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Load bearing wall - DIY parts?

evansc1
evansc1 Posts: 131 Forumite
Ninth Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
in House buying, renting & selling
Looking to remove one load bearing wall (2.7x2.5m) and create an archway (2x2.3m) in another (all in the same job). Walls are brick.

In everyone's experience, is it possible to get the RSJ or timber support (or whatever material i end up choosing) installed correctly by a builder and then do the removal of the wall and then clearing up/plastering/finishing myself?

Looking to keep costs down so thinking this would be a good option?

Any guide prices for people that have done it this way before? Guessing the total job payable would go down from 4 days to 2 days?

Can add more detail if required - not sure if i'm missing anything :p
Thank you
Mortgage - £124,903 Sept 2016-Jan 2017 OP target £1,750/[STRIKE]£1,550[/STRIKE]
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Comments

  • Dan-Dan
    Dan-Dan Posts: 5,279 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    How do you plan on removing the wall after the RSJ (s) are in?
    Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
  • evansc1
    evansc1 Posts: 131 Forumite
    Ninth Anniversary 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    My lovely mother in law has a 9" circular :)
    Mortgage - £124,903 Sept 2016-Jan 2017 OP target £1,750/[STRIKE]£1,550[/STRIKE]
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 34,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    The wall comes out before the steel goes in. It's dangerous work.

    I'd never attempt to plaster, plus you've got reveals etc that need experience. Even newly qualified plasterers aren't that good.

    I don't think it's a DIY job at all.
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • eddddy
    eddddy Posts: 18,175 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    evansc1 wrote: »
    In everyone's experience, is it possible to get the RSJ or timber support (or whatever material i end up choosing)...

    You really need to get a structural engineer to calculate the size/type of beam you need. And building control will want to see and check the calculations.
  • Dan-Dan
    Dan-Dan Posts: 5,279 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    This has the makings of being on the news at some point in the future
    Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
  • marksoton
    marksoton Posts: 17,516 Forumite
    For a start it's temporary works and/or falsework.

    Not a DIY job at all.
  • Miss_Samantha
    Miss_Samantha Posts: 1,197 Forumite
    It would certainly be a cheap way to destroy your home.
  • Gigervamp
    Gigervamp Posts: 6,583 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    There was a house in the news the other day that collapsed. It's not a pretty sight.
    Click here for story.
  • phoebe1989seb
    phoebe1989seb Posts: 4,452 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Voice of dissent here :p

    We did this ourselves a few years back.......BUT......we got a structural engineer to produce detailed calcs for building control and DH is a skilled DIYer with experience of plastering. It was a nasty job - I was on labouring duty, removing bricks into the waiting skip and providing cold drinks and bacon sarnies for DH and his couple of mates that helped with lifting the two huge and extremely heavy steels. The job was completed without issue and the house is still standing.

    More recently DH assisted our builders when we did a similar job involving another two massive steels and 2' thick stone walls at our last house. He also did all the plastering (as well as screeding, tiling, decorating and external rendering) as part of the project.

    Definitely agree it's not one for the inexperienced though.
    Mortgage-free for fourteen years!

    Over £40,000 mis-sold PPI reclaimed
  • Miss_Samantha
    Miss_Samantha Posts: 1,197 Forumite
    I'm thinking that doing structural work when unqualified may have consequences on your building insurance.
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