Removing internal load bearing wall....

[LesDavidson]

Hi, I'm having some significant structural work carried out on my house by an experienced local builder. The back wall of the house to 1st floor level has already been removed and replaced with a 'picture frame' construction consisting of 4 RSJs specced by a structural engineer and approved by the local planning department.

The internal wall between kitchen and dining room was removed yesterday to 1st floor level. As with the external wall, the floor above has been supported using acrow props. In this instance it appears that one of the props has been tightned by 2 - 3 millimetres too far resulting in small cracks above the door of the bedroom above the prop and also above the door to the en-suite bathroom in the loft conversion on the second floor. Spoke with the builder this morning and he has released the tension in the prop with the view that the wall above will settle.

Can anyone advise if this is the correct course of action, or would any further remedial work be required? I do not believe the wall on the first floor is load bearing (floor in loft is floated between 2 RSJs) and in effect has become a dividing wall between two bedrooms.

Thanks,

Les

 

[Deluks]

Any major structural work like this will induce small cracks here and there.
Either stuff isn't supported properly or get oversupported, as may be in your case.
It's a fine line. < (see wot I did there? )

 

[LesDavidson]

Thanks for the response Deluks. I'm not overly concerned by the cracks and the builder certainly didn't seem to be. The only concern is that the doorframe of the bathroom in the loft has shifted by 2 - 3 mms and the door now won't shut. I'm guessing planing the top of the door will be the final solution?

 

[Deluks]

I'm guessing undersupported, unlikely that overtightening will cause problems in the room above the room above!
Are the acros properly supported on the ground floor? either thick timber planks or scaffold boards, or through the floor and onto the oversite (the ground beneath your house)

Before removal, did the acros holding up the back wall get left in place for several days after fitting the steels?

 

[LesDavidson]

Yes, fully supported by acros ahead of installation and once RSJ in place, acros placed along length of RSJ until supporting vertical RSJs fixed in place.

As I say, the last acro in line supporting floor along length of internal wall appears to have been overtightned as 2 - 3 mill crack appeared above kitchen door between wall and floor. Smaller crack above bedroom door directly above this and similar above bathroom door in loft.

Don't think damage is significant and filling cracks and planing door I'm sure will resolve.

 

[LesDavidson]

Sorry, previous post should have stated -

"the last acro in line supporting floor along length of internal wall appears to have been overtightned as 2 - 3 mill crack appeared above kitchen door between wall and ceiling"

 

[Deluks]

Sounds about right.
Ps. You can use the 'edit' button to erm, edit your posts.

 

[LesDavidson]

Ah, great, thank you !

 

[geraint]

there will always be some movement when you prop a wall... hopefully its a crack through over tightening.. otherwise it is not good...