A Question for the builders perhaps

spirit

OK, went to the house I'm going to be buying. I want to knock down the wall between the kitchen and dining room. How do I know if it is load-bearing or not please? If it turns out it is load-bearing, it is likely to cost me an arm and a leg to put a steel thingy in to support? The length of wall is about 9'.

The house never made it on to Rightmove otherwise i would have posted a link for you to see the floorplans. there is a bathroom wall above, but i'm not sure if it's directly above the dining room one or not.

MX5huggy

Probably just cost you an arm.

If you tap the wall is it hollow? ie plaster board on stud work therefore unlikely to be load baring (but still could be if its timber frame).

It not just any wall above it may be holding the floor joists as well.

Really need someone who knows to have a look.

waynehayes

If it is load-bearing, you will have to get Building Control involved. Depending on where you live, this will cost you around £150. Plus you may have to show them the calculations for the steel beams, which will cost anything from £100 upwards from a structural engineer. Add to that the cost of the steels - roughly £300, then your builder which I'd say would be around £6-800ish. So all in all around £1500ish, give or take.