We are about to buy a condominium where we want to take down the wall between the kitchen and living room. What we wonder is: How do you determine if a wall is load-bearing? And is it impossible to take down a load-bearing wall or can it be done anyway somehow? The building was built in 1962 and the apartment is on the third floor of four. Here is a link to the floor plan
http://bostad.lanshem.se/Planritnin...CMBoLgh&Title=Länshem Beskrivning&from=Hemnet
It feels like it would be far between the walls if that wall is taken down, does that mean it should be load-bearing?
Hope someone can help us, very grateful for any answers we can get!
http://bostad.lanshem.se/Planritnin...CMBoLgh&Title=Länshem Beskrivning&from=Hemnet
It feels like it would be far between the walls if that wall is taken down, does that mean it should be load-bearing?
Hope someone can help us, very grateful for any answers we can get!
1. The housing cooperative probably has drawings that can show if the wall is load-bearing or not. It is likely, as mentioned, that it is.
2. It is likely possible to remove the wall and redistribute the load by installing one or more beams to take the weight that the wall currently bears. However, this requires a building permit and you need consultants to develop a solution.
3. You probably need permission from the cooperative to undertake such a measure.
4. You need a building permit to undertake such a measure.
5. The wall may contain electrical and water pipes that serve other apartments than yours and may also need to be rerouted. This should be apparent from the drawings.
6. The measure may cause some disturbances for neighbors. Noise, certain interventions from their apartments, etc.
2. It is likely possible to remove the wall and redistribute the load by installing one or more beams to take the weight that the wall currently bears. However, this requires a building permit and you need consultants to develop a solution.
3. You probably need permission from the cooperative to undertake such a measure.
4. You need a building permit to undertake such a measure.
5. The wall may contain electrical and water pipes that serve other apartments than yours and may also need to be rerouted. This should be apparent from the drawings.
6. The measure may cause some disturbances for neighbors. Noise, certain interventions from their apartments, etc.
I responded based on what I saw on the drawing and my knowledge of construction from that time. It was normal to have the transverse walls, spaced between 2.5 and 4 meters apart, as load-bearing. Often, 3.6 m was the largest span. This was for economic reasons. I have personally designed such floors once upon a time.
It seemed to be something like that on your drawing.
It seemed to be something like that on your drawing.
Ok that sounds reasonable. If we assume that it is load-bearing, is it still possible to take down the entire wall? I understand that it involves a lot more work but is it possible and how do you do it? What type of professional do you need to hire? Carpenter? Architect? Who knows about that sort of thing?
Structural engineer.sanme said:
Everything is possible...
But prepare yourself for this to be VERY EXPENSIVE.
100 kkr is not enough if you want to get it done.
In my cost estimate, I hadn't considered the possibility of there being lines! If there are such lines, it will be even more expensive.sanme said:
It's the demolition itself and especially the replacement with a beam that becomes expensive.
100k SEK I think sounds excessive but I say that without knowing.
Maybe?imported_Anders_S said:
Depends on procurement.
But if you want to get everything done by contract....
I have been involved in a few similar renovations.
If it is load-bearing, removing the entire wall will likely be quite expensive. A smaller opening of 100-160 cm might not be as costly, and you're less likely to encounter installations. Furthermore, the floor plan suggests that plumbing probably runs in the kitchen wall to the right.
sanme, do you have the opportunity to look at the apartment? Knock on the wall and all other walls in the apartment. Non-load-bearing walls are often made of lightweight concrete or hollow blocks or similar materials. The walls separating the apartments are almost always of real concrete and often load-bearing, but the walls within the apartment that have a different sound might be the non-load-bearing ones. Non-load-bearing walls are also often thinner.
Of course, all this also depends on the year of construction...
sanme, do you have the opportunity to look at the apartment? Knock on the wall and all other walls in the apartment. Non-load-bearing walls are often made of lightweight concrete or hollow blocks or similar materials. The walls separating the apartments are almost always of real concrete and often load-bearing, but the walls within the apartment that have a different sound might be the non-load-bearing ones. Non-load-bearing walls are also often thinner.
Of course, all this also depends on the year of construction...
If the wall is made of lightweight concrete blocks, it is probably 70 mm thick. Then it is most likely not load-bearing. Depending on the structure of the building, the staircase and exterior walls might be load-bearing. This would mean that practically all interior walls could be taken down. However, there may be pillars, usually rectangular, that help support the floors. If the wall is load-bearing, it costs a lot, just as anaitis pointed out. The board's approval is also needed, as well as a building permit.