Identifying load bearing wall.
#1
08-23-16, 02:15 PM
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Identifying load bearing wall.
Hello,
I'm interested in purchasing a house but would like to know if a wall is likely to be load bearing. The house was built in 1978 and is fairly unique build. My knowledge of house styles is limited but I'd best explain it as a fairly flat A frame house? It is need of some updates but we like the layout and are considering putting in an offer. Floor joists run perpendicular to the roof ridge line.
It's two story on the right half of the house (facing the front) and one story on the left half (vaulted great room). The wall I'm hoping to be able to move is the small wall(roughly 4'x7') that blocks visibility from the kitchen out to the dining/living room.
The above picture is looking towards the backyard (kitchen & dining window faces the backyard). Below is a picture that should help better understand the layout of the house. It is looking up towards the loft which is located in the front of the house. It also shows another partial wall that potentially supports the loft. Above the kitchen (left of the top of the stairs) is the master bedroom.
Below is a closer picture of the wall.
Length of the house front to back is 30 feet. There is a beam that runs from the front of the house to the back (parallel with the roof ridge line). The beam is about 15 feet from the exterior wall (left facing the front), which is about a third of the way into the house.
The bottom of the beam appears to be about a foot above the kitchen ceiling. Could this be two beams that overlap in the middle? If so, the beams would be about 14'-16' long. Would beams of this size need to have some sort of support in the middle?
Bottom line, is it likely that we could remove this 4'x7' section? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
I'm interested in purchasing a house but would like to know if a wall is likely to be load bearing. The house was built in 1978 and is fairly unique build. My knowledge of house styles is limited but I'd best explain it as a fairly flat A frame house? It is need of some updates but we like the layout and are considering putting in an offer. Floor joists run perpendicular to the roof ridge line.
It's two story on the right half of the house (facing the front) and one story on the left half (vaulted great room). The wall I'm hoping to be able to move is the small wall(roughly 4'x7') that blocks visibility from the kitchen out to the dining/living room.
The above picture is looking towards the backyard (kitchen & dining window faces the backyard). Below is a picture that should help better understand the layout of the house. It is looking up towards the loft which is located in the front of the house. It also shows another partial wall that potentially supports the loft. Above the kitchen (left of the top of the stairs) is the master bedroom.
Below is a closer picture of the wall.
Length of the house front to back is 30 feet. There is a beam that runs from the front of the house to the back (parallel with the roof ridge line). The beam is about 15 feet from the exterior wall (left facing the front), which is about a third of the way into the house.
The bottom of the beam appears to be about a foot above the kitchen ceiling. Could this be two beams that overlap in the middle? If so, the beams would be about 14'-16' long. Would beams of this size need to have some sort of support in the middle?
Bottom line, is it likely that we could remove this 4'x7' section? Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
#2
08-23-16, 03:20 PM
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If the beam running through the house requires a middle bearing point, it's probably the stairway wall. Unfortunately, you can't guess. I would say odds are in your favor.
The wall appears to be used only to enclose the electrical and mechanical needs of the kitchen, especially if there is a range or oven behind the wall. I don't see a range anywhere else in the pictures.
Even if there are pipes and cables in the walls, the wall could still be bearing.
The wall appears to be used only to enclose the electrical and mechanical needs of the kitchen, especially if there is a range or oven behind the wall. I don't see a range anywhere else in the pictures.
Even if there are pipes and cables in the walls, the wall could still be bearing.
