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Here are the steps your contractor should follow. Failure to perform the work in the advised order may cause a structural failure in the future.
Before a wall removal project is even considered, we need to consider what will be the possible results or consequences involved by doing so. The first thing to evaluate will be mechanical, electrical, and plumbing locations. All those will have to be removed and rerouted in order to make the wall removal possible. To gain access to any of the MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing) the sheetrock will have to be removed. In addition, it is also strongly recommended to remove the ceiling sheetrock on each side of the wall.
Sheetrock is removed, and all the MEP are out of the way. If the existing wall is just a partition wall, it can be removed, but if it is a load bearing wall, a temporary support wall will have to be installed to support the load while we remove the existing support. One-story house load bearing wall will usually support the ceiling structure, the roofing structure, or both. On a two-story house, a load bearing wall can support the floor of the second floor and the roof over it.
Temporary support needs to be designed and constructed based on the load above it. It can be very simple as a 2x4 structure like a regular wall, and it can be scaled up to a massive beam supported by hydraulic jacks to correct sagging floor surfaces or crooked rooflines. It is recommended to consult a structural engineer to learn what will be sufficient to get the job done.
After the installation of the proper support to the structure on the top has been completed, the wall can then finally be removed. At this stage, the structural engineer design of the permanent support needs to take place. The support is usually defined as a "beam" it can be a wood beam, a combination of wood and metal, or it can be a steel structure.
Beams are horizontal structural elements designed to hold vertical gravitational loads. Some samples of the structural descriptions of beams will be: I beam, LVL beams, Trusses, Flitch beams, Box beams, SCL, Glulam, and more. Only an engineer can determine the type and size of a beam after a site visit study.
Finally, the room doesn't look cramped but now with the new open concept floor plan we need to make sure that we will not experience any structural failure. If the beam is going to be a drop-down beam the process is fairly simple. If the beam is supposed to be installed in the ceiling so it will be invisible then the beam pocket must be prepared.
Now it is time to patch the floor, cover everything with sheetrock, texture paint and call the project done! This type of project carries great liability. Especially with two-story houses. Please don't attempt to do it without consulting an expert first.
The city of Houston requires proper permits for load-bearing wall removal. Here's what you need to know.
In order to get a permit to remove a wall, the first thing you need to do is to draw the existing floor plan with measurements of all the walls in the area where you want to remove the wall. In addition to that, you need to draw the proposed floor plan showing the space of the room after the wall is removed. You will be required to specify if it is a one-story house or two.
Your next challenge will be to determine if the wall that needs to be removed is a load bearing wall or not. If it is just an interior partition wall with no structural duty the process will be very easy, but there are a few more things you want to take into consideration.
The city of Houston will need to know if you are in the 100-year floodplain, floodway, or conveyance zone. You will have to provide the total cost of the project with a residential repair spec list. If you are in the 100-year floodplain and the total value of your project will exceed 50% of the value of the house, the project may be rejected and you will not be able to get a permit for your project.
We offer free in-house consultation to our community in the great Houston area. You can also email us with any questions preferably combined with pictures and/or blueprints so our team of experts will be able to provide you with the best advice to make sure you and your family stay safe.
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