Removing walls - advice sought.

[jamesc_1729]

I own a Victorian terrace house which comprises a two-up two-down terrace which has had an extension added at some point to add a kitchen/bathroom.

The situation on the ground floor of the extension is thus:

---

|******|
7**W/C*|
7******|
|--------| Kitchen(North->)
|*Store*|
|******|
|******|
--7777---------------



'7's in the above structure denote doors.
The walls separating the kitchen, W/C, and coal store are single skin (4").
The walls forming the external shell of the building are double skin (9").

I have myself analysed the structure and come to the conclusion that the single-skin walls seperating the kitchen, W/C and storeroom are not load-bearing based on the following:

The Joists (running East -> West) supporting the bathroom floor above are the same size throughout the kitchen and the W/C etc and conform to the building regs span tables for the size and the span involved.
There are no walls in the bathroom above other than those forming the external shell.

I should like to remove the internal dividing walls because my kitchen is very dark and will be a lot lighter, and 40% larger following this work. I have removed the W/C already.

My questions are thus:

Q1) Do people agree with my analysis??? I am risk-averse and happy to pay a professional (e.g. structural engineer) to confirm this but loath to do so if the situation is clear cut. My gut feeling is that an engineers report is an unnecessary expense.

Q2) I am unsure as to whether removing these walls is subject to building control notification or not. If so will they insist on professional advice other than my reference to the building regs span tables??

Q3) What's the 'best practice' to remove the walls where they're toothed into the external walls? Just a bolster/chisel???

Q4) Do people agree that this is within the scope of DIY??? I am more than happy for professionals to say no.. with respect to selling on the house etc.

I would be eternally greatful for any PH advice and if anyone is local to Gloucestershire then I would pay for some on-site advice.

Edited by jamesc_1729 on Friday 21st August 22:07

[Tom_C76]

I'm in Cambridge, so a long way from local.

However, if the joists span across the wall to be removed, Building Control will normally expect a Building Notice to be submitted. If you have a helpful building inspector and the joists are large enough for the span after the wall is dropped this may be all you need. But they may ask for a professional opinion too, which will cost probably £300 ish.

If the joists do cross the wall to be removed, are they spliced over the wall? If so they would need support anyway.

For future sale you should probably get a building notice in and a completion certificate, as I recently had to do a report on a property at point of sale where a wall had been removed, even though it was non-loadbearing, and indeed parallel to the joists.

TC

[jamesc_1729]

Thanks for the advice.

The joists run E-W so they are parallel to the back wall of the kitchen (a joist 6" either side of it so nowhere near)
This means they are perpendicular to the wall separating the W/C and storeroom, but they aren't lapped/spliced on the top of it. The joists running over this section of the extension are the same dimensions as those spanning the full width in the kitchen proper, so it seems fairly clear to me that they are capable of support the floor. There are only 3 of them in the outbuildings part of the extension and 10 or so in the kitchen.

I think I will draw up some plans and submit them to the building control for visibility and peace of mind at resale as you suggest.

Edited by jamesc_1729 on Sunday 23 August 13:24

[Tom_C76]

Fee for a Building Notice for something like that will be about £50 I think.

[grumpyscot]

And I'd check with your building insurers. Many don't like DIY efforts that have the potential to go wrong!