removing kitchen wall behind stairs

[lukemate]

Hi everyone,

i was just wondering if anyone could offer me some advice on removing a wall which seperates the kitchen from the hallway.

the wall in question is not a load bearing wall and sits behind the top end of the stairs on the ground floor...

the aim is to make the kitchen larger by moving this current wall partly under the stairs so part of the stairs will then be inside the kitchen area...

i was just looking for advice on necessary building or fire regulations.

i have of working with building and reinforcement.

i will be uploading photographs shortly.

i hope if anyone can offer me advice on this it will be much appreciated,

i am new to the forum and im sure i will be on here quite often now, lol

thanks,

luke

 

[noseall]

the wall in question is not a load bearing wall and sits behind the top end of the stairs on the ground floor........i will be uploading photographs shortly.

Like to see the piccies. How do you know that the wall is not supporting the stairs in any way?

 

[lukemate]

it appears the wall did not support anything under the stairs as there was a gap seperating the wall from the underside of the staircase. (and the plasterboard on underside of the stairs stretched above the wall) the wall also appeared to be made out of lightweigh fire resistant blocks. i have currently only removed one course just to inspect it! i will be uploading photographs a little later on tonight... and i can go through the intended project with you...

thanks noseall for your lightening quick response,

cheers,

luke

 

[lukemate]

ok so heres the images. the plan is to move the kitchen door forward into the hall so it sits half way up the stairs (image6). (the new doorway will sit where the exposed brickwork is on the left of image 5) the whole wall will be coming out on image 1 (this shows the inside of the kitchen (with the removed blocks on the left under stairs) we intend to put an rsj along the width of the removed wall as to the right of the door is a supporting wall)

we are hoping to incorporate the space seen on the left on image 5 into the kitchen)

i hope these images and my intentions are clear enough,

thanks for any advice

luke


luke

 

[lukemate]

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[lukemate]

this is a 1980s town house, with a party wall, i would imagine the house next door is divided by 1 or 2 courses? any ideas how to check?

 

[theoldun]

Luke , Would appear stairs are pitched onto first joist in kitchen. Possibly double joist. Stair well trimmer should also be hung on this joist, but there is a possibility that it could just be sitting on the partition wall that you want to knock down right next to where you have finished knocking down.
Looking from the hall into kitchen stairwell trimmer should just about be above right hand side of door lining. Go a bit careful there..
old un.

 

[theoldun]

Have not thought this through enough. will post you in morning.
old un.

 

[theoldun]

Luke , sorry about last post, but thought I might have made mistake.
Recap. In front door, stairs to right, open space under stairs. Down hallway, door to lounge/diner on left, then cupboard that you have taken door and liner of, into kitchen, door from kitchen into diner/lounge. It is a open plan lounge/diner with no partition separating them. You wish to incorporate cupboard and part of underside of stairs into kitchen.
Providing the above is correct, then theoretically there should be no joists sitting on that wall, except for possibly the long stairwell trimmer which will be approx 50mm to the right of the bottom of the newel post that you can just see photo no 2. How ever it is up to you to ensure nothing is sitting on that wall.
Check again that the top riser or the top string cut of stairs is hard against a joist. Looking at position of stub newel, they may have used a packer on that joist, which should be a double.
Party wall should be two half brick skins with 1980 house say 50mm cavity. Joists on hangers.
Providing new door way is made up of studwork with plasterboard and skim each side providing half hour fire compartment, this will conform with building regs and your own piece of mind. Feel sure some one will contradict me if wrong.
Hope this helps. For guidance only.
old un.

 

[ajrobb]

As what you are doing might affect both fire control and stairs (fire escape), I suggest you contact your LABC to see IF the work is notifiable. You might have to pay a fee and have them inspect your work but it will be better when you sell (or suffer a fire).

 

[lukemate]

thanks oldun and ajrobb for your replies it is much apreciated!

"down hallway, door to lounge/diner on left then cupboard that i have taken door and liner off. door from kitchen into diner lounge. open plan lounge diner with no partition seperating them. i wish to incorporate cupboard and part of underside of stairs into kitchen". < exactly correct (thanks oldun)

i will have a look to see if the stairwell trimmer sits on the wall above the existiing kitchen door frame. As can be seen from the hall the trimmer ends meeting the wall above the kitchen door and hopefully i would imagine extends up to the ceiling height within the kitchen also meeting the joist. (if not it should meet a new rsj)

ok, so looking in the kitchen it appears the wall to the riight of the kitchen door is a supporting wall as there is a wall directly above upstairs)

stop me if im jumping the gun but the next stage is to remove the kitchen door, and the wall to the right (using acro's) and installing an rsj to sit the length of the existing wall. will i need to build a pillar (double course) for the rsj to sit on as the wall seperating the kitchen from the diner is only a single course?

what type of rsj or reinforcement will i require?

sorry if i appear to be a little amatureish, only ive worked as a building labourer for a number of years amongst many other professional tradesmen, and this is a job which i feel shouldnt be to difficult to do if im following correct building and fire procedures. i intend to contact the labc (thanks ajrobb) once i have all the necessary information i require on completing the job.

thanks for all your help guys and i would look forward to keeping you posted with the final outcome and for others to refer to in the future.

thanks alot itsw much appreciated

luke

 

[lukemate]

just reading through what you had wrote once again there oldun and just want to say truely thanks for your experteas and biscuits! on taking the time to sum up what i am intending to do. you have summed up the job very well