Cost of taking down load bearing wall?

quad_red

Looking to get a ballpark on how much it might cost to take down a wall between the kitchen and dining room in our new house!

Built circa 2001, it's a plasterboard covered wall. It's 4.4 metres in length. Neighbours who have had the job done confirm it's a load bearing wall.

There is one doorway and a radiator on each side of the wall. So both those rads would have to be relocated approx 3/4 metres.

Anyone take an estimated guess as to how much that job would cost? Obviously, give it's a major structural amendment, a structural engineers tick off would be required.

I know there's probably gonna be a significant price differential between a visible beam below the roof and a flush ceiling. Any idea how much?

ccsolar

quad_red wrote: »

Looking to get a ballpark on how much it might cost to take down a wall between the kitchen and dining room in our new house!

Built circa 2001, it's a plasterboard covered wall. It's 4.4 metres in length. Neighbours who have had the job done confirm it's a load bearing wall.

There is one doorway and a radiator on each side of the wall. So both those rads would have to be relocated approx 3/4 metres.

Anyone take an estimated guess as to how much that job would cost? Obviously, give it's a major structural amendment, a structural engineers tick off would be required.

I know there's probably gonna be a significant price differential between a visible beam below the roof and a flush ceiling. Any idea how much?

Hi
You are looking in the region of €3500 inc vat
That price is for the removal of a solid block fire place and the fitting of supporting steel, plastering of the bulk head, fitting 2 down lights in the bulk head, plumbing and the removal of all rubbish off site
Your job would be considerably cheaper if it's a stud wall but most load bearing walls are block.
Where are you based?
Cc

detective

I've a similar job. Load bearing wall between kitchen and living area. One radiator on living room side, electrics on other side for oven/hob. Wall is about 5 meters long.

I've attached an image of original plans. Note however that kitchen appliances are at other side of room on the wall in question and not as per plans.

quad_red

ccsolar wrote: »

Hi
You are looking in the region of €3500 inc vat
That price is for the removal of a solid block fire place and the fitting of supporting steel, plastering of the bulk head, fitting 2 down lights in the bulk head, plumbing and the removal of all rubbish off site
Your job would be considerably cheaper if it's a stud wall but most load bearing walls are block.
Where are you based?
Cc

Thanks CCsolar. I've attached images (excuse the mess).

It's definitely not a block wall. From a precise ( ) tapping survey, there are approx seven uprights in the wall from the left edge to the door. Hollow inbetween them. They seem to be placed approx 40/45cms apart.

BryanF

quad_red wrote: »

We're based in NCD. Any recommendations?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056682402&page=7

ccsolar

Hi quad
It looks very straight forward, is your house a bungalow or 2 story?
You could be looking around the €1500 - €2000 mark for that job
Make sure your contractor has insurance to cover the work.
Everybody seems to be knocking down walls in their homes now, we have 4 similar jobs on at the moment, check out your options for the grant aid just released in the budget...
Cc

ccsolar

detective wrote: »

I've a similar job. Load bearing wall between kitchen and living area. One radiator on living room side, electrics on other side for oven/hob. Wall is about 5 meters long.

I've attached an image of original plans. Note however that kitchen appliances are at other side of room on the wall in question and not as per plans.

Hi Detective
I would estimate you would be looking at around the €3000 mark max
It's hard to tell just by looking at the drawing, you will need to consider the flooring on both sides of the wall... Will you be able to find tiles to match the kitchen or you could be looking at a total retile??
Where are you based?
Cc

quad_red

ccsolar wrote: »

Hi quad
It looks very straight forward, is your house a bungalow or 2 story?
You could be looking around the €1500 - €2000 mark for that job
Make sure your contractor has insurance to cover the work.
Everybody seems to be knocking down walls in their homes now, we have 4 similar jobs on at the moment, check out your options for the grant aid just released in the budget...
Cc

Thanks Cssolar.

It's a 2 storey semi D.

With the jobs you're doing - are ye putting the RSJ below the ceiling or are you hiding it within the joists?

Any advice/observations to make on which option works best?

Thanks v much,
Quad

detective

ccsolar wrote: »

Hi Detective
I would estimate you would be looking at around the €3000 mark max
It's hard to tell just by looking at the drawing, you will need to consider the flooring on both sides of the wall... Will you be able to find tiles to match the kitchen or you could be looking at a total retile??
Where are you based?
Cc

I'm based in Waterford/Tipperary area. Total retile required!

ccsolar

detective wrote: »

I'm based in Waterford/Tipperary area. Total retile required!

The Tiling should cost between €14 - €16 Sqm
Cc

ccsolar

quad_red wrote: »

Thanks Cssolar.

It's a 2 storey semi D.

With the jobs you're doing - are ye putting the RSJ below the ceiling or are you hiding it within the joists?

Any advice/observations to make on which option works best?

Thanks v much,
Quad

Hi Quad
It will be very hard to fit a steel beam within the joists without doing some major work, we would normally fit the beams below the ceiling and build a bulk head around them, stick in some LED down lights and make it into a feature.
I think in your case it will have to be a steel beam below the ceiling, but a site survey will determine this by your builder.
See attached photos
Cc

kennyb3

Hi Quad,

Just wondering if you ever went ahead with this? Or if you even got some quotes from someone in the NCD area?

We've the exact same issues, except I know the wall the radiator has to go onto is the adjoining one with the neighbours house so the builder said it would have to be re-slabbed and brought out about 1/1.5 inches to run the piping out. Waiting to hear back on a quote.

quad_red

Hi folks,

I realise I'm resurrecting a slightly older thread here but would appreciate advice.

We've had three builders out to price the job.

All priced at approx €1,600 to put in an RSJ below the ceiling.

But given we want to go open plan, we also had them price putting the RSJ into the ceiling. And this is where it gets strange.

The prices for this go from €2,000 to €3,500. Both insistent they will use the appropriate RSJ as specified by a structural engineer etc.

The guy Mrs Quad likes has done similar jobs nearby to a very high visual standard (I suppose that's just plastering in the end). And he is also cheapest to do the bigger RSJ into the ceiling job - charging €400 more than the below the ceiling price.

Whereas the other guys were saying it would turn a 2 day job into a week long job etc.

Any advice here? Is the cheap guy too good to be true? We're really tight for money so it's attractive but my cautious nature warns about deals that are too good to be true!

Quad

cardwizzard

Just because he's the cheapest doesn't mean he's the worst. Likewise the dearest contractor isn't always the best. Check references, insurance and listen to your gut.

quad_red

cardwizzard wrote: »

Just because he's the cheapest doesn't mean he's the worst. Likewise the dearest contractor isn't always the best. Check references, insurance and listen to your gut.

Thanks Cardwizzard. All of them claim to be fully insured and had no problems with me checking their insurance details (which I haven't done yet but would do).

Well, the cheapest guy did a big extension on a neighbours house a few doors up. Allot of steel (far more than ours), very good finish. She couldn't recommend him highly enough.

It's just making me jittery that he's saying putting the RSJ into the ceiling is a bit more work (€400 more not including the plumber moving pipes).

Whereas the other guy we have personal recommendations for (just finished a job for friends and they were very impressed) is saying it goes from being a two day job to a week long job, went on about all the supports they'd have to put in, the fact they'd be cutting into the joist, might have to do work from above etc.

Would appreciate a bit of advice - how do builders cost a job before seeing the structural engineers requirements?

Should we go and get a structural engineer to report on what needs to be done now so we can make sure the builders are quoting on the same bloody thing?

Thanks
Quad

cardwizzard

Exactly make sure your comparing apples with apples. If you want get a report done and ask them to quote using that.

Check insurance now, so your not left dissappointed when you make a decision. Id put a lot of stock in references from your family/friends.

canogadub

Hi just wondering if you or anyone else went ahead with this and how much it cost? And whether youd recommend the builder you used? We're about to move and want to remove a load bearing wall and insert rsj (below ceiling would be fine)

Gumbo

canogadub wrote: »

Hi just wondering if you or anyone else went ahead with this and how much it cost? And whether youd recimmend the builder you used? We're about to mive and want to remive a load bearing wall and insert rsj (below ceiling would be fine)

Allow 3-5k imho

BryanF

kceire wrote: »

Allow 3-5k imho

+ please allow for a structural evaluation by an independent structural engineer.

Gumbo

BryanF wrote: »

+ please allow for a structural evaluation by an independent structural engineer.

+1

My 3-5k was for the construction works based on similar jobs in recent times.
You could expect an engineers few of up to €1k inclusive of VAT. probably less but I'll give you the worse case.

Johnnyq79

Hello.

I was thinking the people here might be able to answer a question of mine. Thinking of doing a full length extension out the back of our 3 bed semi. Would be 6m in length, 'maybe 4m out. I would love to remove all the wall of the existing house.
I am of the understanding that supports would have to be put through the upstairs walls, hence repairing them.
I also was wondering if the rsj could be put into the wall, ie, no bulk head.
Anyone done anything like this? How much would the open wall be?
Thanks.

Gumbo

Johnnyq79 wrote: »

Hello.

I was thinking the people here might be able to answer a question of mine. Thinking of doing a full length extension out the back of our 3 bed semi. Would be 6m in length, 'maybe 4m out. I would love to remove all the wall of the existing house.
I am of the understanding that supports would have to be put through the upstairs walls, hence repairing them.
I also was wondering if the rsj could be put into the wall, ie, no bulk head.
Anyone done anything like this? How much would the open wall be?
Thanks.

Yes it's possible. I done it this year in my parents home and countless others.
More expensive as you have to insert the beam up into the joists and cut out each one, most likely with a plate under to catch the timber.

No way of giving ball park price with seeing the drawing.

Johnnyq79

kceire wrote: »

Yes it's possible. I done it this year in my parents home and countless others.
More expensive as you have to insert the beam up into the joists and cut out each one, most likely with a plate under to catch the timber.

No way of giving ball park price with seeing the drawing.

i know a steel upright could go right in the midde of the span, but my query would be to do it without this support. No rough figure for that? What would the difference be?

Gumbo

Johnnyq79 wrote: »

i know a steel upright could go right in the midde of the span, but my query would be to do it without this support. No rough figure for that? What would the difference be?

Beam across taking the upstairs wall, then 2 columns down to foundation level either side and probably a reinforced ground beam at rising wall level connecting the bottom of both columns.

Hard to price for these jobs in isolation as you have to do a lot of prep work just to get to that stage. Will the same guy be doing the extension too?
Are you bringing in different guys just to do the steel?

Have a look at the extension pic in my signature, we had an open apex roof, no horizontal ties and to achieve that we had steel box sections to take the roof loads.

The steel alone for that extension was 5k (as I paid the supplier and erector directly) and on top of that was the builders labour to prepare the ground, pour beams etc and make good as part of the over all project.

Johnnyq79

kceire wrote: »

Beam across taking the upstairs wall, then 2 columns down to foundation level either side and probably a reinforced ground beam at rising wall level connecting the bottom of both columns.

Hard to price for these jobs in isolation as you have to do a lot of prep work just to get to that stage. Will the same guy be doing the extension too?
Are you bringing in different guys just to do the steel?

Have a look at the extension pic in my signature, we had an open apex roof, no horizontal ties and to achieve that we had steel box sections to take the roof loads.

The steel alone for that extension was 5k (as I paid the supplier and erector directly) and on top of that was the builders labour to prepare the ground, pour beams etc and make good as part of the over all project.

Thanks for info. How do I check out your "signature" pictures?

Gumbo

Johnnyq79 wrote: »

Thanks for info. How do I check out your "signature" pictures?

Click it

Johnnyq79

kceire wrote: »

Click it

Nice extension by you alright. Lovely job on hiding the steel.
Only bidding on the house right now, if successful, plans will be drawn up down the line. Many thanks for your help.

Gumbo

Johnnyq79 wrote: »

Nice extension by you alright. Lovely job on hiding the steel.
Only bidding on the house right now, if successful, plans will be drawn up down the line. Many thanks for your help.

No problem.
Hiding the steel wasn't by accident. It was in my drawings/design from the start

Best of luck.

quad_red

kceire wrote: »

Click it

Kceire - that's a really lovely job, mate. We did something similar but I have to ask...

where did ye get that light tree? That's so cool.

Gumbo

quad_red wrote: »

Kceire - that's a really lovely job, mate. We did something similar but I have to ask...

where did ye get that light tree? That's so cool.

Electrical retailers down on Richmond Road.
It was circa 1k though

Bumble Bee2

Hi folks,

I realise I'm resurrecting a slightly older thread here but would appreciate advice.

Cost of taking down load bearing wall in Dublin?
Looking to get a ballpark on how much it might cost to take down a wall between the kitchen and dining room in our house!

Built circa 1997, it's a plasterboard covered load bearing wall. It's 8'6" metres in length.

There is one doorway to be plaster boarded and another to be removed and a radiator on each side of the wall. So one those rads would have to be relocated to the wall opposite or where suitable.

Anyone take an estimated guess as to how much that job would cost? Obviously, give it's a major structural amendment, a structural engineers tick off would be appreciated putting in an appropriate RSJ below the ceiling, covering it and plastering.

And how long will a job like this take?

If anyone can recommend a reliable insured person that can do it on a low budget amount.