Intervention in load-bearing wall in housing cooperative - how to find a structural engineer?

[dam-dam]

Hello!

I am planning to make a change to a load-bearing wall in my apartment (built in 1906) in Stockholm (housing cooperative). Permission is needed from the board, and the board requires an assessment from an engineer to make a decision.

For those of you who have made changes in your condominiums and received help from an engineer - how did you go about it? I have emailed several firms nearby, but none have responded. Perhaps it's too small of a job? I am also happy to receive recommendations for engineers if anyone here has previous experience.

I need help from an engineer to look at drawings and possibly (if needed) make a site visit.

Here is a description of my issue, which might be interesting:

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In my apartment, there are several openings in the building's core wall. In two places, the upper parts of the openings have been bricked up afterward (probably in the 1970s) to create "pizza arches". This can be seen because the mortar between the bricks that make up the "pizza arch" has a different shade than the rest of the wall. It is also possible to find traces that the "roof" of the openings was higher before in the form of paint residues hidden between two layers of plaster.

If you chip away some of the plaster on the walls, you can see that a bit above the "pizza arches" there are also original arches - which must be from when the building was constructed in 1906.

I want to remove the "pizza arches" (the red bricks) and simply wonder if it is possible to just take down the bricks without further action or if steel beams need to be installed. What do you think? Do the red-marked bricks have any load-bearing function?

 

[BirgitS]

Have you tried searching for construction engineers at https://sbr.se/sok_specialist/ ?

 

[saltet]

The first thing you need to do is get permission from the association. You do not own the apartment; the association does. All changes require their permission. Additionally, some changes may require a building permit. Start correctly so that the association does not get angry.

 

[dam-dam]

Have you tried searching for construction engineers at [link] ?

Thank you! I haven't seen that page before - I'll give it a try there.

 

[dam-dam]

The first thing you need to do is get permission from the association. You don't own the apartment; the association does. All changes require their permission. Additionally, some changes may require a building permit. Start off correctly so the association doesn't get angry.

You probably missed reading my entire post, where it states that the documentation from the constructor is to be used in conjunction with the application for permission from the board.

Otherwise, you have many inaccuracies in your claims. A condominium owner can make a lot of changes to their condominium without any permission from the board.

A few types of changes do require permission from the board. This is regulated by BRL and is not up to the association to decide on its own (e.g., through its statutes). Interference with load-bearing structures—such as my planned renovation likely entails—is a type of change that requires permission from the board. However, it is up to the member to provide the board with sufficient documentation to make a decision (= a statement from a constructor).

As a condominium owner, you own the association, which in turn owns the apartment.

 

[Snidarn]

The first thing you need to do is get permission from the association. You don't own the apartment; the association does. All changes require their permission. Additionally, some changes may require a building permit. Start the right way so the association doesn't get upset.

Permission is not granted until a professional can certify that the building will not be damaged. Hence the original poster's search for an engineer. Then the board might still deny the measure, but without a statement from an engineer, you won't get that far...

 

[saltet]

No permission is given until a professional has certified that the building will not be damaged. Hence the thread writer's search for a constructor. Then the board may still deny the measure, but without a report from a constructor, you won't get to that point..

As a former chairman in a housing association, I would have wanted to get information from the start. It's better to have a dialogue because the chairman often knows more about what's hidden in the walls, preventing the apartment owner from incurring costs for something that cannot be executed.

 

[BirgitS]

Additionally, certain changes may require a building permit.

Interventions in load-bearing structures normally require a building notification to the municipality.

 

[justusandersson]

The top photo shows quite clearly that the lower part of the "vault" is just filler since it lacks supports. The stones in the lowest course are also completely misaligned. Removing these stones is not what is meant by an intervention in the load-bearing structure. Formally, it neither requires the board's approval nor a building notice, although one should always talk to the board.

 

[dam-dam]

The top photo clearly shows that the lower part of the "arch" is just filler because it lacks support. The stones of the bottom row are also positioned incorrectly. Removing these stones is not what is meant by interfering with load-bearing structures. Formally, it doesn't require board approval or a construction notice, although you should always talk to the board.

Thanks! Are you absolutely sure? You're not a structural engineer interested in a project by any chance? It's tempting to just tear down the stones.

I've persistently tried to get hold of a structural engineer who can give me an opinion on this - but it's proven difficult. The ones I've found seem very busy and prioritize larger jobs.

The only one I managed to contact (eventually) gave me a direct recommendation for a beam (after a consultation over email for 4,000 kr). I got the feeling that this particular person recommended a beam automatically for all load-bearing walls. He didn't seem to have looked into the material much further, and when I asked follow-up questions about whether the red stones were actually load-bearing, I eventually got the response that it "wasn't possible to know if the stones have a function." And I thought a structural engineer could determine load-bearing capacity by looking at the construction? Oh well.

Back to square one, then. I'd appreciate tips if anyone here has previously hired a structural engineer with good experience!

 

[justusandersson]

The knowledge of masonry is unfortunately poor among younger people, even if they are trained designers. In your case, it's not about calculating the dimensions of a beam, but rather acknowledging that what is under the old arch is worthless. Try to find an older mason as the next step.