Before I spend the money, maybe someone here can help!

11 years ago

I would like to remove a pantry wall in my home but I can't tell if it is load bearing or not. Originally I thought it was not since it's so close to the parti-wall, but now I'm wondering if I could be wrong. I am going to hire a professional to let me know, unless someone here can say that it definitely is, in which case I won't waste the money.

It's a pretty large house with a basement, three floors, and an attic. In the floor plan, the original house stops at the kitchen on the first floor and the bedroom on the second floor, and everything north of that are additions. It is old (circa 1900, probably built earlier), so more than likely uses rafters instead of trusses. The pantry wall is on the first floor, and above it on the second floor is part of a bedroom and the whole bathroom. The exterior bathroom and bedroom walls are not directly above the pantry wall, but maybe a foot or two to the further from the parti-wall. The pantry wall does run parallel to the floor joists.

Is there anything else I should look for to determine if this is a load bearing wall? Again, what I'm looking for is a clear "yes it is load bearing" so I don't waste the money moving forward with a contractor or architect. If it's too difficult to tell or it could go either way then I'll bring in a pro.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

PRO

Diana Bier Interiors, LLC

11 years ago

PLEASE do not rely on advice from anyone on the internet! Taking out walls is a serious and potentially dangerous step and you NEED a licensed engineer or architect to guide you. If you can't afford the price of a professional consultation, then you shouldn't be doing this kind of work. Make your changes within the footprint of the room.

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Comments (6)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
11 years ago
Get someone to check for you like a sructural engineer it won’t cost much and then you can carry on.
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springwater07
Original Author
11 years ago
I didn't say I didn't have the money, I just don't want to waste it if it's clearly (to someone else out there) load bearing. and as I said in my post, I will rely on a clear cut no and not move forward, but will not rely on a clear cut yes and knock down a wall based on internet feedback.

Not very helpful, but thanks.
rouxb
11 years ago
No one can tell you for certain about the structure of your home from those drawings. You are either going to need to give up the idea of removing the wall or bite the bullet and involve a professional. What you are looking for in this dilemma doesn't exist (someone who can say for certain the wall is load bearing) so just assume the wall IS load bearing and go from there.
qam999
11 years ago
Even if the floor plan tended to indicate that the wall wasn't load bearing, it's impossible for us to know whether the original builders and all subsequent remodelers over the last 115 years respected that conventional design. It's just reckless/impossible for anyone to tell you based on the info provided. OTOH, having a structural engineer or highly experienced local builder for an hour or two to give an educated assessment would only be a few hundred dollars, and then you'll know with much higher likelihood. (Local professionals will be familiar with historical local building patterns and typical engineering of this type of house.) If you're willing to have a few test holes cut, you can be absolutely certain....with expert advice. Good luck!
everybody's mom
4 years ago
Here, where basements are often unfinished or have those awful, but removable ceiling panels, you just go downstairs and see which way the floor joists run. I believe that a wall is load bearing if it is supported by several floor joists, not running along just one. But that is easily looked up.