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Knocking down internal walls

Knocking down internal walls

Demolishing internal walls to go open plan can be a great way to update and improve your home.

Open-plan living, especially big family kitchen-dining-living areas, continues to grow in popularity. Whether you’re reconfiguring your existing living space or building a new extension, knocking down walls to open up small rooms can transform your home. But before you start swinging a sledgehammer, there are some key issues to consider.

Knocking down internal walls

Where to begin?

It’s best to start your project with a brief. Ask yourself what is it that you’re trying to achieve? How will the new open-plan area be used – as a family room or space to entertain friends or both? Do you want to create a feeling of space and increase natural light or have more kitchen work tops and storage or a better view of the garden? Once you’ve worked out your wish list, set a budget. At this point, you might want to seek professional advice from an architect to come up with some creative design solutions.

Is it a load-bearing wall?

Before knocking down an internal wall, it’s essential to check whether it’s load-bearing. While some walls are built simply to divide up rooms and are relatively straightforward to demolish, others are part of the structure of the house. It’s not as simple as knocking on the wall to see if it sounds hollow as stud walls can be load-bearing while some brick structures are partition walls. It’s best to ask a professional to investigate. Your architect can assist here.

Essentially, a load-bearing wall is where a wall or roof above is supported by the wall below. When removing these walls, additional support structures will be required, such as a steel beam or column, to prop up the floor above. The worst-case scenario is your house – or parts of it – could fall down without this extra support.

The building control department of your local council will require that you hire a structural engineer to specify an appropriate supporting structure.

Do I need planning permission?

You can usually demolish internal walls without planning permission but it’s always best to check with your local council before you begin. Certainly, if your property is listed, you will need listed building consent for any alterations, internal or external. Plus, even if it isn’t listed you will always need to comply with Building Regulations. Again, your architect can assist, or you can contact your planning department to discuss the regulations that will apply to your project. They will advise you on what information you need to submit to allow them to assess the work you are doing.

A Building Control inspector will visit your home to inspect the work and, if it meets all the standards, will issue a completion certificate. This paperwork is important when it comes to selling your property as it shows the work was properly done.

What other issues should I consider?

When knocking down internal walls, remember to think about sound, smell, clutter and privacy. If you’re joining your kitchen to your living area, for instance, think how you’ll deal with the noise of the washing machine on full spin cycle when you’re watching TV. If possible, move any noisy appliances to a separate utility room or cupboard.  Similarly, if you’re sensitive to smells, you may need to invest in a powerful extractor cooker hood, preferably silent.  And if you create a lot of mess when you cook, piles of dirty dishes will no longer be hidden from view. Privacy is also an important issue to bear in mind, especially if you have children and like your own space or to entertain friends.

The good news is many of these issues can be overcome with clever design solutions if they’re carefully considered and planned for at the start of your project.

How much will it cost?

Costs will vary hugely depending on the individual project. The first factor that can make a big difference is if the wall is load-bearing and requires a new support structure.  A steel beam may only cost a few hundred pounds, but the labour involved to build it into your home will bump up the cost. Relocating light switches, electrical sockets and radiators will also inevitably add to costs. And, of course, there are the costs of making good and redecorating, including re-plastering. Will you need to re-plaster and paint the whole open-plan space or just the area affected by the work? How will you deal with the flooring? When you’ve decided all these things and had the plans drawn up, give your builder a simple outline breakdown of the work, so they can give you written quotes. Architect and structural engineer fees will add to the cost.

Will it add value?

Large open living spaces are in great demand, but you will have fewer rooms by knocking through walls which could potentially devalue your property. That said, if it’s well designed and built it should add value. It’s worth checking, however, with a local estate agent as they’ll know the market and the difference knocking down internal walls could make to the value of your home. 

How long will it take?

Simply knocking down the wall can be done relatively quickly – probably in just a couple of days – but the other factors involved, such adding a support structure, changing the electrics and plumbing plus redecorating will add to the time it takes. Allow about three to five weeks on average. Most experienced builders will have tackled similar projects and should be able to give you a realistic timescale along with the estimated cost but add a few extra days to allow for any unforeseen delays.