AHH - Is this wall load bearing?

[AndyScholes]

Hello

I've just started work restructuring a few of the internal downstairs rooms in my house. I had planned to remove two small walls.

The two walls are breeze block and I was fairly certain not load bearing. The structure of my house is based on Attic Trusses so in my head all the load bearing is done by the external walls.

Anyway I've just stopped the demolition as now I'm thinking the walls are load bearing. On top of each wall is a timber baton. The part that spans a door has some metal/steel going over it. See pictures.

What do you think?

Thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

That's the lintel for the door. You need to check if the floor joists in the floor above are spanning onto the wall or not.

 

[AndyScholes]

Freddie - thanks for the quick reply - it's appreciated.

I've taken the carpet up from above and cut a hole in the wood to take a look. No floor boards here.

I'm starting to think it's not load bearing again. As mentioned this house is built with engineered attic Trusses. My understanding is that these A type frames bear all the weight (for upstairs) along with the external walls.

In my upstairs picture you can see these trusses - they are big (9inch)

Looking down below again it does look like maybe part of the wall is bearing one of these trusses - see the circled bit of wood. But to me that doesn't add up as these trusses span the whole width (external wall to external wall). Maybe that bit of wood is used to steady/ fix the internal wall?

I'm thinking I'll drop a smaller bit of wood in next to it (under the truss). Knock out the other piece and see if it drops?

I'm no expert though - just a DIYer. So any thoughts appreciated.

Cheers

 

[AndyScholes]

Pics would help...

 

[jks7492]

Attic trusses can still be supported on internal walls, they aren’t always designed to clear span between the external walls

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

So is this a bungalow?

 

[AndyScholes]

It's like a big bungalow - you can see the A shape in the upstairs rooms

 

[AndyScholes]

Attic trusses can still be supported on internal walls, they aren’t always designed to clear span between the external walls

Ah didn't know that. I know these were ready made / pre engineered and lifted into place when the house was built. In the loft you can see one ever 60cm

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Got some pics of the loft trusses? Not closeups.

 

[AndyScholes]

Got some pics of the loft trusses? Not closeups.

Here are the trusses as seen in the loft...

 

[AndyScholes]

I've taken the walls down now... carefully... looking for any signs of movement / load bearing.

There wasn't any.

The walls are built on under floor heating and sat on a screed with no lower fixing / glue. They were sat on bits of black sheeting. So my guess is they are built this way to provide extra security.

Thanks for the help / information