Breaking a structural Wall needs a structural engineer.Building Inspections EngineersUpdated on Oct 12, 2017 View more like this | Visit France, UN | Contact structalis bureau d'étude |
Breaking a structural Wall needs a structural engineer.
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To open a room, install a French window or simply save space, the reasons for wanting to break a wall are many. But these walls that support the building require special precautions both in technique and in the procedures to be followed in which qualified professionals must intervene.
Asserting a load-bearing wall in your home is a very good option of jobs to gain space and light. Beware, however, the slaughtering of load-bearing walls is not insignificant because, as the name suggests, the supporting wall is a wall that plays an essential role in supporting the framework and floors of a building. It is therefore necessary to be very careful and to surround oneself of wise professionals to break a bearing wall. Under no circumstances should you perform this task alone. On the other hand, to cut down a load-bearing wall, you need permits. You will have to comply with certain obligations before starting your work, depending on the habitat in which you live.
Breaking a Wall: What You Should Do First
For a condominium dwelling, you will have to prepare a file with the specifications of the masonry company, the architect of the building and the BET (Technical Studies Office) that you have sent beforehand to explain your wishes for demolition or transformation of a supporting wall. A contradictory state of affairs will have to complete the file if it is a joint wall which can cause slight damage, cracks or peeling paint, even without gravity in your neighbors. The realization of this inventory, to be entrusted preferably to a bailiff guarantees you not to be annoyed by unscrupulous neighbors who would benefit from your work of slaughtering of wall carrying to seek to repair previous damages at home. Once established, the report must be submitted to the syndic of the co-ownership, if there is one, who will give you the authorization or not, to start your work. For a detached house, you will have to declare your works to the planning department of your town hall, especially if it is a wall facade likely to modify its external aspect. No need for a contradictory inventory, unless your house is adjoining. Finally, you will also need to involve a specialized demolition company and seek the advice of a BET so as not to jeopardize the structure of the house.
Why bring an architect and the BET to break a wall?
Because only an authorized architect will be able to verify the feasibility of your project and its consequences. If you break a part of a supporting wall to mount a door, for example, you must make sure to be able to replace the missing support elements with something else, other materials, another structure. And yes, it's nice of breaking a wall bearing but how to hold the remaining part above the newly created door or window? Precisely, only an architect worthy of the name will tell you. The BET, for its part, will determine the procedure for opening or removing the load-bearing wall and will choose, according to very precise calculations, the type of support element most suitable to be put in place for an optimum result.
Different techniques for breaking a supporting wall
Once these administrative formalities have been carried out, you will have only to entrust the work to professionals of the slaughter of load-bearing walls. You will soon find that the name "breaking a wall" is not accurate. One does not break a wall, it is cut by sawing it according to a very precise technique. For this purpose, it is necessary to ensure that the remaining wall is maintained by supporting it before cutting down the part of the supporting wall intended to disappear. Several techniques are used for this. For small openings between 80cm and 1m wide, the "girder on foundations" technique is indicated and the load of the struts is distributed between the floor and the ceiling on metal joists. The same system is used with the "gantry" technique where the operation consists in creating a jamb between two girders fixed to the ground and linked together. Here the load rests on each of the two beams. Perfect for openings up to 2m50. Finally, for the heaviest work, the technique of "2 half-beams" for walls of thick thickness with realization of slits and insertion of beams laid on a jamb.
Asserting a load-bearing wall in your home is a very good option of jobs to gain space and light. Beware, however, the slaughtering of load-bearing walls is not insignificant because, as the name suggests, the supporting wall is a wall that plays an essential role in supporting the framework and floors of a building. It is therefore necessary to be very careful and to surround oneself of wise professionals to break a bearing wall. Under no circumstances should you perform this task alone. On the other hand, to cut down a load-bearing wall, you need permits. You will have to comply with certain obligations before starting your work, depending on the habitat in which you live.
Breaking a Wall: What You Should Do First
For a condominium dwelling, you will have to prepare a file with the specifications of the masonry company, the architect of the building and the BET (Technical Studies Office) that you have sent beforehand to explain your wishes for demolition or transformation of a supporting wall. A contradictory state of affairs will have to complete the file if it is a joint wall which can cause slight damage, cracks or peeling paint, even without gravity in your neighbors. The realization of this inventory, to be entrusted preferably to a bailiff guarantees you not to be annoyed by unscrupulous neighbors who would benefit from your work of slaughtering of wall carrying to seek to repair previous damages at home. Once established, the report must be submitted to the syndic of the co-ownership, if there is one, who will give you the authorization or not, to start your work. For a detached house, you will have to declare your works to the planning department of your town hall, especially if it is a wall facade likely to modify its external aspect. No need for a contradictory inventory, unless your house is adjoining. Finally, you will also need to involve a specialized demolition company and seek the advice of a BET so as not to jeopardize the structure of the house.
Why bring an architect and the BET to break a wall?
Because only an authorized architect will be able to verify the feasibility of your project and its consequences. If you break a part of a supporting wall to mount a door, for example, you must make sure to be able to replace the missing support elements with something else, other materials, another structure. And yes, it's nice of breaking a wall bearing but how to hold the remaining part above the newly created door or window? Precisely, only an architect worthy of the name will tell you. The BET, for its part, will determine the procedure for opening or removing the load-bearing wall and will choose, according to very precise calculations, the type of support element most suitable to be put in place for an optimum result.
Different techniques for breaking a supporting wall
Once these administrative formalities have been carried out, you will have only to entrust the work to professionals of the slaughter of load-bearing walls. You will soon find that the name "breaking a wall" is not accurate. One does not break a wall, it is cut by sawing it according to a very precise technique. For this purpose, it is necessary to ensure that the remaining wall is maintained by supporting it before cutting down the part of the supporting wall intended to disappear. Several techniques are used for this. For small openings between 80cm and 1m wide, the "girder on foundations" technique is indicated and the load of the struts is distributed between the floor and the ceiling on metal joists. The same system is used with the "gantry" technique where the operation consists in creating a jamb between two girders fixed to the ground and linked together. Here the load rests on each of the two beams. Perfect for openings up to 2m50. Finally, for the heaviest work, the technique of "2 half-beams" for walls of thick thickness with realization of slits and insertion of beams laid on a jamb.
