How to Tell if a Wall Is Load Bearing Australia
How to determine if a wall is Load-bearing - Australia
We are very often asked if specific walls can be removed, as it often isn’t easy to tell if they can, just by looking at them. For new homes or houses that have undergone recent renovations, the task of find out if a wall is structural or not becomes a little more difficult.
The sure-fire way to find out if a wall is load-bearing is to hire a professional who has years of experience to come and determine it for you.
If you still want to find out for yourself here are a few things to try 🤔
1 – Check the house blueprints 📑
When renovating your home, it is important to know which walls are load-bearing and which ones aren’t. The original blueprints will tell you exactly what each letter means in the blueprint: S for a structural wall that can carry weight. When beginning a renovation project, checking out the original blueprints of one's house is crucial because they indicate whether or not certain areas should be reinforced with steel beams before continuing with construction.
2 – Is the wall external? 🧱
When you're removing an exterior wall, it will be a load-bearing one about 98% of the time. This may not always be true but most houses have them on all sides for structural support
If you are wanting to remove an external wall that is not entirely inside your home, there’s almost no doubt that this is going to be a structural wall because they act as supports and hold up the weight which would otherwise collapse. However, sometimes these walls aren't used primarily for carrying out such tasks (though their use does depend on what type of building material has been employed).
3 – Look on the lowest floor
If you have a basement in your home or building, this is an ideal place to start looking. If the wall on the above floor continues down to the lower one via an extension of the wall itself or has support beams instead, there is a high likelihood that the wall is load-bearing and structural to the building.
Most homes and commercial buildings in Australia don’t have basements, so the best place to start is on ground level. If you don’t have a basement, search for walls or beams that go straight into a concrete foundation or rebar; these are signs that the wall is load-bearing.
4 – Contact a professional
Wall removal and identifying a structural wall are difficult tasks.
Our team of professionals can help you identify structural walls and remove them for you, so that you don’t have to do the work yourself. We offer free quotes on wall removal services in Perth and surrounding areas. Contact us today!
The best way to get your house ready for sale is by removing any unnecessary walls or rooms from it. This will make the space seem larger than it actually is, which will increase its value significantly. Get in touch with our team today if you need assistance with this process!
Give us a call at (08) 9509 6004 or fill out our contact form online to get started right away!
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