Open floor plans are all the rage. They keep sightlines open from any room in the house and provide families with endless opportunities for conversation and gatherings. While most new homes are being built with open concepts in mind, what if your house is older? Consider knocking down a few walls to bring your outdated Red Deer home into the modern era.

Hire a Professional

While Red Deer design and construction professionals would agree that knocking down walls is a popular trend and a great way to open up a home, it is important to proceed with caution. Many walls in a home are structural, and tearing them down without taking the proper precautions can bring your entire house crumbling down and literally put your life at risk. Even if a wall is non-load-bearing, it may contain electrical wiring or plumbing lines that need to be relocated before proceeding with demolition.

To begin with, look for signs that may indicate your wall is load-bearing. They include the following:

• The wall is an exterior wall or was previously an exterior wall before a home addition.
• You see steel beams below the wall in your basement.
• The wall is perpendicular to floor joists and close to the support beam.
• You see large headers in the doorways above the wall.
• There are indications on the original plans for the house that the wall is load-bearing.

 

There are also certain indicators that usually mean a wall is not load-bearing. They include:

• The wall is a half wall.
• The wall runs parallel to floor joists.
• The wall has no walls, supports or posts directly above it.
• There are indications on the original plans for the house that the wall is non-load-bearing.

 

Remember that this list is not all-inclusive, and it is possible for a wall that does not have any of these features to be a load-bearing wall. If you have any doubts or are unsure about any of the terms included in this list, do not proceed. Your best course of action is always to enlist the help of a Red Deer structural engineer or general contractor to help you determine what type of wall you are dealing with and proceed with removing it the right way.

Transferring Load from Load Bearing Walls

If you find that a wall is load-bearing, your Red Deer home renovation will begin by providing the proper support before removing it. This is often accomplished by installing a header below nearby joists or the roof structure and running the appropriate supports. There are other ways to transfer the load from a load-bearing wall, but they should be approved and supervised by a structural engineer. It is also essential to pull the proper permits before beginning a Red Deer home reno that involves removing a supporting wall and follow up with mandatory inspections throughout the construction process.

While it is important to take precautions when tearing down walls during your Red Deer home reno, remember that this is not the only time that you should consider whether a wall is load-bearing or not. If you plan to add a pass-through in your kitchen, replace windows or widen doorways, whether or not walls are load-bearing could be of importance. Take the time to assess what you are working with, and contact a Red Deer general contractor for assistance in protecting the safety of your family and the integrity of your home.

Certain walls in your home can be removed, but it is important to assess them and take appropriate precautions. To determine the best way to create an open concept in your Red Deer home, contact the construction professionals at Alair Homes Red Deer. Our knowledgeable team expertly oversees the permitting and inspections process, manages your home renovation and makes sure your house and family remain safe. To learn more, give us a call and schedule your free, no obligation consultation.