Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Gaffers on 10 October 2016, 18:31:20
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I have a wall between the kitchen living room which has swing doors fitted. I hate them. I want to replace them with pocket doors. The wall in question is plasterboard with stud and joist but i am not sure whether it is load bearing or not which would put a debbie downer on the idea. The wall in question does butt up to the u-shaped stairs, in fact they go over part of the wall in to the living room which further makes me suspicious.
Apart from ripping off the plasterboard and having a peek is there anyway i can find out if the wall is load bearing or not?
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what size stud is it ? unless it's something a really big size I would think it very unlikely to be load bearing
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If the roof/ floor joist run parallel, then not load, if they run across more than likely load.
Ps I'm not a structural engineer.
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what size stud is it ? unless it's something a really big size I would think it very unlikely to be load bearing
Timber frame houses do have load bearing internal walls . .. made of . .you've guessed it . . .wood ;)
When i have worked on these & it is a long time ago (1980's) the whole house , doors, windows, roof as well was all put up before the brickies put a single skin of brickwork around it.
Just be aware there could be load bearing timber walls if built to that design.
And along BG I'm not a structural engineer either ::)
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Be handy if there was a structural engineer.
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If the roof/ floor joist run parallel, then not load, if they run across more than likely load.
Ps I'm not a structural engineer.
If you can access a light fitting nearby you should be able to check this. :y
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I really, really, really would pay a structural engineer to tell me definitively, before I
demolished messed about with my home.
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I really, really, really would pay a structural engineer to tell me definitively, before I demolished messed about with my home.
Oh c'mon, what could possibly go wrong? ::)
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If the roof/ floor joist run parallel, then not load, if they run across more than likely load.
Ps I'm not a structural engineer.
If you can access a light fitting nearby you should be able to check this. :y
Thats a good suggestion :y
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I really, really, really would pay a structural engineer to tell me definitively, before I demolished messed about with my home.
True, and thats what i will probably have to do anyway to satisfy my insurance but i would rather do it in a position of knowledge rather than ignorance. This is why i like this forum, someone usually knows the answer :y
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Just knock it down :-X ::) :D
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How old is the property Matt ?
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How old is the property Matt ?
3 years old which is why i suspect that all or part of the wall is load bearing.
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It's insured. Just do it ;D
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Not seen internal timber load bearing walls for decades.
Do you know what the construction type of the walls around the stairs are as these are often load bearing on two sides and will give you a big pointer as the house construction type.
Its worth popping out light switches and sockets to see what sort of material is used in the construction at various points.
Other easy check is to make small holes above the door to see what is in place (they are easily filled), if its a single timber its not going to be load bearing, if its a sodding great big, steel or concrete lintel (as timber wont support the floor load for a two door span) then it is load bearing.
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The stairs are U-shaped with the lower section built on a base. The long section is against the supporting wall and sits on the base. The 3rd and last section is the part I am not sure about as it partly straddles the wall in question.
Here is a drawing from the paperwork, seems to suggest non-load bearing. The wall in question is boxed in red.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll138/mrgaffney/House_zpsasvedfxe.jpg)
And plans for the stairs, which I cannot figure out....:
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll138/mrgaffney/House2_zpsvbcx2w73.jpg)
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I would agree at non load bearing, the floor joists in this case will run left to right and pickup on a load bearing walls either side of the house.
Just stick a few holes above the door in question with a small screwdriver and check for the presence of wood only.
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Thanks, shall do :y
Would a joist/metal detector do or should I physically check.
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I would check, even a screwdriver of say 4mm diameter will allow you to prod and determine what's behind the plaster work and any holes are easily filled being so small.
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thanks again :y
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It may be partially load bearing as most modern houses don`t have internal block walls anymore, and it`s unlikely to have any steel work as this is also uncommon in modern housing due to costs.
The only sure way to tell is if you could get a hold of the drawings for the floor joists, other than that you can see which way the joists run, if they`re parallel with your wall then you should be fine but I`d make sure that both kitchen and living room joist run parallel with the wall.
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It may be partially load bearing as most modern houses don`t have internal block walls anymore, and it`s unlikely to have any steel work as this is also uncommon in modern housing due to costs.
The only sure way to tell is if you could get a hold of the drawings for the floor joists, other than that you can see which way the joists run, if they`re parallel with your wall then you should be fine but I`d make sure that both kitchen and living room joist run parallel with the wall.
Ermmm....no, Gav. There's another way to find out for sure. ;D
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Its not load bearing, absolutely clear from the drawings and dead easy to check.
Internally they use concrete for load bearing walls up to circa 1.5m then its steel (as a concrete lintel gets a bit deep above that sort of span)
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Thats what happens when you don`t read the post in it`s entirety ;D
Never saw the bit with the drawings on lol
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Its not load bearing, absolutely clear from the drawings and dead easy to check.
Internally they use concrete for load bearing walls up to circa 1.5m then its steel (as a concrete lintel gets a bit deep above that sort of span)
You wouldn`t find one of those on a stud wall though would you?
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Its not load bearing, absolutely clear from the drawings and dead easy to check.
Internally they use concrete for load bearing walls up to circa 1.5m then its steel (as a concrete lintel gets a bit deep above that sort of span)
You wouldn`t find one of those on a stud wall though would you?
You wont find a load bearing stud wall with a double door in though :y
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Thats what happens when you don`t read the post in it`s entirety ;D
Never saw the bit with the drawings on lol
Yeah, erm you're never working on my house.....ever ;D ;D
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Thats what happens when you don`t read the post in it`s entirety ;D
Never saw the bit with the drawings on lol
Yeah, erm you're never working on my house.....ever ;D ;D
Too far for me anyway :P ;D