The way we interact with our homes is very different to how previous generations did things, both in terms of how much time we spend in certain rooms and our preferences towards more open-plan layouts.
So if you’re renovating an older property, chances are you’re planning to reorganise the internal layout to better suit modern life, whether that’s to create larger rooms, make better use of the flow of natural light or to fully incorporate a new extension.
Which internal walls can be knocked down?
Before you go ahead planning which walls are going to be altered or removed completely, you’ll need to do some investigation into their makeup and whether they play an important structural role in supporting any upper storeys.
The most important thing to establish is whether the wall in question is working to carry the weight of something above it; load-bearing sections could be a structural necessity for ceilings, floors, other walls or the roof.
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However, it’s not always easy to tell and tapping it to see if it sounds hollow (and therefore a simple stud partition rather than brick) won’t necessarily provide an answer. Although most load-bearing walls built before 1970 were solid brick, this wasn’t universal.
The only way to guarantee you understand the makeup and purpose of an internal wall is to get a structural engineer involved.
Your builder is likely to have a contact; otherwise you can find registered professionals via the search tool on the Institution of Structural Engineers website.
“The main structural wall in some Victorian properties is made out of timber with plaster and lath; whole modern timber frame buildings also rely on walls that sound insubstantial when knocked,” says Andrew Mulroy, director at Mulroy Architects. “In addition, some walls have no structural function but work to protect the occupants in the event of fire.”
“If the wall is load-bearing then the structural engineer will need to calculate what needs to be done to counteract its removal. Unless the opening is smaller than 1.5m, then a steel beam is required,” says Lucas Vueno, site foreman with London Builders. Your contractor and steel manufacturer will work to the engineer’s calculations.
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