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Original poster

Moving a doorway

20 replies

PartialToACupOfMilo · 11/08/2012 21:00

After the leaky guttering from a few weeks ago and realising we're going to have to replaster in the dining room, we've decided to swap around the dining and living rooms while having the work done. It's something we've considered in the past, but have always been put off by the thought of having to pack up the 3 million books in there. However, as they're currently all boxed up ready for the replastering, we're probably going to go for it now.

Swapping the rooms around will put the dining room next to the kitchen and also into a room with French doors to the garden, which I think will be much better for the (soon to be two...) children. The TV can then also go in the other room and hopefully we'll be less tempted to watch it during the day.

Anyway the only problem with the whole change around is that the living room to be is a tight squeeze and the only way we can fit in our lovely sofa bed and not have to shell out for a new one (which would have to be tiny and fit into the bay window) is to move the current doorway about a metre along the same wall. I've put the job onto the mybuilder.com website to get quotes, but have no replies as yet. Has anyone done this recently-ish? How much did you pay? We don't want a door fitted, just a doorway / arch. I don't want to pay a fortune when I'm going to be on maternity leave for a while.

Any help gratefully appreciated :)

OP posts:

icapturethecastle · 11/08/2012 21:16

My DH who is a builder said about £650.

discrete · 11/08/2012 21:21

It really depends on what the wall the doorway is going to is like.

650 sounds like a lot to me. If it's a thick stone structural wall maybe, but otherwise and as part of other works (I assume the plastering will be done by the person who is replastering anyway?) then it shouldn't come to anything like that much, surely.

icapturethecastle · 11/08/2012 22:21

He had allowed for a plasterer in the price so he said £400 Without it plastered

Original poster

PartialToACupOfMilo · 11/08/2012 22:30

Thanks that's great, it's less than I thought it would be :)

Can I ask your dh another question icapture? It would be easiest for us to get the sofa into the living room through a wider than usual doorway; is it possible (or even usual) to knock out one big hole then fill in the 'extra' bits, or is it better, and will the builder be more likely, to brick up one hole then cut out the next? Thanks

OP posts:

tricot39 · 11/08/2012 22:31

And what about moving the light switch which is undoubtedly next to the door? £650 doesn't sound too far off the mark especially if it is a structural wall. Probably best to ask people you know/work with to find a builder rather than the internet tho.

Original poster

PartialToACupOfMilo · 11/08/2012 22:48

Oh, I'm not trying to find a builder, just get an idea of cost while waiting for local builders to reply through mybuilder.com. We also have a builder who will be quoting next week, who's been working on the house next door and also rebuilding our front garden wall.

The light switch is the other side of the doorway, so I don't think it will be affected. And I don't think it's a structural wall either, being entirely internal. A lot of similar properties in the area have knocked the equivalent wall down completely and lost the adjacent hallway. We don't want to do this though as I don't want to wheel a pushchair straight into a reception room.

OP posts:

tricot39 · 12/08/2012 08:47

Non structural will make it a lot easier. They will probably make a big hole then fill in remainder.

Most light switches are next to doors for convenience. I can't picture your arrangement but won't it be irritating if you leave it where the old door was?

icapturethecastle · 12/08/2012 16:48

Tricot answered as dh said would have one big hole and fill in remainder.

ShowOfHands · 12/08/2012 17:12

We did this recently. We did it ourselves, got supplies from Travis Perkins. Was surprisingly easy. We just knocked a biiiig hole (most of the wall) and rebuilt and plastered.

icapturethecastle · 12/08/2012 17:58

Tricot answered as dh said would have one big hole and fill in remainder.

PigletJohn · 13/08/2012 14:17

I would always be much happier with a local builder who has been recommended by a friend or neighbour, than one who has to advertise on the net.

oscarwilde · 13/08/2012 15:35

Moved a bedroom door 6 inches (don't ask). It was an internal wall, not load bearing and cost £200. £150 for labour and £50 for materials. Because it was only being moved a short distance though, we didn't need to call in a plasterer. But your room is being replastered anyway?

PigletJohn · 13/08/2012 16:19

"I don't think it's a structural wall either, being entirely internal"

An internal wall can be load-bearing. What is is made of, and what is above it?

What holds up the ceiling?

Original poster

PartialToACupOfMilo · 13/08/2012 21:27

I don't know anyone local who's had building work done recently, other than next door and he's also going to give us a quote. I can't ask at work as we're on holiday at the moment and I will hardly be going back before next Easter because of maternity leave. I live in the other direction from my workplace to most others anyway, so we're not really 'local' either. I agree it's best to know someone who's used a builder first, but it's just not possible at the moment.

I have a builder coming to have a look and give us a quote tomorrow. From our phone conversation he thinks probably about £300, but will be able to give a price when he's had a look.

The light switch is going to be an issue though. Bit daft I didn't think, but there's a light switch by the door on the other side of the wall so may well need an electrician too.

John How would I know if it was load bearing? It's made of brick (all of our walls are) and the ceiling's above it . Ceiling is same height as hallway next to it if that makes a difference...

Oscar Yes, we're getting in a plasterer anyway so not worried about that bit. BTW we once moved a radiator about a foot along the wall and it actually made a huge difference and meant we could put a chest of drawers in dd's room, so your door moving doesn't actually sound that crazy to me.

Anyway I'll find out tomorrow for definite.

Thanks for everyone's input :)

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 13/08/2012 21:44

you mean there is no first-floor wall above it?

The ceiling is almost certainly held up by the ground floor walls. That means the floor above, and all the people and furniture standing on it. Depending which way the joists run. Taking away part of the wall means whatever it is holding up has to be supported in some other way until the wall is rebuilt.

Original poster

PartialToACupOfMilo · 13/08/2012 22:01

No, there isn't a first floor wall above it as our bedroom, which is above, is the width of the house (hallway and adjacent reception room). Does that mean it's not load bearing then?

Our other reception room is the opposite way round with full width downstairs room and a landing / bedroom above divided, obviously, by a wall - should I be worried? The house has stood for just over a hundred years, but maybe the layout's changed slightly [bit worried now]

OP posts:

PigletJohn · 13/08/2012 23:37

If there is no wall above it, it is probably not load-bearing except for the floor above. This is reasonably easy to support while the building work is done.

If it is over a hundred years old and you have an upstairs partition wall, on the other side of the house, it is very likely made of wood with lath and plaster on it. This is not very heavy, and if the house was an expensive one when built, it is quite likely that this is a trussed partition, meaning it is constructed of triangulated frames which transmit their weight to the brick walls at each end and not to the floor (you will find there is no boxed-in RSJ or ironwork in the ceiling below, and hopefully the ceiling is not cracked or bowing).

It is vital that you do not cut or alter such a partition, for example to make a communicating doorway, without advice and reinforcement drawn up by a structural engineer or a skilled and experienced old builder.

tricot39 · 14/08/2012 19:14

I think the clue is in one of your earlier posts (it certainly reassured me that it was very likely non loadbearing): "A lot of similar properties in the area have knocked the equivalent wall down completely and lost the adjacent hallway"

The builder who is coming should help to check this, but it sounds like you will not have to worry about structural supports.

Check that the floorboards run side to side in your house over the wall below. If this is the case, and there is no wall over, it is a non loadbearing partition (even if brick - although it can get a bit interesting near the staircase so watch that bit).

Good luck

tricot39 · 14/08/2012 19:15

sorry - to explain if the joints between floorboards run side to side, then the joists run front to back and are parallel with the wall so do not take support from it!

Original poster

PartialToACupOfMilo · 02/09/2012 22:30

Just to update we knocked the wall out and changed plans to keep it one big opening - the difference in light is amazing. One day's labour, two men working on it with a quick nip out to get a RSJ when we changed our mind and it came to £380 - very happy with it and the builders were lovely too

Oh and it did end up affecting the light switch as much bigger opening now and so we also paid £90 for an electrician to extend the cable and join the switch to the porch light switch (making a single into a double).

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