Kitchen and Diner to Kitchen Diner

DE_612183

I know it's sort of "how long is a piece of string?" question...but.

I'm looking to remove a galley kitchen and know through to an existing dining room - it's a 1970's house so no major stone walls but could be block.

In my head the task is:

1. Remove Existing Kitchen Units
2. Remove joining wall ( Hoping RSJ not required )
3. Make good floors / ceilings / Walls
4. New Electrics
5. Install new kitchen ( I'm hoping that the plumbing will stay more or less in the same place )


Anything I've missed?

Anyone done something similar in terms of Time and Cost?

Section62

DE_612183 said:

2. Remove joining wall ( Hoping RSJ not required )

You need a bit more than hope there.  Before starting you need to establish whether the wall is load bearing - which also includes whether it provides lateral support to another wall, in addition to any loads from above.  This is really a job for a structural engineer and should be confirmed at an early stage - in case the project is not feasible from a cost POV.

If the wall is structural you'll need to make sure building regs are complied with and signed off.  You may also need BR for other aspects of the conversion - for example in some cases where removing a wall reduces the protection of a main evacuation route (e.g. in case of fire).

Where's the boiler?

silvercar

Just going through this at the moment. Had a kitchen designer, who needed to call in a builder, who is calling in a structural engineer.

What I thought was a non supporting wall could well be providing support to a wall above and the original main wall of the house that I knew would need supporting, actually needs a much bigger support than I envisaged as a whole section has already been taken out that was being supported by this bit! 

Ball part figures I've been given are £5k for one section removal and possibly double that to take the whole lot out. 

DE_612183

Thanks @silvercar - I've had a look and like you I think the downstairs wall may well support one on the first floor.

I'm not messing with outside walls - just inside ones - but I'm guessing this will need a support of some type ( RSJ ? ).

silvercar

DE_612183 said:

Thanks @silvercar - I've had a look and like you I think the downstairs wall may well support one on the first floor.

I'm not messing with outside walls - just inside ones - but I'm guessing this will need a support of some type ( RSJ ? ).

Mine are all inside walls. I have an L shaped kitchen, with the utility room inside the L. I want to knock out the utility room. So that is the 2 inner walls of the L.

Section62

DE_612183 said:

I'm not messing with outside walls - just inside ones - but I'm guessing this will need a support of some type ( RSJ ? ).

This was the point I was making in my previous post - the 'internal' wall may be providing lateral support to the 'outside' wall, so in removing an internal wall it is possible to destabilise an external one.

A SE should be consulted to make sure the external one isn't relying on the internal one for support, and if it is, to design a suitable structural solution.

silvercar

Section62 said:

DE_612183 said:

I'm not messing with outside walls - just inside ones - but I'm guessing this will need a support of some type ( RSJ ? ).

This was the point I was making in my previous post - the 'internal' wall may be providing lateral support to the 'outside' wall, so in removing an internal wall it is possible to destabilise an external one.

A SE should be consulted to make sure the external one isn't relying on the internal one for support, and if it is, to design a suitable structural solution.

In our case an upstairs wall may be relying on a downstairs wall as well as the outside wall relying on it. It all appears very complex. 

Personally it is worth engaging a structural engineer. Either they will rule out my desired plan and I won't forever be regretting that I didn't go for it or they will suggest options that the builder may not have thought of. I've been given a rough quote of £700 for a SE, I don't know exactly what that includes yet. 

(London outskirts for pricing)

DE_612183

Section62 said:

DE_612183 said:

I'm not messing with outside walls - just inside ones - but I'm guessing this will need a support of some type ( RSJ ? ).

This was the point I was making in my previous post - the 'internal' wall may be providing lateral support to the 'outside' wall, so in removing an internal wall it is possible to destabilise an external one.

A SE should be consulted to make sure the external one isn't relying on the internal one for support, and if it is, to design a suitable structural solution.

Thanks, I will take your advice and get an SE first.