Supporting Beam?

[bernardgreen]

Can anyone see the pictures?

 

[HERTS P&D]

No, still can't.

Andy

 

[cdbe]

Some of this is reminding me of car repair forums I go on - you post details of a problem with your car and some "helpful" twit tells you to take it to a garage.

Might as well close down the forum and leave a note saying "get a man in".

Fortunately for the OP there are professionals, builders and fairly experienced DIYers on this forum who will advise you (including telling you on the odd occasion that you probably should seek a professional opinion in person) and you will invariably get second and often third opinions on the best solution until a consensus that you can trust is reached - I can honestly say that I can't recall a situation where a post has received potentially dangerous advice that has not been robustly challenged.

For those who don't have any faith in this I suggest "My Builder" or "Checkatrade" where you will apparently deal with trusted, 5* rated "professionals".

As suggested by someone who knows what they're talking about, this simple job will almost certainly just be a case of replacing any existing lintel or support with a slightly longer one (this would be bought "off the shelf" and certified by the manufacturer for most domestic loading situations without any additional structural calculations). Whether load bearing or not will probably only influence the extent of temporary propping needed while the work is done. Technically, you will need building regs approval as you're modifying an opening in a wall (about £200 in fees, no drawings or plans required) - but this will get the work checked and certified as being compliant with the regulations.

 

[RonnyRaygun]

How do we check if the wall is load-bearing - does it matter?

Yes, definitely matters!

How do we check if the wall is load-bearing

Here are some things you can check:

1: Tap the wall and see if it sounds hollow. If it does it's likely to be timber (or metal) stud. This alone doesn't confirm it's non-loadbearing, but stud walls are less likely to be load bearing.
2: Go upstairs and check which way the floorboards are spanning (if possible). If the floorboards are running parallel to the wall then the floor joists must be running perpendicular. This still doesn't 100% confirm that the wall is load bearing (depending on the location of the wall), but it makes it much more likely that it's a load bearing wall. Likewise, if the floorboards run perpendicular to the wall, the joists must run parallel, proving the wall doesn't take floor load (you need to do this check on both sides of the wall as it might be taking load from one side only).
3: Check if any walls upstairs line up with the wall below. If they do (and are not supported by a trimmer joist (or sometimes off the floorboards itself in older houses), the wall is load bearing.
4: If there is a wall directly above, and you can't confirm what's supporting it, check in the attic. If any struts or purlins are supported by the wall at first floor then it is definitely load bearing. This still doesn't 100% prove that the wall at ground floor level is load bearing though (Maybe there's a steel beam above it).
5: Check if the stairs are anywhere near the wall. The floor might not span onto the wall but it's still possible that a stair trimmer does.

These are the checks that I would do on a site visit. This would satisfy me for the purpose of design as to whether or not to design a beam or perhaps give the go ahead to remove the wall. However, my design would likely be caveated by a note saying, "Opening up works to be carried out on site to confirm assumptions".

The opening up works would be as follows:

6: Knock some holes into the ceiling at the junction with the wall. If you couldn't see the floorboard spans, you will now be able to see which way the joists are spanning.
a: Are the joists perpendicular to the wall?
b: Does the wall continue up?
c: Does the wall support a stair trimmer?
If you have answered no to all of the above I'd be comfortable saying the wall isn't load bearing.

d: Are the joists perpendicular to the wall and do they end there?
Wall IS load bearing

e: Are the joists perpendicular to the wall but continuous over it?
Wall MAY be load bearing. Get an engineer to check if the joists still work with the wall removed.

f: Does the wall continue up?
Wall IS load bearing

g: Does a stair trimmer (or other trimmer) bear onto the wall?
Wall is PARTIALLY load bearing. You may be able to remove part of the wall, or have a trimmer / beam designed and remove all of it. Consult an engineer.

Then there is the buttressing issue. Up to 6m between buttresses shouldn't be an issue so if the distance between buttressing walls (once the wall in question is removed) is 6m or less, no problem. If more, consult an engineer.

The other issue to consider is what any beam will bear onto (if one is needed). Is there enough wall left either side to allow sufficient bearings for the new beam / pad stone. A very slender section of remaining wall may not be suitable to support a new beam.

That's the best advice I can give. Do you trust your hubby enough to make the right decisions, or would you rather consult an engineer to confirm things for you?

Good luck!