askjake

Rough carpentry, electrical and HVAC

Ben asks:

I am having a contractor open a walkway in a load bearing wall this week. However, he is only finishing the rough carpentry, and will not be moving the electrical outlet that ties to the upstairs as well, or the central vac connection. I am wondering if the moving of these mechanicals is harder after the contractor has completed his rough work, or if it will be of equal difficulty after rough work as it would have been before. And about the central vac connection, can that be flush mounted in the floor? The flooring will be 3/4" hardwood. Thanks! 

Ben

Jake's answer:

Ben,

Usually the rough carpentry is completed prior to the mechanical (plumber, HVAC and electrician) trades appearing on the job.  If some of the wires etc. have to be cut,  make certain to note how they were installed originally.  It’s not a bad idea to take some photos of the wall after it is opened up and before anything is moved out of the way – your tradesmen will appreciate this. 

Filling the gaps

Question from Sharon: Jake, We have tore out a wall between our dining room and living room. We ripped up the carpet and saw the original hardwood floor. It is in good condition but where the wall was there is now a gap in between the rooms. On each side of the gap the hardwood is not set evenly to match on both sides. How do we fill the gap of about 7 inches and match the two floors? 

Jake’s Answer: Sharon, Infill the gap with matching wood. The new wood will have to be milled to fit the gap. It would probably help to remove a few rows of flooring to help make the transition go a little easier. One of the pieces will have to be either wider or narrower to complete the project. The last piece installed will have to be glued and face nailed. 

Modifying structure

Question from Lonnie: Hi, I have a camp that has a addition attached to a 1965 trailer. I want to take out the wall that divides the 2. The wall had a window and door in it where as they had removed the window and left the opening on 1 side of the wall and the door opening on the opposite side of the wall. There is just a small attic space above where the addition and trailer connect and the floor is connected by 2x12's and attached tp the steel trailer frame. Would I be able to nail a 2x12x12'to the studs then a 1/2" plywood over that and another 2x12x12' over that on both sides of the wall and then run 2x12's on the ends for bracing the self made beam, then remove the rest of the wall? Thanks, Lonnie 

Jake’s Answer: Lonnie, Sorry, I can’t answer a structural question like this without more information. I would need to know the exact load from the attic and roof that is on the wall, what the wall is bearing on and how you would accommodate the new bearing points of the columns. I would also need to know the span of the wall. Even with that information I would still be reluctant without making a site visit. When we remove structural walls we always consult a structural engineer. I would suggest you do the same.

Removing a wall, is it possible?

Question:  Hi Jake, I just bought a small one story house, 825 sq ft, built in 1950. I asked the inspector about removing a wall and he said there was no second floor, so I could remove any interior wall. The house is on a crawl space. I\'ve been doing a lot of reading though and haven\'t seen this mentioned anywhere else. Is this true? One wall I want to remove runs half way the leingth of the house and parallel to the joist the other is only about 4 ft long but runs perpendicular to the joist. Thanks

Jake's Answer:  You better do some investigation work prior to removing any walls.  A one story ranch, although it does not have a second floor, may have some roof load transferred down to the walls.  If this is the case, consult a structural engineer on the best way to re-direct the roof load.  Most walls that run parallel to the floor joists are usually non-bearing. 

Expanding a mobile home

I have recently inherited a mobile home. Can you knock a wall out to add on to the mobil home? And....there is so much info out there about remodeling a home but not about mobile homes...why don\'t you make a show about that???? I am sure it would be lucrative. Thank You, Mary

Mary,

A show about remodeling mobile homes?  Not a bad idea; are you sure HG TV doesn't have a show about mobile homes.  It seems like they have everything else.  In my 28 years of remodeling we have never remodeled a mobile home.  Why? you may ask.  Probably because we are a pretty urban kind of company and most mobile homes in our area seem to reside on the outskirts of town.  Thus, I am not able to fully answer your question.  But as I always tell my customers, I never met a wall I couldn't remove.  I would think that the interior walls of a mobile home are non-bearing and could be removed but you better check it out with the manufacturer. 

Removing a wall to enlarge a room

I would like to open up my living room, by removing a wall. How can I tell if I can safely do this.

The first thing you want to do is determine if it is a load bearing wall - that is if it is supporting a floor, ceiling or roof in some way.  The easiest way to do this is to get above the wall if there is attic space and see if the ceiling rafters or roof supports are in any way resting on the wall.  If you can't get above the wall because it has living space above it then you may have to cut into the ceiling on either side to see if the joists rest on the wall.  Sometimes you can look at the direction of the floor joists that the wall that is to be removed is sitting on.  If the joists run parallel to the wall, then there is a good chance that the wall may be non-bearing.  If the wall is non-bearing, then you should be able to open it up with out too much problem.  If the wall is bearing, then you should consult a structural engineer to properly size a replacement beam for the removed wall section.  Also, be certain to temporarily support the load above while you are removing the wall. 

Secondly, thoroughly inspect the area below and above the wall to determine if you have any type of pipes, ducts or wires running the wall.  You want to make certain that these can be relocated before proceeding with the wall removal.  Good luck and good remodeling.

A house devided

I'm purchasing an older farm house that is actually 2 houses put together.  I would like to remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room, but have been told this is a load bearing wall as it's where the two houses went together.  Am I stuck with this wall?

Mariann

Mariann,

I have never met a wall I couldn't remove.  I believe that just about any wall can be removed.  It's really only a matter of money.  You should consult a qualified remodeling contractor, contact NARI at www.nari.org for a list of contractors in your area or call a licensed engineer.  Good luck and good remodeling. 

Party time and wall removal

I want to remove parts of a party wall between two row homes to make one large one. The wall was built with 8" cinder block down to the basement where they used concret for the walls between the basements. Down stairs the steps between both homes are on the same wall and the dinning rooms are on the same wall. Uptstairs the two smaller bedroom share the same wall. where should I start

Ron

Not knowing the particulars about your home, I would imagine that this wall was originally a fire wall.  You should check with the local code officials about removing the wall.  Do you know if the wall is a supporting wall that could be carrying a floor, ceiling or roof load?  Removing bearing walls can be difficult and should only be done after consulting a qualified remodeling contractor or engineer.  Does this block wall appear on the first and second floor?   The wall removal may require a considerable amount of shoring if it is bearing.

Jake

Removing an interior wall

Jake

I am wanting to remove a 14' wall,there is no upstairs only attic space.What kind of support do I need to put in place of the 14' foot span?

Darrell

Darrell
I would need more information to answer a question like this.  What is below the wall that is to be removed?  Is there a steel beam?  How far do the ceiling joists span that are overhead?  Is there any roof load on this wall?
Even with these answers I would be reluctant to answer without a visual inspection of the site.  I would suggest you contact a structural engineer or an architect in your area to provide you with the information that you need to safely remove the wall.

Jake