Does your house already feel small, so you want to get some much-needed space? Or do you want to drastically change the look and feel of your home, such as converting it to a modern open floor layout? Maybe simply moving around the furniture is no longer enough for you.
Tearing down a wall is one of the easiest ways to do so. Watch any home improvement shows on tv, and you will always see this task. It may be to merge two rooms expand the dining room to accommodate more people. Maybe they open up the kitchen to make it easier to move around and so much more.
But if you plan to do so, you should first determine why you are doing it. It is a drastic move and must involve careful planning – you don’t want to regret it later.
And if you are already decided on it, you need to know that it is not as easy as the shows make it look. You must first identify whether it is load-bearing or not; how it will be taken down will depend on its type.
Are you surprised? Don’t worry because you will learn all about knocking down a wall in your house in detail in this article.
How to Determine If it is Load Bearing
All walls are the same for an average homeowner with zero engineering knowledge. However, this is far from the truth. Some are considered load-bearing, while others are not. But what exactly does it mean?
Simply put, a load-bearing one is part of the structure of the home. Its primary role is to support the weight above it, including the roof and ceiling. It also supports the floors as well as the foundations. They have the same purpose as the support columns we are familiar with. That is why you cannot remove a load-bearing structure without any replacement support in place. It will affect the structural integrity of your home.
The only role of a non-load bearing is to divide or separate spaces of a house. It is also known as a partition. If you remove one without installing any support, nothing else in your home will be affected.
It can be difficult for the average homeowner to identify load-bearing ones and only serve as partitions. Unfortunately, knocking and using a stethoscope for hearing if it is hollow or not is never the right way to do it. Keep this in mind if you want to find out if it is load-bearing or not:
1. Exterior sides are likely to be load bearing.
It is rare that they are only used as partitions.
2. Check the lowest section of the house for support systems.
Look for any columns, posts, beams, or even ones that are directly below it. It can be in the basement or crawlspace. If those are present, the part above is load bearing.
3. Look for the joists.
If the joists on the ceiling are running perpendicular to a wall, it is likely to be load bearing. It means they’re forming a 90-degree angle. However, do note that this is not always the case. Some load bearing walls also have joists running parallel to it, but the chances of this are lower.
4. Check the headers above doors installed on the interiors.
Even walls that have doors can be load bearing, and the headers located above the doors will indicate it. If the header is completely solid, it is load. It means there are no hollow spots. But if there are hollow spaces on the header, it is a partition. Even when covered, you can check it by hammering a nail to the header and checking for any hollow spots.
5. Identify those on an upper floor that have walls directly below it.
Like the support beams and other similar structures in the basement or crawlspace, load bearing on the lower floor provide support on the floor above it.
6. Look for portions directly connected to foundations.
These are also known to be load bearing.
7. Find those at the center of the house
In most cases, a lot of the weight of the house is concentrated at the center. As a result, load bearing walls need to be installed in this area to support them.
8. See if any beams or support are present in partials.
Partials can also be load bearing, and you can determine this by checking any supports present.
9. Determine if it was formerly an exterior.
Exterior walls can turn into interior if the house is expanded without removing those particular sections. If this is the case, it is likely to be load bearing.
10. Consult the blueprints or professionals
If you have difficulty determining whether something is load bearing or not, you can use the blueprints as your reference. It’s great if it has already been covered up. The best method is to consult a structural engineer.
Although challenging, determining if the part you want to tear down is load-bearing or not is very important. Mistakenly knocking down one of those without adding any support can have dire consequences. Don’t be surprised to see a lot of cracks all over your home or even a sagging ceiling or floor.
Or worse, you may need to use a hard hat inside your home to protect yourself from any falling debris.
How Long Does The Work Take?
From all the information above, it is obvious that the time it takes to knock down a wall will depend on the type involved. Removing load-bearing ones will take more time than a partition. But in general, it takes an average of 5 to 10 days.
While the actual removal can only take a day or two, note that this is only one aspect of the entire project. There are other steps involved, which means the entire process can take a few days to as much as a few weeks.
Here is a guide that highlights the steps involved and how long each step can take on average:
- Planning. It can take only a day for partitions but up to a week or more for load bearing ones. The structural engineer may inspect the area involved a few times before finalizing the plans. Do note that complex planning may even take weeks to finish.
- Prep work. It can take a few hours to an entire day.
- Removal. It only takes a day for non-load bearing walls, and at least one day for load bearing ones.
- Horizontal beam installation. It takes a few hours to a day at most.
- Cleanup and refinishing. It takes one to two days, depending on the kind of finishing involved.
It will take time to remove a wall, so prepare for it adequately.
