Walls – Is the wall load bearing

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I was hoping to open up my kitchen to living area and make an island where it the pantry and coat closet is. All I have are these floor plans. Is that wall structural?

Thanks!

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Best Answer

I doubt the wall between the living and dining area is structural.

It appears you have a one-story (in that area) living space with roof trusses spanning 26’ from front to back of your house indicating no load don that wall.

Things to consider:

  1. I’d go down in the basement below that wall and see if there is any posts coming down through the wall above, (you have a loft area so it’s not clear if the roof changes in that area),
  2. verify that the ceilings in the living room and dining room match in height and texture (or can be modified adequately),
  3. verify that there isn’t any plywood on the wall. If there is it could indicate that it’s a shear wall. Do you live in a high wind area or seismically active area? (I would suspect the other wall by the bedrooms would be a shear wall, if any.
  4. verify that no heating ducts are in the wall. (If no registers, then I doubt there are any hidden in the wall.) I’d check by looking in the attic and basement.
  5. There are no plumbing fixtures on the wall so I doubt there are any plumbing vents, etc. in the wall.
  6. The dashed line directly below the words “Future Pantry” bothers me. It could indicate an electrical line, but it’s drawn perfectly straight, which usually indicates a wood furring space. If so, make sure no heating ducts are in it and it is not hiding a beam. (Make a small hole and look in over by the Pantry.)

Don’t forget you’ll need to patch the ceiling and floor where the wall is removed, so you’ll have that expense too.

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