We are currently doing up a 30's three bedroom semi, and wish to remove the brick wall between the kitchen 4 ' wide (honest! - by gum, it is narrow!)  - and the dining room, which is 9 ' wide. will create a room some 13' long.

The question is, we are not sure to what extent the wall is loadbearing. Whilst the wall extends up to the bedroom joists (which run across both rooms) these  are very solid -  6" by 2 3/4" every 15 " or so.  

The one bathroom wall - single brick, about 7' by 7' - rests on these at the other end of the room to no apparent ill effect.

My own thoughts are to put in an 8" by 4" balk of timber to help support the bedroom floor, just in case, but to use wood supports resting on stone let into the wall rather than piers.  I don't really like RSJ's - unsightly things - I would rather use timber.  

Anybody else any thoughts? Got any experience of this? Or know how to work out the maths? I don't particularly want to call in the experts - it is cheaper to support the floor on a just-in-case basis!


Thanks

John

John, following on from Andrews gentle prod towards getting professional advice. He is absolutely right, if you have any doubt get a stuctural engineer in. I used one last year and he had a quick look at the job, gave me some good advice and charged £30.

Not a lot compared with potential structural damage to your property.

I take it that you have obtained (are obtaining) building permission for these alterations; the Building Control Officer is often a good source of information and advice.

Sorry if I was a bit brash. Hmm, "gentle prod", I must be losing my charisma!

Andrew

Wait until you get the calcs, the designed beam may not be a large section so would not cost too much new and delivered.

We use steel beams all the time and the cost always surprises me (how cheap they are).

The important thing to watch is the last figure given in the calcs, say the design is for a beam 152 x 152 x 37, then obviously this is a 152 x 152 in size but weighs 37 kilos per metre.  This gives the thickness of the steel as 152 x 152 can be obtained as 23kg or 30kg or 37kg.  Obviously the 37kg is the strongest of these and if this is specified you must not use either of the two lighter ones.

There are dozens of steel sections available in RSJ, UC and UB.  Your calcs man will specify which to get.

If you are lucky (and the load is light) you may only need a box lintel.

Padstones may be needed also, make sure you check this point.

Mac and Woodsmith are definately absolutely right about getting specialist professional advice on structural engineering. Recently a daft t**t in our locality decide to remove a load bearing wall in a listed grade 2 dwelling ??? without getting structural surveyors advice. Result - house collapses into a ruined shell. Oh dear. Then another daft t**t decides to have a go at underpinning - the whole building at once-yes!!! ??? again result one ruin to enjoy; how twee