Take down a small part of a load-bearing wall, cost?

[Musmatta]

Hello,

We've looked at a 1970s house that we're interested in and probably could get if we want.

We're interested in taking down a load-bearing wall (the marked red ones), and then taking down the wall where the fridge and freezer stand, to then install a kitchen island.

Two questions really:

1) Do you need to reinforce, even if it's "just" that small piece?
2) IF you need to install a beam or pillar, where will you end up price-wise, approximately? Google gives me everything between sky and earth. Are we talking 50k? 100k? 150k?

Thanks!

 

[BirgitS]

1) When removing load-bearing walls, you must transfer the weight. This is also done above interior doors.

2) Both a beam and a pillar are needed. The beam is necessary to prevent the floor above from bending downward due to the weight, and the pillars are needed because the beam needs to rest on something. A structural engineer can calculate the required dimensions based on factors like roof construction, roof covering, and snow zone. The structural engineer must then check that what's underneath the pillars (a wall in the basement?) can withstand the increased weight; if not, it must be reinforced.

Since it's not possible to know if any reinforcement is needed underneath, it's also not possible to determine the cost.

How do you know if the wall is load-bearing, do you have access to construction drawings, or do you know what kind of trusses are used?

 

[Musmatta]

1) When removing load-bearing walls, you must redistribute the weight. This is also done above interior doors.

2) Both beams and columns are needed. The beam is needed so that the joist above does not bend downward from the weight, and the columns are needed because the beam needs to rest on something. A structural engineer can calculate the dimensions needed based on, for example, the roof structure, roof covering, snow zone. Thereafter, the structural engineer must check that what is below the columns (wall in the basement?) can withstand the increased weight, if not, it must be reinforced underneath.

Since it is not possible to know if any reinforcement is needed underneath, it is also not possible to know what the cost will be.

How do you know the wall is load-bearing, do you have access to structural drawings or know what kind of roof trusses it has?

Okay, I understand, it becomes very difficult then, I suppose, to find out anything at all before bringing in a structural engineer?

To be honest, I don't KNOW that the wall is load-bearing, I've just assumed, I asked the real estate agent, who also assumed this, but we're not professionals at all. I have a hard time seeing which walls other than the one that runs horizontally through the house are load-bearing.

 

[Matti_75]

Whether you need to provide support depends on whether there are trusses above the wall.

 

[BirgitS]

To be honest, I don't KNOW if that wall is load-bearing, I just assumed, I asked the real estate agent, who also assumed this, but we're not professionals at all. I find it hard to see which other walls than the one running horizontally through the house could be load-bearing?

In the 70s, it was common with truss roofs, and then no walls are load-bearing on the floor below the attic, but that doesn't mean you can remove all walls, as walls can also be stabilizing.

 

[Byggkonsult89]

Hello,

One would need to check what is above the wall? Is it a beam system or a roof? Once that is known, it’s necessary to determine the load direction of the roof/beam system in order to decide whether it is load-bearing or not.