Want to widen a doorway. Need advice (picture gallery inlcuded)

jderosa3

I have uploaded a gallery here to help show what I am asking about:

http://imgur.com/a/G1DCb

We are renovating our kitchen and want to widen a door way to put an island in. We do not believe this is load bearing and had a few friends tell us that it is not either. Just wanted a second opinion.

We are not taking the whole wall out and were told to place double studs on either end of the opening to add support, but because the joists are perpendicular to this wall we should not have any issues and would not need to add a support beam.

While there is a bathroom above I do not see an issue here from the guts I am looking at. We also have a living room that is the size of the kitchen and dining area combined with no wall erected in the center.

The beam you see in the last photo is the main beam in the basement to support the wall to the right of the one we want to open up. There are two of these beams for the center walls of the home that go up through the first and second floors. To me those have to be the load bearing ones.

Can anyone confirm that I can open this doorway with little worry? Thanks for any tips you can provide.

Just Bill

Disclaimer: None of what I say can be taken as gospel.

From the marks on the joists, this is an old house that had wood lath plaster, correct?? Possibly baloon framing??

I tend to agree the wall you call non load bearing, is correct.

But the wall you call load bearing, is not correct. There is a single top plate, and very little else supporting the floor above the opening. Not load bearing.

I would say you can open the doorway in question with no worries. I would recommend that someone local that understands such things, be consulted. But you have already filed the plans for your building permit?????????

jderosa3

I spoke with a carpentar today and he told me the same thing. And Yes... this is an old home... Balloon frame with plaster and lath. Obvisouly we will be insulating and reinforcing (just to be safe) the rest of the wall that will remain.

But you have already filed the plans for your building permit? I didn't know I had to. What's that for - how much does it cost?

yurtgirl

Not sure where u live but I just googled my county name and added building permits and got the correct link. Your carpenter should know where to get them. I was told if I were changing the structure of the home I needed a permit. Sounds like you will need one but it depends on your county. I'm in Ohio.