Remove load-bearing wall in townhouse

[smoerarn]

Hey!

We're about to buy a townhouse, but we'd like to remove the marked wall. We can't find any better drawings than this one, but the wall is on the middle floor and seems to run through all 3 floors. The ridge runs across, not along the wall.

I understand that it's probably load-bearing, but could there be anything preventing it from being taken down with the help of a proper professional?

 

[smoerarn]

Also found this but here the wall is not included since it runs along with:



Also this one from the lower floor where the corresponding wall on the middle floor is to be demolished:

 

[BirgitS]

Usually, walls that run approximately under the roof ridge are load-bearing and not those that run in the other direction. But there are exceptions, especially in houses built before the 1950s. If you want to know for sure, it's best to hire a structural engineer. Such a professional can also calculate if reinforcements are needed somewhere if you want to demolish a load-bearing wall.

 

[smoerarn]

Usually, it's the walls that run roughly under the roof ridge that are load-bearing and not those going the other way. But there are exceptions, especially in houses built before the 1950s. If you want to be sure, it's best to hire a structural engineer. Such a professional can also calculate if reinforcements are needed somewhere if you want to demolish a load-bearing wall.

Thanks! We are assuming it is load-bearing, but if it is, is there anything that might make it impossible to take down? We're okay with the cost, but it would be incredibly troublesome if it wasn't possible at all.

 

[BirgitS]

I haven't heard anything in the forum about it being someone's load-bearing wall that couldn't be removed, but the cost can be very high if it concerns a long distance and reinforcements are needed in the wall on the floor below or in the foundation.

 

[smoerarn]

Awesome, thanks. Yeah, we're pretty aware of the costs, we've estimated 100-150,000 if we're unlucky, it's about a 3.5m wall. Thinking it's better to count on that cost and be positively surprised than the other way around.