I want to knock a wall down but...

[Tim+]

..would like some tips on determining its "weight bearing" status.

I know that this is probably the kind of question that if you have to ask it, you probably shouldn't be doing it, but, I want to knock a wall down. ;-)

The flat in question is a ground floor flat in a 100 yr old three (well, two and a half) storey terrace. Very conventional layout. Two front rooms separated by a hall. Three back rooms, separated from the front rooms by a solid wall, no doubt supporting the ceiling joists which run from front to back.

I have no plans to meddle with this. ;-)

One of the back rooms is the kitchen/dining room which would be rectangular except for an internal "porch" area that takes a square bite out of the corner of the room. As there is now an external porch over the back door it would be nice to reclaim this floor space for the kitchen. The walls of the porch are lath and plaster construction.

Would I be right in thinking that this structure is most unlikely to have any weight bearing purpose and how could I make certain that this is the case?

Would looking under the floor to see if there are any founds under any part of it be conclusive enough?

Do I need to speak to building control or anyone else first? The property is in Scotland.

TIA.

Tim

[spuorgelgoog]

You usually look under the floorboards of the floor above to see if they're being supported on the suspect wall.

Knocking out a wall will require a Building Warrant in Scotland, probably at the lowest fee level.

Owain

[Tim Lamb]

I took down a single brick partition wall in our first house. The floor joists above ran in the same direction so, apart from stiffening the 9" outside wall, did nothing.

Anyway it came down and exposed a 1" (this was 1969) difference in the ceiling plaster!

Promptly hidden by a pseudo beam:-)

[John Rumm]

Good plan ;-)

You can make supporting walls out of studwork, but its fairly uncommon - especially on ground floor walls in older properties.

Yup - if there is nothing sat on the wall, then its not supporting. It would also likely be the case if the wall is sat straight onto floor boards rather than over a double joist or other foundation.

Pass...

[Brian-Gaff]

In my view you need to get somebody in to check. I've seen some nasty messes when folk say, should be ok its only a porch wall... Brian

[harry]

If it's lath & plaster on studs. not likely to be structural. Especially if there's nothing stood on top of it on the floor above. Sometimes this structure supports joists but not in a corner, you'd only be saving a few feet of timber. Start demolishing it at the top & take some laths off, you'll be able to see what's what. Make sure the joists are sound where they go into the wall if it's an outside wall (ie that the porch isn't supporting the joists due to the ends having rotted off.)

[GB]

Would you need permission from the freeholders of the block? (If they have such a thing in Scotland!)

[Tim+]

No idea. I've had a look regarding a building warrant but as long as it's not weightbearing, it doesn't needing notifying or permission so I can't imagine anyone else would need to know.

Tim

[Martin Bonner]

No they don't. Each flat owner is a freeholder (with rights of support from below, and duties of support above).

Ask on uk.legal.moderated where somewhat of an expert on Scottish law hangs out. (Augustus West).

[News]

In message , Martin Bonner writes

+1 Having I just read this thread, I was about to post exactly the same message.