Removing a solid internal wall in a newish house

clairehi

Evening all
We would like to remove some solid (ie not plasterboard) internal walls in our house which was built in 1992,to knock through from the kitchen to the utility rooms and Iam wondering whether there may be any structural implications to doing this?

This is on the ground floor and there is an internal (plasterboard) wall on the first floor immediately over one of the walls which we want to remove.

Do we need toget a structural engineer or architect to check it out before going ahead?

thanks

vansboy

Ask a neighbor if they've done similar in their house - or know any that have.

If you have a builder to cost the job, he'll let you know if there are any additional supports required.

You're going to need building regs & they'll make sure you do it properly. Have a word with them at the council, see if they'd have a look without charging a fee.

VB

maninthestreet

Check the direction of the floor boards in the room above - if they run parallel to the wall you wish to knockdown/through, you may be ok. If they run perpendicular to the wall, it is probably a supporting wall. Or is it the other way around???

clairehi

thanks, I will be getting quotes and advice from contractors, how can they tell (without taking the house apart) what is a "supporting wall" though, and hence when building control approval is needed?
our house is a one-off so no neighbours to ask unfortunately. I may ring building control and see how helpful they are. perhaps in the current climate they will have a bit more time on their hands than usual?

woodbutcher_2

We can tell from experience but the fact is,if you are knocking down internal walls,supporting or not,then you need to be talking to your BCO.

JennyW_2

woodbutcher wrote: »

We can tell from experience but the fact is,if you are knocking down internal walls,supporting or not,then you need to be talking to your BCO.

most definitely. We undertook lots of internal works in our flat last year. New internal plasterboard walls went up and an internal supporting wall was removed. You will need make a Building Regs Application. Contact your local council and they will advise you. Once all the work has been completed, inspected and approved, you will be issued a completion certificate. This is the document you will need to produce when you sell the property.

littlesos

clairehi wrote: »

Evening all
We would like to remove some solid (ie not plasterboard) internal walls in our house which was built in 1992,to knock through from the kitchen to the utility rooms and Iam wondering whether there may be any structural implications to doing this?

This is on the ground floor and there is an internal (plasterboard) wall on the first floor immediately over one of the walls which we want to remove.

Do we need toget a structural engineer or architect to check it out before going ahead?

thanks

If it's a newish house then almost certainly it will be a supporting wall, as it's much cheaper to put up strawboard/plasterboard partitions. You will need to contact building control. Initially you could contact a structural engineer to look at the job and do the beam calculations, they will also offer advice.

Doozergirl

Why would you need building control approval to knock down a stud wall?

I agree that if it's a new house then they would normally use studwork rather than brick if it weren't supporting as it's cheaper to do. Checking the floorboards is helpful but you might not have them in a new build either!

I'd call out a structural engineer simply to establish if it is supporting. It's not expensive to get a definitive nswer and if it is structural then they'll do the calcs for you in addition which will cost a couple of hundred pounds but it will see you through Building Control safely.

clairehi

thank you everyone! all the walls downstairs in this house are solid, it was built for the builder's own occupation so I guess he didnt mind the extra cost. I have checked the direction of the floor boards on the floor above and they are parallel with the wall in question, so it does not seem to be supporting the joists of the floor above. however as there is a studwork wall directly above it, I guess it could still be supporting that.
I guess we will need a professional opinion on this to be sure but thanks for your help.

molerat

If the floorboards run parallel with the wall then the joists run across the wall and are probably supported by the wall.

woodbutcher_2

As above.If floorboards run in parallel then joists are perpendicular and most likely supporting joists.