Removing a load-bearing wall: how is it done safely?

Removing a load-bearing wall is possible, but never just like that. A load-bearing wall carries floors, walls or the roof above it. If you take it out, something else has to take over that load, usually a steel beam on solid bearings. A structural engineer determines the beam section and the bearings, and the contractor props the structure temporarily and installs the beam. Whether you need a permit or notification differs per situation. Below you can read how it works in practice, from the first check to the finish.

How do you recognise a load-bearing wall?

A load-bearing wall often runs at right angles to the floor joists or carries the floor of the storey above. Party walls and facades are almost always load-bearing. A thick brick inner wall that recurs in the same place on every floor is often load-bearing too.

These signs give no certainty. Look at the building drawings if you have them, and have it assessed if in doubt. A wall that sounds hollow can still carry part of the load.

• Wall runs at right angles to the floor joists
• There is a wall in the same place on the floor above
• Brick or concrete wall, often thicker than 10 centimetres
• Facades and party walls are almost always load-bearing

Why do you need a structural engineer for removing a load-bearing wall?

The structural engineer works out what load the wall carries and which steel beam can take it over. The bearings on both sides matter too: that is where the weight is concentrated. Sometimes an extra column or a reinforcement in the foundations is needed.

With that structural justification you know for sure that the house stays safe. The council may also ask for it, particularly with an environmental permit. See the permit for a renovation.

How does removing a load-bearing wall work?

First the structure above the wall is temporarily supported with steel props. Then the wall is demolished and the bearings are prepared. Next the steel beam is installed, levelled and packed with non-shrink mortar, so that it takes over the load immediately. Only then are the props removed.

The work creates dust and noise, but often takes only a few days. If you are living in the house during the work, read renovating while you live there.

How do you neatly conceal the steel beam?

A steel beam often needs fire protection, for example with fire-resistant boards. If the beam hangs below the ceiling, it can be concealed in a bulkhead or a suspended ceiling. See making a bulkhead. If you want a flush ceiling without a visible beam, the beam can sometimes be set into the floor. That does mean more work.

After installation come the plastering, the floor where the old wall stood and the rest of the finishing. Afterwards you will see nothing of the intervention.

When do you choose to remove a load-bearing wall?

A load-bearing wall often disappears in a renovation towards an open kitchen, or with an extension where the old rear wall is opened up. The work then fits into one schedule with everything else. Also read an extension for a kitchen diner.

If you live in a flat, you also need permission from the owners' association (VvE), because load-bearing walls are part of the shared structure.

Frequently asked questions