Vlad Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) I need a bit help or advice as I'm about to purchase my 1st house. I viewed a house today that ticked almost all boxes. I quite like open style planning and this house has a living room and then a dining room separately. Dining room used to be a garage which was converted. So I was thinking if I can knock that wall down or at least make an opening in it, to join 2 rooms together as that decision will make me buy it or make me look for another house. I was wondering, if I post a floor plan, would anybody be able to tell me if it's a structual wall or can it be knocked down? Or does it need to be inspected on site? I'm pretty sure (and owners said same) that opening (like an archway) can be made with a supporting concrete block/beam above it. That's the second question...if it can't be knocked down, how big the opening can be? Here's a floor plan of the ground floor. 2 floors in total (ground and 1st) Lounge 15' 2" x 15' 3" (4.63m x 4.65m ) Dining Room 16' 0" x 8' 2" (4.89m x 2.48m ) Thanks in advance for any help and sorry if I'm being very stupid Edited June 15, 2016 by Vlad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Im pretty sure that's a structural wall General advice is a 2m opening for a concrete Linton More than that and you should probably consider steel and a structural engineer to design it If you open it up - you will need building regs and they will help you / advise you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 You only know if its structural by whats above it, you can put an opening in the wall though the size of lintel (concrete beam) is calculated by a structural engineer based on what is above - if its a bungalow not a lot if its the ground floor of a block of flats it will be an RSJ (steel i beam) Anything can be done it's all down to cost you could put a huge RSJ across in theory and remove the wall completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Guessing the dining room is single storey and seeing the stairs to the rear of the lounge, the wall between those two walls will be structural. No reason in theory though why they can't be knocked into one with a steel over the opening although you will need a structural engineer to do the calcs and advise as to what support is needed at each end. It would need approval from the local Council in England under the Building Regs, but given the principle is a goer not something you need to worry about until you have got the house bought But you may wish to check the garage conversion was carried out to include the proper insulation and damp proof course as often they will not be built in the first place with that provision. Get a survey done by a Chartered Surveyor and ask him to check that conversion in particular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Agree with Colin and Ioneabee ... looks like the wall is an external wall at 1st floor level (easy to check) ... rule of thumb is leave minimum 600 mm of wall at each end of new opening ... I would want to visit site before designing the relevant support for the loading that will be applied ... it depends on so much more than span of lintel such as 1st floor joists span and direction, roof loading including snow load from garage roof, any openings above the opening you are proposing, ground conditions and existing foundations etc. You will need Building Control approval and they will need calcs from a qualified person ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FMJ Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 (edited) As above Vlad Not a job to take a cheap option. Can be done but Engineers calcs and building control is a must, i've seen to many botch jobs that come back and bite the owner in the Butt through structural defects, not to mention when re selling the property. Good luck Edited June 15, 2016 by FMJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsexr Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Leave it separate and turn it into a nice workshop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 Thanks all for the replies, much much appreciated. Yea, looking at the picture of the house (below) it looks like it is an external wall, which carries on up when garage/dining room roof finishes, if that makes sense? Ah well, I probably leave it haha Going for another viewing on Saturday, but i think i found another nearly perfect place. It's semi detached, but its bigger and much much nicer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonk Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 All sound advice Vlad. Out of interest do you have the first floor plans? If it is an internal structural wall it will be a single skin of brick or block. To make a 2m wide opening with steel, structural calcs, replaster etc you should budget for 2k to 3k. If the garage is an add on, there is a chance the wall is a double skinned cavity wall and would be more expensive to do. You mentioned that the garage was converted into a dining room, just check that it complies with building regs and isn't a diy affair. All the best with your house hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted June 15, 2016 Author Share Posted June 15, 2016 Here's floor plan of the 1st floor Yea, owners said its all been done properly and complies with building reg etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATTAK Z Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Ah that's good info ... I stand by my previous post ... no problems there as far as I can see, but I would still need to confirm 1st floor loads so a site visit would be required Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vlad Posted June 16, 2016 Author Share Posted June 16, 2016 Thanks everyone. Sounds like too much trouble straight away to make it look like I want it, so probably will give it a miss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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