There are many things to consider before removing interior walls in your buildings. The reasons why homeowners remove interiors walls are many and complex. We will not discuss the reasons behind removing interior walls in this blog post. We will discuss the things to consider before removing interior walls.
The most common of the many reasons for removing the walls is to increase the usable floor area. Below are some points to consider before taking the action:
Goal – Why removing interior walls?
Answering the question of why is very crucial to any action you want to take. Perhaps you want to transform your kitchen and dining room into a standard one. As people advance in age, they want to go more organic.
You may even be considering removing that interior wall to allow more natural light in. Before pulling that wall down, think, can I get a skylight in my kitchen roof. I little prioritizing will help you get the best value for your money.
Type – What type of Wall is it?
Not everyone has a degree in construction-related courses or in Architecture. Some walls in a building support the roof and removing them is detrimental to the safety of the building. So if you really need to pull down that wall, be sure it is not a load-bearing wall. Why? Load-bearing walls cost more to remove and to keep your home safe.
Budget – How much does it cost to remove a load-bearing?
As earlier mentioned, removing a load-bearing wall costs more. Except it is the last option, engaging the services of an architect and a structural engineer costs much.
However, if the purpose of the removal justifies the cost, then you can go ahead to remove the wall. Also not all interior walls are load-bearing so some might not cost that much.
Services – What is inside the wall?
In buildings especially homes, electrical wiring, plumbing and heating, ventilation, and air condition (HVAC) pipes in walls for the order. If your interior wall has any of these, removing it may cause water to stop running for a couple of days in your home.
Also, relocating these pipes will cost you to break new walls. All these cost money, but as earlier mentioned the reason justifies the process.
Year of Construction – How old is your home?
The main concern here is not just the time of construction. Prior to 1978, lead-based paints were used for painting homes. These paints are not hazardous until when inhaled in the particle form. Lead dust is toxic to health. If you really need to remove the wall in such buildings. Kindly hire a lead-safe-certified renovator for environmental safety. Safety is imperative when it comes to any construction project, and you are going to have a lot of safety matters to consider. This includes getting the right PPE, such as prescription safety glasses, as well as using equipment safely.
Flooring – What kind of floor finish is in your home?
Removing an interior wall leaves an unfinished area of the floor previously occupied by the wall. The ideal thing to do is to patch the unfinished area with the leftover floor finish.
Oftentimes, most floor finishes are no longer in the market. So, consider the area of the floor you will expose and what kind of finish you would like to use for patching in terms of cost and availability in the market.
Any interior wall can be removed. You just need to know what’s involved so you can consider your options and the impact on your budget, then make an informed decision.
