Renovation & Design
Renovation & Design
Get professional opinion before removing wall
Question: I have a 1,070 square foot house, with a cottage roof, built in 1960. I would like to remove the wall between the living room and the kitchen, which spans the front of the house. How do I know if it is safe to do this?
Thanks, Lorne Verville
Answer:
Yours is a common question received during pre-purchase inspections, as prospective buyers often want to know whether planned wall removals will be structural concerns or not. It is often possible to determine this, but not without a thorough examination of the floor structure below and often the roof and ceiling structure from the attic. Assessing these areas should be the work of an architect, structural engineer, or experienced general contractor to avoid serious structural damage.
An old cliché’ comes to mind when addressing your question about the safe removal of a large partition wall in your home. "If you have to ask…" In other words, not knowing if this could be a serious problem should be your clue to call in a professional trained to answer that question. Also, to do work of this type, a building permit from the local municipality is required. To obtain the permit, a plan or drawing of the proposed renovation will have to be submitted. If there are structural components to the plan, the Building Authority may require the plan be reviewed and stamped by a professional structural engineer. If the plan is drawn up and submitted by an architect, that requirement may be waived. Either way, a trained professional will be required to review the plans and include the necessary structural components to compensate for the removed wall after completion.
Despite the previous warning, most interior partition walls can be removed, either completely or partially. In many cases, a large beam may have to be installed to replace the supporting properties of the old wall. The simplest way to accomplish this is to install the beam immediately under the ceiling where the wall studs were, but it may also be possible to hide the beam in the attic above. Two critically important criteria are that the beam is large enough to carry the load above, and that it is properly supported at the ends. This may require additional support for the floor below the columns or walls at the ends of the new beam, to prevent sagging or other structural damage.
While structural damage is obviously the biggest concern when planning to remove interior walls, there are other systems to take into consideration. Electrical wiring may be running through the existing wall, which will have to properly re-routed or removed. This may require not only disconnection or additional junction boxes in the floor below, but also similar actions above. If the wires are for ceiling lights, accessing the attic to attend to these old wires is likely. To ensure safe work in that regard, a licensed electrician is another professional that will be needed.
In the same vein as the wiring, relocating existing heating ducts within the partition wall may also pose a problem. It is possible that either the warm air ducting from the furnace, or the return air ducts, may be installed within the wall in question. If your home is a two-storey, the ducts may travel all the way to the upper floor, making relocation that much trickier. If the heating ducts and registers are near the exterior walls, then it may only be the return air you have to deal with. This may be considerably easier, as removal of the wall will create one larger room, where existing return air registers may be sufficient for the new space. Alternatively, if the return air registers are on both sides of the existing wall for both the kitchen and the living room, relocation of the ducts and register may be warranted. Again, calling in your friendly HVAC contractor to modify the ducts and registers may be required.
Finally, one thing that is often overlooked when homeowners plan to remove interior walls is the flooring. You will likely have different floor coverings in the kitchen and the living room and they may be different heights. Since your home is older, there may be several layers of flooring and subfloor sheathing, particularly in the kitchen. When the wall is removed there is not only the space where the old wall plate was to deal with, there is also the dissimilar flooring materials, and possible varying heights. It may not sound like a serious dilemma, but matching up these two areas of floor coverings can be quite tricky. It may require removal of more than one thickness of material to provide an even surface, which will necessitate replacement of the flooring. If you are already planning for upgrades to the floor coverings, this may be a smaller concern.
To directly answer your very succinct question, you don’t know whether it is safe to remove the wall without further professional evaluation. Contacting an architect, structural engineer, architectural technologist, or at a minimum an experienced contractor, to design the propose renovation will yield the answers you are seeking.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and the past president of the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors — Manitoba (cahpi.mb.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
Renovation & Design
Muriatic acid best for cleaning stubborn driveway stains
Question: It is time for spring cleaning and we have a paved driveway that we would like to clean. We used baking soda and Dawn dish soap already; it still needs more work. Do you have anything else to suggest? Thanks! Anne
Answer: Did you use baking soda in the following way? Sprinkle the driveway with a box of baking soda. Using a stiff brush dampened with water; scrub the area until the stains are gone. If the stains remain, scrub the driveway with one of the following: laundry detergent and water or TSP (trisodium phosphate) and water or washing soda and water. Rinse. As a last resort, combat tough stains with muriatic acid and a pressure washer. Apply the acid following the manufacturer’s directions, and let it soak for several seconds. Keep in mind that muriatic acid is a dangerous product; if you use it, wear rubber or latex gloves, safety goggles and protective clothing, and never wash it down storm drains. Test all solutions on an inconspicuous area first.
Question: What is the best way to cook vermicelli bean thread starch noodles? I find that they always stick together into one big clump. Thanks, Garth
Answer: In a heatproof bowl soak noodles in hot water for 10 minutes before cooking. If your plan is to use the noodles for soups or deep frying, pre-soaking is not necessary. Cook noodles in boiling water for 1-3 minutes; overcooking will cause them to stick together.
Question: I have such a mess of cords behind my TV from the Xbox, Wii, DVD, Blu-ray, PVR, etc. Any ideas of how to identify each cord so that I never again need to guess which cord belongs to each device? Shianne
Answer: Use a permanent marker to label bread clips with the unit name. Secure clips around each cord so that you never again need to guess which unit belongs with each cord.
Doll feedback
Dear Reena,
I am very offended by the person who wrote about her $100 American Girl doll. First of all, what kind of a person spends that much money on a doll? Secondly, she said if removal of the pen ink is not successful she is sending the doll to a doll hospital. Children are starving all over the world, perhaps she might want to rethink how she spends her money. Before splurging on pets and toys, people might want to consider feeding a few humans. Sincerely, Tori
Cool life hacks:
When preparing for a fancy dinner party, put grapes in the freezer. As you serve your guests glasses of wine, add a few frozen grapes for decoration and class.
— Mina
I live in an area where recycling is not available. Whenever I receive flyers, I line the inside of my garbage bags with them. Even if someone throws out liquid, the flyers absorb the spill and the bag never leaks.
— Mary
I have a trick that keeps my feet dry: I waterproof canvas shoes to prevent water from soaking my socks. Rub shoes with the side of a candle until the exterior is covered with wax. Melt with a hair dryer. Water can no longer soak through the fabric and shoes last much longer.
— Eleanor
Note: Every user assumes all risks of injury or damage resulting from the implementation of any suggestions in this column. Test all products on an inconspicuous area first.
I enjoy your questions and tips, keep them coming. Need a presenter on the topic: Effective Speaking or The Power of Words? Check out: Reena.ca
Renovation & Design
Every home, big or small, should have a mudroom
Given the volatile weather this spring, we all need to be prepared for all conditions, all of the time. Boots, umbrellas, coats and hats pile up the minute you and your family bound through the door, so if you don’t already have a mudroom, it’s time you did. A mudroom brings order to chaos and creating one — even in a tight space — is possible with a few smart purchases and some organizing know-how.
The location of your mudroom will dictate how it is outfitted and furnished. If you usually enter your house through the front door, that’s where you’ll put the mudroom — but it will also be the first space visitors see, so you don’t want it to look like a boot bomb went off. In other words, it needs to function like a mudroom but not look like one.
If you tend to enter your house through a back door, then you can take a more utilitarian approach. Either way, follow as many of these suggestions as you can.
Lay a foundation. An all-weather rug protects your floor at the same time it stands up to dirt and stains. Most such rugs are made from polypropylene, so they can be scrubbed and bleached. For entryways, consider using one of the many striped models from Dash & Albert; the friendly stripes visually draw you into the house. If necessary, use double-sided carpet tape to keep the rug from curling at the sides and becoming a hazard.
Invest in the building blocks. Buy a storage piece, such as a console fitted with several baskets, so you have a place to stash gloves, hats and scarves. If you have room, provide a bench or chair where you can sit to remove boots and shoes. For a more informal look, consider locker-style units or modular pieces such as those from Pottery Barn or Ballard Designs.
Add grace notes. A mirror hung above the console will make a small entry appear bigger and provides a place to check your appearance as you enter or leave your house. Place a lamp on the console so you don’t always have to rely on the overhead light — not only does a table lamp cast a more flattering glow, but it’s also a nice light to leave on so family members don’t have to return to a dark house. Add a tray on top of the console just big enough to hold a day’s worth of mail and your keys. (That way you can always find them.)
Put your coat closet to work. Often, a front-hall closet becomes the dumping ground for sports equipment, backpacks, dog leashes, wrapping paper, flashlights, toys — all the miscellaneous stuff of life.
Start by weeding though what you need and don’t need. Move anything that is taking up a lot of room (golf clubs, we’re looking at you) to the garage or basement.
Assess what you have left and group like items together. Hang a clear plastic shoe bag on the inside of your door. In each pocket, you can store and easily see items such as tennis balls, flashlights, dog leashes, sunglasses, sunscreen, mailing tape, twine, umbrellas — anything you might find yourself needing in a hurry as you run out the door.
If you have room, hang a canvas sweater bag from your closet rod. Kids can use its individual cubbies to store whatever they might need for school the next day, and you can use them for outerwear accessories. Keep seasonal items or anything you don’t need frequently in labelled boxes on your closet’s top shelf.
Don’t have a coat closet? Buy a standing coat rack or install wall hooks. In both cases, you will have a place to hang coats as well as totes filled with pet paraphernalia, sporting equipment and other things you take outside.
Separate your shoes. Have a large woven basket, closet shoe rack or boot trays (I like the rubber-lined zinc ones from Crate & Barrel) on the floor for everyday shoes. That means the messy rain boots, gym shoes, cleats, flip-flops and snow boots that bring dirt, sand and water into your house. They’re distinct from dress shoes, which can be kept in your clothing closet.
Stand for something. Finally, invest in an umbrella stand. Not only does it add a drop spot for wet gear and sporting goods, but it also lets you add a bit of whimsy to your mudroom. From sleek and modern vessels to chinoiserie painted porcelain, there is a stand for every style.
— The Washington Post
