One style preference has passed the test of time among all the interior design trends that have come and gone: many homeowners prefer a house with a spacious, open floor layout rather than a one with a bunch of smaller rooms.
Homeowners continue to embrace modern ideas year
after year, seeking ways to create a more expansive, integrated, and functional
living area better suited to their needs.
But, how do you avoid your house collapsing in
the renovation process? You must identify the load-bearing to protect the
entire building from collapsing. Transforming the confined structure of
traditional living space into an attractive, trendy floor plan requires thorough
planning, especially in the case of Load-Bearing Wall Removal.
However, many people wonder if they can remove a
load-bearing wall. Most of the time, the answer is a resounding yes, as long as
it's done correctly by a professional.
Here, we'll explain the steps and important things to consider in the load-bearing wall removal process.
What is a Load-Bearing Wall?
Every wall in your house is either load-bearing
or non-load-bearing. A load-bearing wall is an essential component of the
architectural design that adds to the structural integrity of your home;
without them, the building would collapse.
Non-load bearing walls do not transfer or distribute the weight from structures above them to the foundation below. Non-load bearing walls exist mainly to create interior space, dividing regions of square footage into smaller rooms.
What Is the Role of a Load-Bearing Wall?
A load-bearing wall helps achieve a balanced
weight distribution throughout your home's structure. This
"load-path" makes an even and sustainable weight shift from the roof
to the base.
In a nutshell, load-bearing walls provide
appropriate load path balancing to strengthen your home's structure and ensure
it remains stable and sound. These walls keep your house intact.
Architects collaborate with structural engineers
to calculate the exact load paths that keep a building secure to protect inner
and exterior walls from collapsing and roof breaking.
However, you cannot perform load-bearing wall removal without constructing a replacement support system (beam, post, column, etc.).
Steps Involved in the Load-Bearing Wall Removal Process
1. Calculate the Required Alternate Beam Size:
Load-bearing wall removal can result in sliding floors, damaged walls, and even the roof collapsing, all of which can be dangerous. So, you must install an alternate beam in place of the wall to support the house's structure. Before you remove your load-bearing wall, you'll need to figure out the exact length and breadth of the beam you'll need to replace the wall with. A structural engineer can assist you in determining the beam size.
2. Switch Off the Main Power Supply:
Electrical dangers kill roughly 300 people in the United States every year, the majority of whom are construction or electrical workers. It's difficult to tell what's inside drywall as it could have air ducts, cables, and even gas or water pipes. Shutting off the circuit before removing any load-bearing wall is the best course of action to avoid unnecessarily messing up any wiring inside the wall and electrocuting yourself.
3. Tearing Off the Drywall
Remove the baseboard on both sides of the wall and cut through the tape to scrap the drywall. Take extra precautions during this step to avoid damaging adjacent walls or risking the house's structural stability. You must have the necessary Wall Removal tools and understand how to handle them.
4. Disconnect Cables
Remove any cables and pipelines from within the wall as the final step before installing an alternate beam. You must pay extra caution and build a temporary replacement after removing everything from the wall to avoid causing a gas leak or affecting your whole electric, gas, or water system.
5. Examining Permits
Most localities require a permit for significant home remodels such as patio extensions, wiring and plumbing work, and load-bearing wall removal. Check permit requirements and examinations before you begin tearing down the wall. Contact your city's permit department to see if you need a permit for your project.
Bottom Line
Hiring a certified and professional contractor
to remove a load-bearing wall is always the best option, even if you plan to
handle other aspects of your restoration job yourself.
Although hiring a professional is more expensive
than doing it yourself, you can rest assured that your home's structural
integrity is in good hands. You can also expect a more streamlined project
performed with efficiency and competence from an expert.
Even if the job only involves removing a
load-bearing wall and replacing it with a more accessible framework of support,
EXPERT WALL
REMOVAL handles every aspect of
residential and commercial renovation projects with the highest standards of
accuracy, attention, and uniformity.
Check out our gallery or request a free quote to learn more about how
our team of build-design experts can help you turn your vision into a reality.