Cutting a window in an interior stud (probably) wall.

[cheapo]

I need more daylight in the afternoons as the front room faces west. The front window is pretty small and it's all I've got. Apart from leaving the lobby door open all day.

Image courtesy of Roomsketcher.

There's a light switch inside the room, 100 mm from where I intend to cut the wall. As far as I'm aware the wires should run vertically either up or down to that point.

If anyone can see a problem, please let me know. I want to cut it this weekend.

Once cut, I'll measure it and cut timber to fit, then build a simple window. I'm gonna use polycarbonate to glaze it for now and see how it goes. But I might get a DG unit later.

Cheers. Cheapo Pete.

 

[Crystalclear]

While someone helps with the window...

http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ms890...- Electrical&gclid=CNTjnaSZmscCFRDKtAodbDUPNQ

 

[cheapo]

Hey, thanx for that CC. That's a real bargain at the moment. And in stock at 2 stores locally! I'll be at their door as they open tomorrow!

 

[Burnerman]

Only my opinion but I wouldn't go for a polycarbonate window......dead easy to scratch, even when gently cleaning.
If you can miss any vertical studs with your cutting, this could be an easy and worthwhile mod.
John

 

[cheapo]

Curses! My mind was elsewhere when I went into Screwfix. I paid £5.99, yet the online page shows it at £3.44 !!!!

That aside, I want the size I want and won't be constrained by the wiring, even if I have to re-route it. But thanx to crystalclear's prompt, I now have a rough idea where not to hack indiscrimately!!

 

[Newboy]

There's a light switch inside the room, 100 mm from where I intend to cut the wall. As far as I'm aware the wires should run vertically either up or down to that point.

Or horizontally in either direction

 

[cheapo]

Or horizontally in either direction

True.

I haven't cut it yet. Something else came up.

 

[Newboy]

That 'detector pen' will not trace concealed wires/cables

DO NOT rely on that to protect you from hitting a cable

 

[cheapo]

Yes, it's a bit vague, though when the light is switched on, it does detect the wires going up in the corner of the lobby nearest to the switch. But I'm going to cut a small square in the center of my planned window. Then check around inside the wall for the nearest stud before opening it up.

 

[cheapo]

Sooo, it's an all plaster board wall after all that.

I bought another "voltage checker". £14 this time. It was also a bit vague about what was and was not there. So I took the drill by the horns and drilled a bunch of holes (turning them into slots for the start of the saw cuts), where no voltage was detected.

 

[cheapo]

Then I shut down the leccy and started cutting.

First a narrow bit at the bottom, just to prove it was going to go ok.

That's when I found it was plaster boards right through.

 

[cheapo]

Then I cut out the top part, leaving that bar to support the bigger section as I wasn't sure how heavy it might be and it seemed like a good idea.

 

[cheapo]

Then the last bit.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j226/chashugh/Cutting a hole in solid drywall/Photo0123.jpg

That's a thumbnail image by the way. (or it might have bee na fingernail)

 

[cheapo]

Viewed from outside the front door.

Note my excellent application of an old piece of pvc board + bin liner with gaffa tape decorations.

 

[cheapo]

It's definitely going to help light up the front room.

Though I will probably have to enlarge it and inch or so, once the DG unit arrives and I get to measure it finally and calculate the timber surround/frame/whatever.

Hopefully the bin men will take this, as I'm not sure the bus driver will like this stuff on his ship.

_________________________________________________

Gotta finish this and fix the washing machine before I re-start work on the car!