If you're planning to remove the wall between two spaces, you need to know about a few things before starting the project. While Wall Removal can seem to be a small thing, tearing down an interior wall without having the requisite knowledge can have serious consequences from having minor inconveniences to resulting in dangerous hazards.
To avoid any mishap and save money and time, here are some tips to consider before beginning your wall removal project.
Things You Must Consider Before Removing A Wall
1. Permit
Ensure that you have your building permits and a valid reason for wall cutting. It is recommended to avoid doing it if you are not permitted, or there is no good reason! There can be several reasons why people want to remove interior walls. Still, before doing so, it is essential to consider how it will affect the internal architecture. Removing walls can be costly because of drywall and labor costs; however, it might be worth considering if you’ve decided to stay in your home for at least five years or more after the renovations.
2. Structural Safety
The structural integrity of a home depends on internal walls. Buildings in modern construction use beams, columns, and slabs, with most walls serving as fillers between the columns to create enclosures. Buildings more than 30-35 years old are most likely to have load-bearing walls, depending on their age.
3. Type of Wall
Compared to masonry, plasterboard with timber stud walls is easier and less expensive to remove. Heavy-duty demolition tools may be required when removing a masonry wall and the job will take longer than removing a plasterboard wall.
Internal walls may include asbestos-containing fibro cement sheeting, depending on the age of your home. As per the regulations of Australian WHS, asbestos removal requires additional licensing and disposal expenses, adding to the wall removal cost.
4. Execution
Unless you're a contractor or an extremely handy person, you won't tear down that wall yourself. Suppose it's in a load-bearing area of your home, it might require an expensive beam replacement before anything can happen. Ask around for referrals and look for wall removal professionals with better rates; once you have these numbers, you can decide whether or not Wall Cutting is worth it.
5. Reconsideration
You should ask yourself this valid and crucial question before you tear down a wall: Where will it go? Taking a wall down isn't always as simple as it sounds. Since you'll be removing an interior structure, there are many considerations to take into account: Is there room for storage behind it? Where do cables/wires run through? Do I have an idea of what I want to do with that space? You should well-consider all these aspects before bringing down a wall and changing the internal structure of the house.
6. Placement of Wall
Wanting a wall to move exactly where you want is common but a removed wall creates a massive bump in your room that is distracting. Even if your new location for that wall seems like a good idea, take a step back and make sure it's as good as you think. If there are windows or other features on either side of your proposed wall, you might need to move them instead. If there are no other features on either side of your wall, remove the wall. And, remember: Measure twice, cut once.
7. Costing
One of the most important tasks will be figuring out exactly how much money it'll take for wall removal. How much you can afford for materials and labour will depend on how many people you plan on hiring, whether or not you can do some of the work yourself, etc. If in doubt, get multiple quotes from contractors. Having extra cash on hand is recommended, but remember that being expensive doesn't always mean better. For this, you want to find a reliable and reasonably priced contractor.
8. Estimate Time
This question should probably be one of your biggest concerns when tearing down a wall. If you know how long it'll take and what it will cost, you can determine whether it suits you financially. The best way to get a perfect estimate is by talking with contractors or builders who have experience in your local area. Once you know how much time and money are involved, you can make a better decision. It's essential to remember that remodeling projects can run into unforeseen costs.
Conclusion
Considering the points mentioned above will add to your advantage if you hire experts for the wall removal project. Professionals like Expert Wall Removal can be your best catch because, with specialists, you will get the work done quickly and get an insight on all of the points mentioned above.