Living room archway

[keepingbees]

Hi. We have a fairly wide archway from our living room through to the dining room. It's off centre and has curved corners and basically looks a bit dated. I've been toying with several ideas for ages and think the best way to go would be to have it centred and squared off in the corners to look more modern. It's only a plasterboard wall not weight bearing or anything. I also might like bi folding doors.
Silly question but would we need a plasterer, a carpenter, or both? I've had people recommended to me but they haven't wanted to do it as it's not their thing.
Also has anyone else done anything like this and know a rough cost or anything I've not considered?
Thank you

Does it still have piers (large supports at either end?) If you have, are you sure they are not load bearing? We had exactly the same and the piers at either end were loadbearing.

I agree arches are very dated. We removed ours and replaced with a beam. We used the wall at one end to support the beam (rsj) but at the other end, there is a small pier of around 3cm built into the room as the wall was not sufficient to support the beam. The room is around 5m wide.

What is holding up the wall above your arch? The arch may be plasterboard but should it be? What is above it? Be careful about what you assume.

However, get rid of it. It will make the space look bigger and allows more light in.

You need a builder to knock it down and make good any resulting problems. Eg will the ceiling be good enough to plaster? What will the walls be like? You then need a plasterer. It’s better if the builder gets one in so there is no argument over surfaces which need to made good before the plasterer arrives. You then need to look at the floor if a pier has been removed and at replacing the skirting. Then painting both areas the same colour!

I’m not sure of cost because we had a rsj and more work than you need. However around £2000 possibly.

Thanks for your reply.

We are not looking at removing the wall altogether, I think the room still needs some kind of division. I wanted it making central as it's not at present, and the corners squaring to make more of a double doorway than an arch.
I'm not sure about piers? The wall itself just seems to be some kind of stud wall, there's more arch than wall so I don't think it's load bearing and if so I would imagine an rsj would already have to be in place.
I wasn't sure if we'd need a builder as it's not major work or wall demolishing.

Yes you need both possibly a general builder as well - plastering is pretty specialised to be honest. The door company though may be able to install

We are planning on blocking up the wall between living and dining room. Then opening up the kitchen wall to form a kitchen diner with patio doors to garden.

Is this an option for you? It’s the layout most people prefer nowadays.With a trusty builder and managing the other trades yourself/ doing some diy/ prep yourself it can be economical - and potentially make it easier when the time comes to sell.

There could be a beam which is supported by the walls. Piers are effectively beam supports. They may only be a few inches proud of the walls. Is it stud wall right up to the side walls or are the last few inches block work? Personally I now hate divided rooms. Open space gives light and space. You need a lot of room for doors to open which gives you less space. If you are just knocking out the stud wall and rebuilding slightly differently, and not changing anything else, it’s still a builder you need.

@PurpleFlowersInMyHair yes that's another idea I've been thinking about. It would make furniture arrangement a lot easier too! My DH thinks it would make the living room look too small and dark though as none of the rooms are very big. I would love a kitchen diner though!

@BubblesBuddy I really don't know what's inside the wall. The house is around 20 years old and the walls are dot and dab plasterboard that's all I know. The doors could be an issue space wise but that's why I thought of bi fold. I just don't know. I will look into builders if they are who I need and hopefully they can give me some advice too!