To remove or not to remove

There’s a lot to think about before you take out a wall, writes Kirrily Schwarz

There’s a lot to like about open-plan living. Light effortlessly fills the space, heating and cooling flow through the entire area, and your family can enjoy quality time together.

Removing a wall can instantly bring your home into the 21st century. However, there are several factors to consider before you make the decision to swing the hammer.

“Often, we’re looking at removing the wall between the kitchen room and the living room, that’s usually a pretty good value-add to your property,” says Bernadette Janson from The School of Renovating, a former nurse who quit her job to start a renovation means it’s part of the structure of your house, as opposed to a simple partition between rooms. The cost of removing the former is significantly higher than the latter. You’ll need to speak to an engineer or a builder to get this assessed before you can go ahead and start demolition.

“If it’s load bearing, that’s not a reason not to do it, it just means you need drawings from an engineer and sometimes council approval,” Bernadette says. “It’s a lengthy process, but the benefits usually outweigh those concerns. You’ll need someone who knows what they’re doing.”

According to hipages, Australia’s largest online trades marketplace, builders typically charge $1500 per square metre to remove a wall in a brick home and $1350 per square metre to remove a wall in a timber-frame home. That figure increases if you’re working with masonry and if your home was built prior to 1980 there’s a real chance it may also include asbestos.

“There’s quite a lot of asbestos in southeast Queensland,” says Jackon Yin, an engineer at amateur renovators – it needs to be professionally removed. You also need to consider whether there’s wiring in the wall, or plumbing. But if the wall is clear, then DIY is very possible.”

Once the wall is out, you’ll also need to do a bit of tidying up to ensure the cornices match and the flooring flows through the space. But after that, it will feel like a whole new house.