[dialmformarco]

I would like some help. I bought my first house last year and I want to make it an open concept. I am a DIY guy, and I have no experience with a big project like taking out a wall. Is this wall load bearing and can I raise the ceiling height. in the kitchen.

I am able to stick my phone in the over stove vent hole in the cabinets to show you pictures from in the ceiling

wall from living room
https://ibb.co/7gjzH03
wall from kitchen
https://ibb.co/jkvrDh8
in kitchen ceiling facing directly right
https://ibb.co/vPXHfy7
in kitchen ceiling facing right away from wall
https://ibb.co/2yJmj0H
in kitchen ceiling facing directly left towards outside
https://ibb.co/cyt5WR0

let me know if you need more pics or clarification

Thanks

 

[dialmformarco]

I figured out how to add attachments

 

[Bud9051]

It looks like a stick built roof as opposed to a truss built. But what you want would be a major DIY project and major destruction of what is there.

Without trusses some of the interior walls will probably be load bearing.

To vault of coffer the kitchen ceiling should have some engineering plans, IMO.

Back off of the DIY and ask a couple of contractors for bids and take notes. The knowledge you gain plus the cost information will help a lot.

Bud

 

[HotRodx10]

Can't really tell the orientation of the joists from the pictures. Based on what I can see, I'd would say there's a good chance the kitchen wall is a load bearing wall. It seems likely the ceiling could be raised 3-1/2". Whether the ceiling could be raised more than that, and what walls are load bearing, are questions that can only be answered correctly by a local structural engineer who has examined and analyzed the complete framing system.

 

[dialmformarco]

Okay. Thanks for the input. Sounds like the next step is to get someone here.
Do I request a contractor or engineer to look at it?
Should I try and find the plans for the house or just let them figure it out?

 

[Nealtw]

The sunshine ceiling was standard fare in the mid seventies. Pull the light fixture out of there, and you will see that the ceiling is not much to remove.

If the ends of the floor joists land on the wall in question, it will be load bearing but that still doesn't mean you can't do something with it.

 

[dialmformarco]

The kitchen is underneath the second floor master suite. I realize I didn't share that info. With my little knowledge, I think trusts have to do with the roof, and I'm showing in between floors

 

[dialmformarco]

Looking at it again there is an upper and lower joists. There is nothing attached to the lower joist except drywall until each wall.

feel free to clue me in on terminology if I am naming things wrong lol

 

[dialmformarco]

I just realized that I can't see how the load is transferred. Should I take a peek inside the other side of the wall to look at the frame.

It looks like the joists run parallel to the wall in question, which is why I think its not load bearing. At the same time I have 0 experience and I just want to take down a wall not a house haha

 

[HotRodx10]

Do I request a contractor or engineer to look at it?

It depends on what your plans are going forward. If you still want to take the wall out, you'll need a beam to support the joists. If you're going to do that yourself, you'll need to hire an engineer to design the beam and the supports for the beam, down to the foundation. If you'd contract that work anyway, might as well call some contractors, get bids, choose one, and let them hire and work with the engineer. If you just want to get rid of the 2x4's and raise the ceiling that 3-1/2", the electrical and any plumbing that's within that 3-1/2" will have to be rerouted through the joists. If it's just electrical, and you are comfortable doing that yourself, you probably don't need an engineer of contractor, since you'll only be drilling small holes near the center of the joists. If there's drain pipes that have to cross through the joists, the joists will need to be evaluated for the reduced strength due to the holes that will have to be drilled. If you're going to hire a contractor for that, again, might as well just deal with the contractor and let the contractor deal with the engineer, if an engineering evaluation is needed, which it may not be.