So you are looking to remove one of the walls in your home and want to execute the process with adequate safety. There can be various purposes for removing a wall, for creating space, inviting more lighter connecting two rooms. While there are various ways to do so, it is important to make sure that the structure does not collapse in the process. Before beginning a load-bearing wall removal, you should know which is a plain separating partition wall and which one is a load-bearing one that is actually taking the load of the house.
How to tell recognize a load-bearing wall
The best way is to have a professional help you locate the walls. While as a general fact, most external walls and those in multi-story houses stacked one above the other are load-bearing ones.
To support the roof and ceiling, a load-bearing wall might have joists running perpendicular above it or columns at an angle. Another approach to verify if a wall is load-bearing is to look below it for continuous footing, which is generally only visible in the crawlspace.
Is load-bearing wall removal practically feasible?
It is definitely feasible. Infact, some people believe in tearing the wall down themselves which can be extremely dangerous for you as well as the structure of your house causing damage and high cost-bearing mistakes. The best bet is to hire a professional and licensed engineer who can ensure the safety and structural strength of your house stays intact and can provide also provide Beam Installation if required at any point.
Taking down a load-bearing wall takes more planning compared to a regular partition wall. It takes a lot of planning in terms of structural aspects as well as other things such as electrical wire systems and pipes which can only be assessed by a professional engineer who would also need to be assisted by a plumber and electrician. Having a professional tear down the wall will not only be much safer for your house but it will also be done much quicker and with the required permits. Considering various aspects is not possible for a layman like the structure of the floors below when tearing down a wall on the top floors and the related modifications.
While having a professional is definitely costlier than doing it yourself, it pays in more than one way. You get speed, efficiency and safety all with the required permissions.
Permits to tear down a load-bearing wall
Many cities and states require permits for Load-Bearing Wall Removal and if there are any electrical wires or pipes, then for them as well. You can find more information on the same on the planning and building department website or contact number. While a professional would not only know the necessary permits but would also know how to deliver the applications and required structural and architectural plans.
Tearing down the wall
If your property was built before the 90s, you could find asbestos in the walls when you demolish them. If this is the case, you should engage a professional to remove the asbestos and include a note in your construction permit application indicating asbestos removal. A professional is always the greatest option when it comes to your health.
Prior to taking down the wall, your house structure needs to be supported temporarily to stop the house from collapsing. After the wall is removed, your house needs solid support that concretely replaces the load-bearing. This can either be done with beam installation or posts or their combination.
Generally, posts don’t take up as much space as a load-bearing wall and can be placed aesthetically to support the same weight. Posts with beam installations allow one to customize completely as per custom requirements. They can also help keep the structures of your home intact passing the weight from the roof and floor to the foundation.
You can select from a variety of materials for your specific project. While dimensional lumber is used for frames and is better suited for doorways, laminated veneer lumber is stronger than dimensional and less costly than steel allowing long distances to be covered. Steel beams are much heavier than both and costlier too, mostly used in narrow spaces where others don’t work.
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