Knocking out an external wall?
 

This is probably a stupid question but....

I'm going to see a house next week that I'm thinking about buying. For it to suit my needs it would need some extensions and remodelling. I've done a very bad 'drawing' of what part of the external wall looks like.

As you can see it steps inwards as you go towards the back of the property, I would like to extend it on the ground floor to take that step out

---------------
l
l
l
-----------
l
l
l Towards front of property


So it would look like this


--------------------------
l
l
l



This would mean that the external wall marked X needs to be knocked out. This is a 3 storey property, so there is obviously building being supported by this wall.

I presume there is no reason, with the appropriate structural support put in place, that this can't be done?

Excuse the child like drawing , the lines drawn with ------ and those drawn with l are all walls, just the best I could draw!
l
l


Thanks for looking:)

Sorry I can't get the first drawing to come out properly so the post makes no sense.

I'm not sure whats going on it looked fine when I wrote it and also when I try and edit it, but then it comes out wrong.:(

Doh! Still can't do it.

I'll try and describe it then. As you go from the front of the property towards the back the side of the building steps in about 7-8 feet. So its 7-8 feet less wide for the final 12 feet of the property.

I want to extend the property out here so it no longer steps in, and internally so that its all one room for the entire run of that wall.
That means that external wall that is 7-8ft less wide will all need to come out. Any reason this can't be done?

Sorry, I know it would be much easier with drawings!

Try using MS Paint - then inserting it as a jpeg or something, then pop into policy and ask someone to move it from NSR to DIY.

Hi mate, I'd rather leave it here if the mods don't mind. Its not DIY as I'm not asking anybody how I would do it, just if it can be done by professionals.

If nobody can understand what I'm talking about from the description then I'll try MS paint.:)

pretty much anything can be done if you can pay

wind loading has played a part in my extension that I want to build because I am taking out the entire wall at the back of my house.

Yea it can be done as said above, it'll just cost more than a standard extension. You might be left with a column internally that new steelwork will sit on that'll be doing the job of the wall you're wanting to get rid of.

If in doubt contact a builder, you don't want to be taking a sledgehammer to a load bearing wall. If you do at least post some pics :D

Thanks, yes as you guys said it can be done, I checked with a developer friend. I'll end up with 9 inch pillars in some places to support the beamwork.

Scoobysoon, what does 'wind loading' mean?

Thanks again