My husband and I are waiting for the closing of our new house. We have already decided that the wall between the kitchen and living room must go. It is a brick single story house built in 1980 with about 1320 sq ft of living space.The wall that we want to remove is about 15 ft long and runs across the ceiling joists in the center of the house. My husband feels certain that we need to put in a header. What we want to know is how an internal header would be done?
Thank you so much for any help.
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Replies
It sounds like this is a bearing wall, and you have an attic above it. When you get possession of the house, you'll be able to get a better look around up there and do some measuring and drawing. In particular, look at the ceiling joists where they meet the wall in question. Are they continuous across the wall, or are there separate joists for each side of the wall, with their ends resting on the wall? If they're continuous, and not particularly long, there's a chance that the wall is not bearing. The second is more likely, but either way, if you have an attic, you can probably hide a beam up there and hang the joists from it.
There could be a number of ways to get the beam into the attic, depending on the geometry of the situation. There might be an attic vent that could be removed temporarily, or it might have to go up thru a hole in the ceiling from inside. Or, it might even be some sort of truss that could be designed to go up in pieces and get assembled in the attic.
In addition to the beam itself, you'll have to deal with shifting the load that now is distributed along the length of the wall to two columns at the ends of the beam. Support for this load all the way down to the ground will have to be part of the design.
Where is this located? Maybe you can find a contractor from this group who's in your area.
-- J.S.
John, I agree that the location and direction of the wall suggest that the husband is correct and that it is a bearing wall which would require a header if they remove it. But the age of this home makes it very likely that trusses were used in the construction. If that is so then removing the wall will only be complicated by rerouting the wiring it contains, and matching floor coverings back together.
Another option, if it is stick framed, would be to insert a flush header into the attic, though that would be more difficult for a DIY team.
Pif....unless those trusses were sized with the fact a bearing wall would be at mid span........then you're right back where ya started.
Gotta put back what ya take away. Sounds like a nice, new...to you....home. Take the higher mortgage and pay to have it done right. Keep it a nice house. Jeff "That's like hypnotizing chickens........."
Having a structural engineer stop by and poking his head in the attic for $150.00 might be a good use of his/her time and a good investment on your part. I suggest this because I have repaired several "alterations" made with good intentions. All the repairs came following the sale of the house by the former Owners.
Rather expensive.
Then again, if this house has engineered trusses, the wall is cosmetic and can go without structural damage.
If this house has a flat roof, the structural needs may cause a bit of grief to remedy. A laminated or steel beam may be required.
If this house has rafters, a good residential tech. can design a way to transfer the load laterally to the exterior walls and no beams would be required.
A lot of ifs and a lot of solutions, but only one will do. Would be nice to know the construction and zone......
Gabe
oops! Our location is Goose Creek, South Carolina near Charleston. Thank you and the others for your comments they have been helpful.