit excessive to be supporting just the breeze block above it, and its not like its the same size as the breeze block and just used for conveniance.

I'm now inclined just to plasterboard both sides of the wall and abort before it becomes to costly, if it does turn out to be load bearing. Seems bizarre that it would be just being single breeze and supporting all that weight but who knows.