Builidng warrant and knocking through partitioning wall

jpsartre

I'm moving into a new property shortly and I'm looking to knock through what I believe is a partitioning wall. I have never done any kind of property alterations before so I'm a bit lost with regards to building warrants and how the process works.

As far as I can tell, I might not need a building warrant to knock through a partioning wall (?). But how do I determine for sure that the wall is not load bearing? Will a builder be able to tell me? Or would I need original layouts of the property from my local council?

This is in Scotland.

Furts

The brutal truth is, by your own admission, you are not competent. Non competent folks should not be knocking down walls. This is precisely why Buildings Regulations exist, and it is also why competent builders exist.

I am not reprimanding you because that is not the purpose of this Forum. My suggestion is the following - if the wall is built of plasterboard, be this on timber studs (that is uprights), or plasterboard with a cardboard inner layer or even solid plasterboard of three layers then I cannot see how it can be deemed load bearing. If the wall is solid brick or block then you may have an issue. Such walls can be either load bearing or non load bearing.

If you cannot establish what you have seek a competent builder.

jpsartre

Sorry, when I said was going to do it I didn't mean that I was personally going to do it, I'll have a builder carry out the actual work I was mainly wondering whether I need original plans for the property to determine whether the wall can be removed without a building warrant.

Furts

For most people the original plans for a property are not available. Even if they are available there is no certainty the home was built exactly as the plans. You need to determine what you have by a physical examination. If this examination reveals a load bearing wall then Regulations are required. This examination will be done by your builder.

jpsartre

Thanks, just talked to the council today and they basically told me what you just wrote above.