Removal of Load Bearing Wall or Bearing Wall

Are structural walls easy to distinguish?

No! You definitely need a licensed engineer to help you tell the difference between structural walls and non-structural walls.

There are two types of structural walls: Gravity and Shear walls.

In the world of construction majority of contractors tell their clients that if a wall is non-bearing then the wall can be removed in its entirety. This is not true and not all non-bearing walls can be removed in its entirety because non-bearing walls can also be shear walls.

Gravity walls are the type of walls that carry the load to the elements below (for example: foundation or floor or beam below). They should not be removed unless a structural reinforcement is considered and complimented.

Shear walls are the type of walls that resist lateral movement during an earthquake and keeps the building in place. If a shear wall is removed without reinforcement considerations then during an earthquake the building will absorb a lot of damage or even complete structural failure.

So be careful, do not remove any structural walls before consulting with an engineer!

This service is part of our expertise and we come out to your property and assess the feasibility of removing your wall.

Call Us ☎️ by going to our contact page!

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