Thinking about freshening up your home? There’s only so much that a new coat of paint and some colorful decorative pillows can do. If you want to truly transform your place, you’ll need to prepare for some big changes – and there’s no bigger change than tweaking your floor plans and creating more of an open-concept interior!
However, opening up the space in a traditional, closed-concept layout can get tricky – especially if it requires removing a load bearing wall!
A word of caution, though – this is never a project you should take on lightly. It requires careful thought and consideration.
Here are some of the most crucial things you should know before you decide to get rid of a load-bearing wall.
How to tell if a wall is load-bearing
Every house, no matter when it was built or the kind of layout it has, has two different types of walls inside it – load-bearing and non-load-bearing ones.
Non-load-bearing walls are typically partition walls that separate different rooms and spaces. You can remove them with relative ease without affecting the overall structure of the house.
Load-bearing walls, on the other hand, are critical to the overall structure. That’s why they’re often referred to as structural walls.
They’re designed to support the weight of the house – any upper floors you may have, the ceiling, and the roof. While you can remove them in some circumstances, you need to ensure you do so safely and with the help of professionals.
You’ll want to determine the type of wall you’re dealing with before tearing it down. Here are some of the tell-tale signs that an interior wall is a load-bearing one:
- It sits at a 90-degree angle to the joists
- It sits directly under/over another wall
- It stands on top of a support beam
- It’s a partial wall with a beam
- It’s in the middle of the house
- It’s thicker than other walls
- It’s made of stronger materials
Ideally, you’ll want to inspect the original blueprints of your house to determine whether a wall is a load-bearing one. The blueprints should have an indicator “S” for structural walls, or the lines should be drawn thicker.
It’s best to consult a professional and have them assess your interior walls.
The importance of approaching the job carefully
As mentioned, load-bearing walls are structural walls designed to support the overall weight of your home. These walls are integral to keeping your house safe and strong. One wrong move and the entire house could collapse.
At the very least, removing a load-bearing wall could weaken the structure and start causing sagging floors and cracks in the walls, leading to leaks, molding, and a long list of other issues.
Therefore, you should never just get a hammer and start removing walls. Carefully plan out your renovation project and keep safety as your number one priority.
Things to keep in mind
While it does carry some risks if done improperly, removing load-bearing walls during your custom home renovations is possible. You’ll just have to remember a few important things when doing so.
1. You’ll need to get a permit
Taking down a structural wall isn’t the same as repainting your house. You can’t do it whenever and however you want. You first need to get a permit.
The process of obtaining a permit (and the specific licenses you’ll need) varies from city to city. You’ll likely first need to go through a house inspection, and you might have to provide a detailed plan for your renovation project. Depending on the work you plan to do in your home, you might also have to get approval from an architect or an engineer and cover all the associated fees.
Contact your local municipality or city building department to learn more about your necessary permits. You can also contact structural wall removal professionals in your area to get more information on the permits before you start your project.
2. You’ll need a temporary support system
While removing the load-bearing wall in your home, you must have a temporary support system in place. You’ll want support on both ends of the wall to minimize risks and avoid causing damage to the joists that may be resting on it.
While removing the support systems after the renovations are complete, you’ll still need to be very careful with them. After all, they’ll be taking on the responsibility of upholding the entire structure of your home while you’re working. So, you’ll want them to be installed correctly and stay sturdy.
It can be a significant investment, but you must make it when removing load-bearing walls.
3. Consider the replacement for the load-bearing wall
Although load-bearing walls can usually be removed, that doesn’t mean you can just tear them down and leave everything as is. You’ll need to replace the load-bearing wall with another structure supporting the weight of the floors, ceiling, and roofing.
Most commonly, you can replace the wall with beams or beams with posts.
Beams-only can be sufficient when the original wall isn’t too long. Depending on your tastes and preferences, you can leave the beams running across your ceiling exposed or cover them with drywall.
If your load-bearing wall is long, you must replace it with beams and posts. The number of posts you’ll need, and the required distance between them can vary significantly.
Consult an experienced professional on the best replacement structures for your load-bearing walls. They can tell you precisely what structures you’ll need, the materials you’ll need to use, and the appropriate sizing.
4. You might need to reroute electrical and plumbing systems
There’s more to load-bearing walls than lumber, brick, and steel. Commonly, they’ll also have electrical and plumbing systems running through them. It likely won’t be possible to hide these systems with the beams and posts you use to replace the wall. Therefore, you’ll need to plan out how you’ll reroute them.
Unfortunately, this can complicate your renovation project. As for the walls, you’ll need permits to replace/reroute the electrical and plumbing systems and a detailed plan on how you’ll do it.
It’s best to identify whether you have wires and pipes running through your load-bearing walls before you start your project. It will help you speed up the process of obtaining a permit, minimize unnecessary delays, and help you properly assess your budget.
Removing a load-bearing wall is well worth it
Removing load-bearing walls can be a lengthy and complicated process, for it takes a lot of thought and consideration, from obtaining the necessary permits to developing a comprehensive plan, installing beams and posts, and more.
Still, in the end, it can be well worth it.
Open-concept layouts can make your home more functional and even more valuable down the line.