Residents of apartment buildings sometimes think about whether it is possible to make an opening in a load-bearing wall? People think not just like that, but because such a question is relevant for them. That is why we will deal with this topic today. We will learn everything about the opening in the load-bearing wall in various houses, and also look at this issue from the point of view of both residents and supervisory organizations and consider ways to legally resolve this issue. Let's get started.
Why make an opening in a load-bearing wall
An opening is sometimes needed to change the layout in an apartment or organize an additional exit from the apartment, if we are talking about living space located on the first floor of a building. I must say that this question is not new and not uncommon. Making a doorway in a load-bearing wall is not even difficult, it is more difficult to do all this according to the law, without violating any norms, but more on that below. Now let's talk about something else.
Important aspects in this matter
Of course, you can't just want to make an opening in the load-bearing wall of the house and make your plan come true. Before this process, there is a lot to do and a lot of things to consider. The most important aspects in this matter:
- Consider the material of load-bearing walls.
- Pay attention to the layout of your home.
- It is important to correlate the dimensions of the future doorway in the load-bearing wall and the dimensions of the wall itself.
- Analyze the condition of your house, in particular, you are interested in the condition of the floors in it.
- Really evaluate the load that is placed on the load-bearing wall from above.
- Analyze the thickness of the wall and its technical condition.
Wooden house made of timber
Although the twenty-first century is already in full swing in the yard, multi-apartment wooden houses still exist and are operated in our country. It is possible to organize a doorway in the load-bearing wall of such a house. It is especially easy to do this if, for example, you want to install a door instead of a window without expanding the opening. In wooden houses, the window sill and the wall under it are not a supporting structure. For this reason, it is possible to change a window to a door in a load-bearing wall in a wooden house.
If we are talking about a house made of timber, then everything is quite simple. Of course, the opening in the load-bearing wall will still weaken it. But if the log cabin of a house made of timber is in decent condition, as well as the load-bearing walls are even, made with high quality, thoroughly tied up, then there is always the necessary margin of safety.
It is worth understanding that it is impossible to give knowinglythe exact answer to the question of whether it is possible to make an opening in the load-bearing wall of a house from a bar, you need to study each case separately and then make a decision.
After it is done, it will need to be strengthened. Reinforcement of openings in the load-bearing walls of a house made of timber can be done using steel corners or channels (vertical installation).
After you cut a hole in the wall from the timber, you will need to complete the casing. To do this, there is a vertical spike (groove) at the ends of the logs, this is done in order to then put a thick board with a groove (thorn) on it. This is a kind of protection against gradual extrusion under load. In addition, do not forget to leave technological gaps that are necessary in case of thermal expansion of wood or temporary swelling of wood from a moisture source.
Wooden frame house
Unfortunately, such apartment buildings still exist. In principle, it is also possible to make an opening in the load-bearing wall in them. But it is important not to get into the frame element. To avoid this, the easiest way is to make a doorway in the place where the window was, without expanding the opening. Such a need arises when residents of an apartment want, for example, to get a separate exit to the street, but this is only relevant for residents of the first floor.
If you are making a door in a wall where there is no window, then you need to carefully and gradually disassemble the place in the wall where you plan to make a doorway. When you get to the frame of the wall, you can plan everything correctly and safely. The opening is strengthened according to the principle that we examined using the example of a house fromtimber.
Panel house
A lot of people live in such houses. And as we all know, the layout of old panel houses is not very successful. It is for this reason that many people decide to redevelop, during which it is sometimes necessary to make an opening in the panel load-bearing wall of the house.
To implement the idea, you will need to cut out parts of the concrete slab, and it holds the upper tiers of the building. It is necessary to make sure that the load is redirected from this section. Redirection is done using special steel jumpers.
You will need a project for an opening in the load-bearing wall of a panel house for your specific case. After you receive the project, you can start work. Initially, you will need to mark up the wall, based on your project. After that, holes are drilled according to the marked marks, they will be the base points. The main base points are located in the upper corners. Taking a guide to these points, you can remove part of the concrete of the wall and lay a special jumper. If your jumper consists of two parts, then first you need to install each half in the opening, going some distance beyond its borders. After that, you need to make a hole for the screed with bolts and then tighten the bolts as tight and strong as possible, then all this is concreted.
Until the solution dries completely, you can not continue to work, as this may lead to a violation of the integrity of the structure. After the concrete has hardened, you can begin to make the opening itself. He cuts out withusing diamond cutters. The work is carried out in stages. It includes the following processes:
- Cutting a general contour to a relatively shallow depth on both sides (a guide to the drilled marks).
- Dividing an opening by cutting into relatively small sections.
- Cutting the wall into these sections and knocking the sections out of the opening one by one.
It often happens that during the construction of openings in the load-bearing walls of a panel house, the floor is damaged. To avoid this, you need to use a special elastic mat or resort to improvised means. The mat can be replaced with regular car tires.
Brick house
In order to make an opening in the load-bearing brick wall of an apartment building, you need a slightly different technique, which is different from what we discussed above. The first stage of such work remains unchanged. That is, you need to outline the approximate location of your future opening.
After that, you need to remove the top layer of plaster, this will allow you to completely free the brickwork. Now you will clearly see all the seams, elements of the wall and its features, if any.
All contours of your future doorway should be corrected taking into account the actual location of the brick seam in your wall. The jumper (strengthening) of the opening is done by analogy with the option discussed above with a panel house. It is only important to understand that the lintel in the brickwork will perform its functions inin full only when it is correctly placed (placing clearly in the inter-suture space). To transfer the contours, you will need a drill (through holes are made).
It should be understood that the opening in the bearing brick wall is the most difficult option. Strengthening the wall will require additional organization of auxiliary supports and lintels from channels, until they are installed along the contour of the opening, then the upper masonry will need a safety support.
Cutting the opening is done slowly and carefully, it is best done with diamond drills, this will minimize damage to the wall.
An important step in creating a new opening in a masonry load-bearing wall is the fixing of a reinforcing channel. The channel can be replaced with a reinforcing structure made of metal corner profiles and plates of sufficient cross section and thickness. Strengthening is done around the entire perimeter of the opening. The parts of the reinforcing structure are securely bolted together and additionally welded by arc welding.
Reasons for organizing the opening
A new doorway in an apartment's load-bearing wall may be needed in several different ways:
- Connection (association) of living room and kitchen.
- Expansion of the bathroom due to the corridor that leads to the kitchen (the need for an opening between the kitchen and the living room).
- Demolition of the window sill part of the wall (for organizing a separate exit or forcombining a loggia and a living room).
- Connection (association) of two neighboring apartments.
These are the main reasons, but not all. We have named only the most common causes, according to statistics. If your reason is not on the list, this does not mean at all that in your case it is impossible to organize an opening due to a ban at the legislative level. All cases are individual, they are also considered and resolved on an individual basis.
Coordination of the opening in the load-bearing wall
We covered how to make and reinforce openings in walls of various materials, but didn't talk about the most important point. Before starting work, you will need to consult a specialist and obtain appropriate permits for such redevelopment. The organization of the opening in the bearing wall refers to redevelopment.
Coordination with supervisory authorities takes place after a special technical survey and preparation of an appropriate project for future redevelopment by competent persons with specialized education and the necessary experience in this field. If everything goes well, then you can go directly to the coordination. Let's consider everything in more detail to make it clearer:
- Obtaining the technical passport of the premises. To do this, you need to contact a special organization that designed your house, where you should order a special technical examination of the supporting structures in your apartment. In the same place, you should get a conclusion that will say about the possibilityarrangement of openings you need in your apartment. If it is not possible to contact the author of the project, then you should contact another design organization that has access to such work.
- Next, a design engineer goes to the site (to your apartment), he will take all the necessary measurements and prepare a project for redevelopment in your apartment by a design organization.
- After all this, it will be necessary to agree on the finished project with the DEZ, Rospotrebnadzor, Gospozhnadzor. When the approval is completed, it will be necessary to collect the necessary package of documents. These documents will need to be sent to the Housing Inspectorate (Inspection for Residential Premises) or the City Prefecture (Inspection for Non-Residential Premises) for review.
- Next, the appropriate permission will be obtained. It is worth noting that the redevelopment should be carried out only by the organization that has the appropriate permit for this type of work. Upon completion of all repairs in your apartment, the company is obliged to provide you with a log of repair and construction work, as well as an act for hidden work.
- Special design organization is engaged in architectural supervision. She also makes sure that the correct and reliable reinforcement of the openings is made in your apartment.
One can understand that the path of agreement is not short, but this is a feature of our country. No one will ever cancel bureaucratic difficulties in our country. This makes me a little sad.
But it pleases the moment that the people who legalized the dooropening in the load-bearing wall of his apartment, a lot. That is, despite all the difficulties, everything is quite real. Therefore, if you need such an opening, then be patient and start the procedure.
Illegal opening
Some people go the other way, but we don't recommend it. These people take and make the opening they need in the load-bearing wall at their own peril and risk, and then they begin to legalize. Let's say that it will be very, very difficult to do this.
First of all, you will need to go to the organization that is the author of the design of your house, or to another that carries out such activities if your organization does not already exist. She will have to conclude from the design documentation in general about the possibility of organizing the opening that you have already made.
If it turns out that it can be arranged, then a qualified specialist will go to the place (to your apartment) and check the design of your finished opening. He will also evaluate the feasibility of his device in a particular place. Let's say right away that in most cases, strengthening a self-made opening in a load-bearing wall turns out to be wrong. In these cases, additional reinforcement is made by carrying out additional work by already qualified specialists.
It is important that you cannot avoid the need to pay a fine for arbitrariness. And if the device of the opening, according to the results of a special technical opinion, turns out to be generally inappropriate, then it will have to be laid at its own expense. It turns out that the legal way is easier, faster andcheaper.
Summing up
Making the opening you want in your apartment is almost always possible, but it's important to do it right. Do not engage in amateur activities, in which case it is not only punishable, but can even cause real harm to both you and your many housemates. If it turns out that there is no way to organize an opening, then you just need to put up with it.
