Removing Load Bearing Walls

[hope90]

Would a 3 bedroom semi detached house without a loft have a structural wall?

[Buenchico]

Quite possibly - but not certainly!

Since that statement doesn't actually help you much, you might find this more useful:
https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-a-Wall-is-Load-Bearing

Youtube is also packed with relevant videos. e.g.

[woofgang]

well you could take the wall away and see if the house collapses......

[hope90]

Thanks Buenchico,
I have read the guide, but i don't have enough trust in myself to be sure. I think i'll get some professional advice, just to be sure.

lol @woofgang

[KARL]

Single storey or more ?

[hope90]

It's two storeys. Its so odd that there isn't a loft. The upstairs rooms all look normal (but with very high ceilings) and there are no beams like what you would find in a loft, although they do start to angle in around the edges on the outside walls.

[KARL]

It is pretty certain that aside from the outer walls there is one or more internal structural walls. Had there been, say, one room (any room) to each storey (plus staircase) then there would almost certainly be no structural wall. Without close examination there can be no certainty.

[hope90]

thanks curl. The rest of the downstairs is really open plan and aside from the stairs there aren't any other walls which probably means it is :-(

[The Builder]

What are you aiming to do, Hope?
The age of the house might help. From your description, the open plan arrangement downstairs might be misleading. It might have been "knocked-through", with a steel beam supporting upstairs walls.

The roof may be "attic style" trusses, or the roof might have been cut on site, to form a "room in the roof" arrangement.
Either way, it would explain why there is no roofspace.

Anyway, tell us what you want to do, and we may be able to help.

[hope90]

I'm just looking to knock the wall between my kitchen and dining room down. I'm only looking to take half the wall out, and i have been told today by a builder that it's not structural, it is however giving the floor boards in the bedroom above some support, so some kind of structure will be needed (not a expensive lentil though). The house was built in 1975

[The Builder]

Yes, I can get the picture now, Hope. Fairly common type of construction back then.

It sounds as though the wall is carrying the first floor joists. You don't give the width of the opening, but since it's only half a wall, then I would guess that a simple timber beam would do to carry the joist ends.

Good luck with it. I hope it all goes well.

[fiction-factory]

I'd look for lintels rather than lentils though ;)

[hope90]

Thank you mr builder. I really thought it was load bearing, and i had the mind set i wouldn't be doing it, i am a little scared to do it myself, but i'm so happy i won't have to spend possibly thousands knocking it down.

lol @ fiction factory, i wish i could blame that on auto correct but i can't.

[alavahalf]

Thanks for that .. I couldn't remember what was missing when I wrote down a soup recipe yesterday … Lentils !

[hope90]

lol

[alavahalf]

Respect .. first you want to rip out a kitchen .. now you are really going for it removing walls.
Before you knock any walls down .. always wear your hard hat and remove the wife and kids from the house.

… and get your name tattooed on the soles of your feet. It will help when identifying the body !

[hope90]

Thank you alavahalf, I'm feeling so proud of myself. The wall turned out not to be load bearing so i've knocked that out along with one wall of the downstairs toilet (i'm changing the position of the door) and ripped everything but the sink out my kitchen!
# independent women #women on top # please don't assume i'm a man just because i'm doing hard labour. lol

[The Builder]

Hope... we never assumed you were male ;o)

Anyway, I always check on the profile first.

I wish more women who come on here were so confident. Well done :o)))))

[hope90]

I think alavahalf thought i was.

Thank you Mr builder, It's so empowering doing it myself, although i don't think i'd be quite so confident if i hadn't already renovated a house with my then boyfriend. Please can you help me with this question:
https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Home-and-Garden/Question1693384.html

[alavahalf]

Hope all joking apart.. I am so glad to hear from you .. I was beginning to wonder how it had gone as it's been 2 weeks since we last heard from you.
I have seriously been milling over the outcome as it had all gone quiet. Glad you are well and ploughing on with the next challenge.
Respect ..!

[hope90]

Thanks so much alavahalf! It's been a real tough couple of weeks as i work part time job and have a little pup to look after. I'm very nearly at the stage of putting things back into the house, which is by far my favourite part