Re-opening front reception room and dining room

[B141]

Hi all,

I’m new to the forum and do a bit of DIY around the house, but I’d appreciate a second opinion on this one.

I’m looking at re-opening what seems to be an old opening between the front reception room and the dining room in a Victorian house in London, built around 1890.

The house was originally an end-of-terrace, although other houses have since been built next to it. From what I can see, there was historically an opening between the two rooms which was later filled in. I don’t know when that was done.

I first thought about opening the wall up much more, but decided against it as that would probably mean steels/RSJs, Building Control, a lot more making good, etc. So the plan now is just to reinstate the old opening, not make it any wider.

I’ve stripped back one side and removed some plasterboard. The later infill looks to be timber studs with plasterboard over it. Around it there are older timbers which look as if they may have formed the original opening. I haven’t opened up above the head, so I don’t know for sure what is above.

The newer central stud does not seem to be taking any load. At the top I can slide a piece of paper between it and the timber above, except possibly where there is a nail. So my guess is that the later timberwork was just put in to close the opening, rather than to support anything.

A couple of questions:

1. Would you remove all the newer studs/battens, including the ones at the sides, or would you leave the side studs in place and only remove the middle/horizontal bits?

2. The finished opening won’t have a door — just a simple opening between the two rooms. I’d like to avoid damaging too much of the existing plaster/plasterboard if possible. What would be the neatest way to finish the reveals and edges?

I will keep you posted with the progress.

Thanks in advance.
B

 

[Mottie]

I’m looking at re-opening what seems to be an old opening between the front reception room and the dining room in a Victorian house in London, built around 1890.

The house was originally an end-of-terrace, although other houses have since been built next to it. From what I can see, there was historically an opening between the two rooms which was later filled in. I don’t know when that was done.

Our first house was built in 1899 and that had at some time been converted to a through lounge using a couple of timbers bolted together to support the wall above and for the upstairs joists to rest on. I think that your 'opening' was, like ours, probably a 60’s thing when through lounges were the fashion that has since been filled back in using a stud wall rather than original bricks. I don't think they built houses with through lounges in the 1890’s.

I would start with removing all the stud work from yours, see what you have and work from there. There may be some brick piers left and they could just be plastered.

Our current 60’s built house was built with a through lounge from new. We closed that up and put French doors in between!

 

[Koolpc]

If in doubt, get a structural engineer in to check

 

[B141]

Thanks for the replies.

That makes sense, and I agree it may well have been a later through-lounge alteration rather than something original to the 1890s house.

I don’t think I’ll remove all the studwork blindly, as I don’t want to risk disturbing anything that may be part of the existing structure and load bearing of the old opening.

My plan is only to remove the newer central studs, and possibly the newer side studs as well, as they do not bear the load.

For the side studs, I need to decide whether to keep or remove the newer ones depending on what gives the neatest finish for the reveals/edges, while leaving the older intacts. Do you think that removing the side studs might weaken the “historic” stud work? This would make the opening 10 cm larger but it might be better to leave them in place.

Thanks

 

[Tigercubrider]

How well do you know your neighbours?
Houses of that era tended to all have doors through the wall, and many owners blocked them up at some point or “modernised” it to form an arch.
Someone in your road likely still has the original set up and might let you see? Once you understand the original structure it will e easy,

My late brother’s house was originally built with three doors across the divide, you could pass through one, or fold all three back to make a through lounge. A previous occupant modernised it by adding an arch - likely a preformed metal gauze that is plastered.

When the house next door was being worked on, he tried to buy the doors only to be let down and searched for yonks.

I managed to buy some antique doors but he died before I managed to give them to him.

I would investigate exactly what you have before making any decisions.