What You Need To Know Before Removing A Wall?

Are you considering removing an interior wall in your Adelaide home? Did your brother or father-in-law tell you that it was as easy as picking up a sledgehammer and applying some elbow grease?

There are a few things you should know before you start with this particular home improvement project.

Taking out a load bearing wall in Semaphore Adelaide South Australia

Things to Know Before You Remove a Wall

Let’s assume that you have a single-storey house. You will need to know the following before you start any work:

  • Is the wall load-bearing? There can be no guesswork here. Failure to redistribute or support the weight of a load-bearing wall can result in leaking roofs, cracked floors, or even the collapse of the entire house! You must hire a structural engineer to determine if the wall is load-bearing and to create a plan to redistribute the weight.
  • Does the wall contain wiring, plumbing, gas pipes, or vents? Many non-load-bearing walls contain these utilities. You will need to turn these items off and decide where they will be rerouted.
  • Will you need different interior lighting and ceiling work, and how do you plan to match the floor? Removing a wall may mean you will need to add lighting or repair the ceiling, and don’t forget the floor. There will be a gap between the floors in the two rooms that will need to be addressed.
  • Which permits or permissions do you need? Every wall removal project will require one or more permits. Failure to obtain the correct permit(s) can lead to big fines later.

If you don’t have the answers to these questions, be prepared for wild surprises and unexpected consequences.

By the way, if you started your project but feel over your head, don’t worry! Call the pros at Wall Removal Experts SA. We can finish your project quickly and easily!

How Do You Know If It’s Safe to Remove a Wall?

If you are certain that the wall is not load-bearing and there’s nothing inside the wall (or at least nothing you can’t handle) then it should be safe to remove a wall.

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Don’t forget that many walls contain some sort of utility lines, such as plumbing or gas pipes. If the wall has a light switch or an electrical outlet, you can guarantee that there is at least wiring inside the wall.

Put your ear to the wall and have someone run some hot water. You can usually hear water rushing or the hissing sound of gas moving inside the wall.

Rather than risk finding utilities you don’t know how to deal with, why not call the professionals at Wall Removal Experts SA?

We can do the job quickly and give you a hassle-free experience for far less than you thought possible.

How Can I Find Out If a Wall Is Load-Bearing?

The best and fastest way to discover if a wall is load-bearing is to look at the blueprints or plans for your home.

structural engineer load bearing wall removal in Henley Beach Woodville South Australia

We realise that most people don’t have those so let’s look at other ways you can tell.

  1. Inspect the Foundation. If the wall you want to remove is parallel to the foundation (such as exterior walls) then chances are that it is a load-bearing wall
  2. Check the Joists in the Basement. If the wall you are thinking of removing runs parallel to the joists, then it probably isn’t a load-bearing wall.
  3. Does the Wall Run Perpendicular? If a wall runs perpendicular to the floor joists, then it is probably a load-bearing wall.

That said, we do NOT recommend guessing when it comes to removing a load-bearing wall. Since you will need to hire a structural engineer to determine if your project contains a load-bearing wall, why not hire the professional team at Wall Removal Experts SA?

We are your trusted, home-town wall removal experts who can remove that internal wall quickly and safely!

Did we mention that we clean up completely afterward?

Call us today!

Will I Need a Permit to Remove a Wall?

Yes, you will, and sometimes more than one!

Depending on how big the wall is, how many walls will be removed, whether the wall you are removing is a structural wall or not, the type of roof structure, and other factors, you could need more than one type of permit.

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If you fail to obtain the proper permits or fail to get all the necessary permits you need, this could end up costing you quite a bit in fines and penalties.

While permits aren’t complicated, they can be confusing.

Don’t let the removal of an interior wall cause you headaches (and empty your wallet!)

Call our friendly staff today at Wall Removal Experts SA.

What to Do Before Removing a Wall Inside Your Adelaide Home

Let’s assume that you’ve determined that the wall you want to remove is not a load-bearing wall and that you have the tools and skills to reroute anything you find inside, such as electrical wiring.

  • Obtain the necessary permits/permissions.
  • Disconnect all utilities before starting. This includes electricity, water, and natural gas.
  • This is an extremely dusty, dirty job. Seal off the rest of the house (if possible) and cover floors and furniture.
  • Remove any skirting boards, pictures, shelves, or other items that might become damaged.
  • Rent a dumpster for the debris. Yes, you will need one! You can’t put construction debris in your regular trash bin.
  • Put that sledgehammer to work!

DO NOT attempt to remove a load-bearing wall unless you are a structural engineer or architect!

How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Wall Inside My Home?

This will depend on several factors such as if we are removing a load-bearing or a non-load-bearing wall, an interior or exterior wall, how big the wall is, and other factors.

Ingle Farm home after wall removal

An average-sized internal wall made of timber costs about $1,350 per square metre. The average-sized brick wall will cost $1,500 per square metre.

Load-bearing walls will cost considerably more, starting at about $4,000.

These prices are for single-storey homes. Multi-storied homes may cost more.

Call us today for a free, more accurate quote.

If you’ve gotten in over your head, call us right away and get your project back on track!

We Are Your Trusted Wall Removal Experts in Adelaide

With more than two decades of experience, Wall Removal Experts SA is the choice most people make when they want walls removed from their homes.

Our company is family-owned and operated. Our employees have a long list of skills so no matter what type of home renovation project you have in mind, we are the professionals who can handle the job.

Those DIY shows online make removing a wall look easy, but they often leave out many details.

We receive calls every month from Adelaide homeowners who thought they could handle the job themselves. That’s fine, we are happy to help homeowners finish what they started.

Don’t waste your hard-earned cash and several weekends trying to remove a wall inside your home.

Hire professionals and get the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve hired the best.

Call us today for a free quote and get the home of your dreams tomorrow!

Why Choose Wall Removal Experts SA?

We understand that there are plenty of companies vying for your business.

Our name says it all- We are Wall Removal Experts SA. We want you to keep our name in mind when considering your options.

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We never sublet our work out to inexperienced or lesser-quality contractors. We guarantee that we will always have a supervisor on-site to ensure that your project is being done safely and according to your plans.

All of our employees are licensed, bonded, and insured, so you can feel safe knowing who is inside your home.

No one does it better!

We do all the hard work (and clean up!) so you don’t have to.

Call our professional team today and you can rest easy knowing your project is in the hands of the highly skilled team at Wall Removal Experts SA.

Call for Your Free Quote Today!

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FAQs

Q: Do I need permission in Adelaide to remove a wall?

A: Yes, you do. Sometimes you will need more than one permit to remove a wall, depending on the circumstances. Failure to obtain permission or failure to obtain the proper permits can be a costly mistake when it comes time to sell. Don’t make a costly mistake!

The pros at Wall Removal Experts SA know which permits you need and will obtain them for you.

Q: How do you know if it’s safe to remove a wall?

A: If you are certain that the wall is not load-bearing, the wall is safe to remove. However, keep in mind that many walls have hidden features inside, such as electrical wiring, plumbing, gas pipes, and venting. These items will need to be rerouted elsewhere and, the fact is that many DIYers do not have the tools or skills to do this.

If you’ve started to remove a wall in your home but found it to be more complicated than you originally thought, call us today. We can help you complete your project in no time!

Q: How do you know which walls are load-bearing?

A: Exterior walls are almost always load-bearing. When it comes to interior walls, look at the joists in the basement or crawl space. If the wall aligns with the joists, it is load-bearing. Also, walls that are perpendicular to the joists are often load-bearing.

It is vital that you contact a structural engineer to determine if the wall you want to remove is load-bearing. This is one area where guesswork can cause a major disaster!