Knocking through a wall to open up lounge and dining room

adonis10

Ok, so my next renovation question is about opening up the lounge and dining room, something I believe to be cheaper than the driveway!


Knock through the internal wall, move existing lounge door.


Considerations:


- Is it a supporting wall?
- Does it already have a steel lintel?
Anything else?


Estimated cost?

ReadingTim

- Do you prefer the new layout and/or will it add any value to the property?

camptownraces

Before you consider this, seriously, get a structural engineer in. It's not likely to have a steel lintel if it's the 30s property you linked to earlier.

Start thinking about party wall agreements too.

adonis10

ReadingTim wrote: »

- Do you prefer the new layout and/or will it add any value to the property?

Much prefer the new layout. This one isn't really about adding value. However, we feel it will look much better and so when we sell we feel that this will help.

adonis10

camptownraces wrote: »

Before you consider this, seriously, get a structural engineer in. It's not likely to have a steel lintel if it's the 30s property you linked to earlier.

Start thinking about party wall agreements too.

Party wall agreements?


I agree, I doubt it has one, however I am under the impression that they are not prohibitively expensive.

note3

We recently sold a new build which drove us insane as downstairs had a small kitchen and then a combined lounge diner. The house felt so clostrophobic as a result (two adults and 3 children squeezed in one room most of the time). Our absolute stipulation upon moving was the next place had to have two rooms downstairs to sit in (whether separate lounge and dining room, or lounge and kitchen diner). I would hand on heart never compromise of this again as i would lose my sanity.

Reason I say this is have a think about what space your home offers and how you would feel living there and how future buyers would

somethingcorporate

We are looking at opening ours up. A structural engineer is recommended - cost is about £300.

Given it's a wall I dont understand why there would be a lintel there as standard.

ReadingTim

adonis10 wrote: »

Much prefer the new layout. This one isn't really about adding value. However, we feel it will look much better and so when we sell we feel that this will help.

Fair enough! Your house and your money etc, so you should please yourselves primarily, and don't worry too much about the consequences.

That said, you are effectively losing a room in this plan, so any listing will state "1 reception room", rather than "2 separate reception rooms", so it's not a consequence-free idea..

adonis10

note3 wrote: »

We recently sold a new build which drove us insane as downstairs had a small kitchen and then a combined lounge diner. The house felt so clostrophobic as a result (two adults and 3 children squeezed in one room most of the time). Our absolute stipulation upon moving was the next place had to have two rooms downstairs to sit in (whether separate lounge and dining room, or lounge and kitchen diner). I would hand on heart never compromise of this again as i would lose my sanity.

Reason I say this is have a think about what space your home offers and how you would feel living there and how future buyers would

Can understand that but we don't have any kids and don't plan to, you have 3 so can appreciate it was claustrophobic.

adonis10

ReadingTim wrote: »

Fair enough! Your house and your money etc, so you should please yourselves primarily, and don't worry too much about the consequences.

That said, you are effectively losing a room in this plan, so any listing will state "1 reception room", rather than "2 separate reception rooms", so it's not a consequence-free idea..

Fair point, however at some stage one has to just say "we're doing x and y because we like it and plan to live there for a while" and any financial up/downside has to be just taken on the chin.


True, but we will more than likely have an arch so it will still look like 2, just more open plan. At the end of the day, we've seen two in the same road with each layout and the open plan one is far, far better in our eyes.

Doozergirl

camptownraces wrote: »

Before you consider this, seriously, get a structural engineer in. It's not likely to have a steel lintel if it's the 30s property you linked to earlier.

Start thinking about party wall agreements too.

Why on earth would one need a PWA when you're not working on the party wall.

A steel normally needs to rest on a pier formed from part of the wall being removed. No need to touch any party wall.