Converting an internal cavity wall to single skinned

[david86]

I recently moved into my new house and I am renovating throughout.

 

I have a section of cavity wall that protrudes out into my kitchen, perpendicular to the main external cavity wall. After looking under the floorboards above, I've found half of it is supporting joists, but the other half just has plasterboard on top. Under building regulations is there any reason I can't remove half of the protruding cavity wall and patch brickwork into the main cavity wall where a hole will appear?

 

Before

 

After

 

Photos

 

 

 

[DevilDamo]

If the part you’re removing is not load bearing, then crack on. If in doubt, ask (a structural engineer). 

[ProDave]

Devil's advocate here, but it is only the first 2 or at most 3 joists that get intermediate support from that small wall.  The rest of that room the joists span all the way with no intermediate support.

 

I am willing to bet you could take that little wall down completely and all would be fine, but best to get a SE just to make sure there is not something silly like a joint in a joist on top of that wall.

[joe90]

20 minutes ago, ProDave said:

I am willing to bet you could take that little wall down completely and all would be fine,

It looks like that wall was built to create a lobby so yes probably not needed structurally.

[david86]

Thanks for the info, very helpful.

 

It does only support a couple of joists, but they run up to where the staircase is (there's a cupboard, with door, under the stairs too), so I think the supporting bit is still necessary? I should have added a slightly wider picture!

 

Like this:

[joe90]

21 minutes ago, david86 said:

so I think the supporting bit is still necessary?

I don’t think so if the joists are not joined above the wall and the same dimentions as the others. I still think it’s a small lobby for that outside door.

[Iceverge]

Off the wall idea here. 

 

Put some UFH loops or heating wire in the cavity and backfill with concrete. It'd be a mega storage heater. 

[david86]

1 hour ago, joe90 said:

I don’t think so if the joists are not joined above the wall and the same dimentions as the others. I still think it’s a small lobby for that outside door.

Ah, that makes sense. I'll do some more investigations.

 

1 hour ago, Iceverge said:

Off the wall idea here. 

 

Put some UFH loops or heating wire in the cavity and backfill with concrete. It'd be a mega storage heater. 

It wouldn't solve the "taking up space" problem, but like the ingenuity!

[joe90]

If you remove both brick skins you will need to bridge the cavity that existed in the wall (if this diagram is correct) but I doubt the cavity is in the internal wall.

Edited March 7, 2024 by joe90