Have you ever entered a room in your home and thought, “I wish the walls didn’t feel so restrictive?”
You have probably thought about having a more downunder kitchen, a larger living area, or a more open feel with connected rooms.
Wall removal can reshape your space, but taking down a wall is more than just knocking through some drywall. In a lot of Perth homes, walls are also structural and load-bearing in many cases (carrying the weight of the house).
To remove load-bearing walls requires foresight, great design, expert planning, accurate engineering, and knowledge of building code.
This guide will take you through wall removal step by step—from identifying what walls are there, to working with permits, structural integrity and specifications of the removal process.
Whether you are restoring a character home or redesigning a more recent build, understanding what is behind your space’s walls is the first step for making sensible and safe changes.
Done properly, you can open up your abode without compromising the bones of your home.
Let’s dive in!
1.Understanding Load-Bearing vs. Non-Load-Bearing Walls
The first thing to identify is why the wall that is to be removed was there in the beginning.
If you believe the wall is non-load bearing, then it will typically be a partition wall, and removing it will incur little risk. However, if it’s load-bearing, you’ve correctly identified a key risk when removing the wall—not just removing the wall, but also removing any support it is providing to the floor, ceiling, and roof construction that is often only visible once you remove the plasterboard.
In Perth homes, and particularly in older houses, many internal walls are often load-bearing walls, bearing considerable weight. To ensure safety and compliance, it’s best to consult a structural engineer load bearing wall Perth professional who can assess what lies behind the plaster and determine the structural impact of removing the wall.
If the structural engineer identifies walls, beams, joists, or loads hidden behind the wall, it will impact the way you go about removing and/or reframing the project.
Removing a wall is not just a design aesthetic decision; it is also a confidence decision. Overall, wall removal is an important structural decision that you must make, but to avoid any surprises, it is best to take a calculated approach.
2.Planning New Layout with Structural Integrity in Mind
Once you have determined which walls are not required, the next step is designing your layout.
While open-plan living areas are desirable, they require careful planning on how support is to be maintained.
At this stage, you need to consider how the space is intended to work and how any load transfer will happen. This is especially crucial if you are removing central walls or walls that are within a second storey.
In either case, there may be structural beams or support columns required to take the load, and they need to be placed accurately so that in the future, you do not have any sagging or movement.
One of the positive aspects of modern building solutions, such as steel or laminated timber beams, is that they can provide support but keep your space open. Your space can then flow better, without losing the strength and integrity your home needs.
Good design is not just about how things look, but how they operate—in many cases, behind the scenes as well.
3. Engaging a Structural Engineer for Safe Wall Removal
Removing walls is not a job for the average person when it involves any type of load-bearing system. The wall may be small; however, it makes an incredibly important contribution to supporting the structural system in the building.
A qualified structural engineer can assess the overall impact of the removal and then plan the necessary reinforcements. The engineer will calculate load paths, identify and specify materials, and produce the necessary documentation to obtain certified approval.
In Perth, local council regulations often require a structural engineer to sign off on the design before structural work can commence. So, the structural engineer not only provides significant input for the safety of your building work, but the structural engineer is also likely mandatory.
The engineer is also helpful in identifying issues for the removal of a wall, such as unlevel foundations, existing damage, and materials of poor quality. These issues can only be assessed after demolition works begin; however, mapping out those processes can minimise adverse impacts from the demolition works.
In short, the engineer connects the ideas to the construction; they provide peace of mind that your project will go without hitches in the first place.
4.Obtaining Council Approvals and Permits in Perth
Demolishing walls in Perth isn’t just a construction task—it’s a legal procedure. You may need planning approval, a building permit, or both.
For load-bearing wall removal, a structural report will likely be required for permit approval. This confirms the changes are safe and compliant with council regulations.
Incomplete or incorrect applications can cause delays. Consider the time it takes to achieve approvals in your renovation schedule.
If your property is in a heritage zone, special permissions may apply. Consulting a professional familiar with local requirements helps prevent setbacks.
Once approvals are in place, you have legal documentation and can insure your home. This protects your renovation and your investment.
5.Installing Support Beams and Temporary Props
After your wall is approved for removal, the next step is to provide structural support before any demolition can take place. Temporary props or acrow jacks will be installed and positioned by your installer to ensure the load is supported.
These will be placed to support ceilings, joists, or floor structures that rely on the separating wall for support. Removing a load-bearing wall without props may result in immediate catastrophic damage.
Next, your installer will place the permanent beam designed by your engineer. It will be supported at each end by posts or existing walls. Correct sizing and placement help distribute loads and prevent future issues.
This may involve some alterations to the floor or ceiling cavity to accommodate the new support.
Although hidden, this beam becomes the backbone of your newly opened space.
Conclusion
While demolishing a wall can sometimes be relatively straightforward, when you have structural members involved, you have to consider every phase of your plan. Determining whether a wall is load-bearing, dealing with structural engineering, dealing with councils, the list goes on. Every part of the puzzle counts to have a successful outcome.
Making good decisions means designing a space that is attractive, functional, compliant, and safe, and meets council specifications.
Whether you want to open your kitchen, living room or remake the structure from the traditional assembly, it’s more than a design solution to take walls out. It’s building well on the inside out.
By creating a plan, exploring and using professional help, you can create possibilities and real spaces that you can get excited about, designing an open-plan modern living area that works for you.