Should I tear down this wall?
What should we do with this room?
We recently purchased a 40 year old home from the original owners who built the home, and also hadn't updated the interior since 1985... We're remodeling every room, but I'm struggling with what to do with the room directly in front of the entry, which is 16'x14'. They used it as a dining room, and there is a small door that leads to the kitchen, a set of french doors that goes to the patio, and a doorway with a pocket door that leads to the stairwell and the kitchen. The french doors are the only exit to the back patio and will have a great view out to the pool once we cut down some trees. We plan to order a large four panel unit set of sliding doors to showcase the view. We are also demoing the wall with the pocket door to enlarge the room, and adding a corridor that leads to a wet bar on the other side of the stairs.
We will be installing new hardwoods throughout, even in the kitchen, so we have thought about taking down the wall separating the two rooms. We are going for a modern, contemporary look for the house, but even after taking down the wall, it's not big enough to be a modern "great room". And with losing another wall, I'm even more at a loss as to how to arrange the furniture.
Should tear down the wall separating the room from the kitchen? If we made this into a TV room, where does the TV and sofa go? Should I close off the small doorway to the kitchen and just rely on the opening by the stairs (my husband says no because he plans to be grilling on the patio and says a shorter distance is better. I'm also open to any other ideas!
Thanks for your help, Houzzers!
Comments (10)
Fori
6 years ago
PROJAN MOYER
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
Should we do it? Considering a tear down and need advice.
Comments (5)The cost per sq ft can vary tremendously, depending on what materials you choose even more than the cost of labor. Actual cost could be much lower than $165 or double that! Is the process of building hard? Yes, and the less you plan and decide in advance, the harder it is. Even if you don't get into the mechanics of building, and don't expect to do more than choose colors and finishes, there will be approximately 987,000 decisions to make that you never expected. Do your plans in advance with as many details as possible -- it's unfair to others (spouse, architect, GC, foreman, mason, HVAC, etc) to expect them to mindread what you want, and it's unfair to your budget to make decisions at the last minute. Last minutes decisions almost always cost you lots more than those made before the build began. Besides, your contract should be so well written that only a hurricane/flood/etc should cause the need for alast minute decision. Your husband is right that you aren't aware of all the difficulties, because NO ONE ever expects the build to be as problematic, time-consuming, detailed, and unexpected as every build actually is. Even experienced GCs with many houses under the belt can be caught by surprise --- by a boulder, or by lumber costs, or by a hurricane/ tornado/ blizzard/ flood, or by clever thieves, or even by his favorite expert crew going on vacation. Because of the stresses involved, your marriage will either deteriorate with remarkable speed, or improve slowly. Whichever happens, the couple that moves into the new house are not the same people they were when they first met the architect. Personally, I prefer people who have built a house; there's something about the process which adds a wonderful depth of character that no renter can achieve....See Morewhat to do with termite damage found during remodel?
Comments (3)Yikes! Call the pest control agency first to be sure that the damage is localized to just that area. Then, OF COURSE, you want to replace the material that is no longer structurally sound. If you are in doubt about if it is or isn't, lumber and sweat is cheap peace of mind....See MoreShould I believe the contractor about my 1910 home being a "tear down"
Comments (11)Cost per square foot for remodeling versus building new is always going to be skewed. Reason? To remodel, the existing structure must be disassembled to a point to rebuild. Double labor. New construction is simply building to finish. Single labor. The tipping factor where remodeling is more expensive than rebuilding varies tremendously. If the building requires plumbing/electrical/HVAC reworking plus structural changes, chances are building new will be less expensive. And may be faster. Minor plumbing/electrical/HVAC/structural is always less expensive. In your case, the tipping factor is how much you intend to do. Straightening walls/floors can be a major overhaul, especially when a complete roof is in the plan. Adding bigger windows is a major remodel, and is more expensive than simply replacing windows. Reason? Sheet rock has to be removed, exterior siding has to be removed past the dimensions of the new windows to allow proper framing of the new openings. New window costs, labor to tear out, and labor/materials to replace sheet rock/siding. If the siding cannot be reused(after being removed) new siding has to be bought/installed/primed/painted. Replacing four windows can easily require residing that entire side of the house. Leveling floors will require tearing out the old, repairing/replacing the joists. Same with the walls. Roof may need complete rebuilt to be right. Rip off all the old roofing/sheathing/rafters and rebuild from the top plate of the walls. Could all that be done without all that tearout? Not if it is done right.`...See MoreIdeas for hiding a chimney flew after a wall tear down
Comments (38)OK, I get it now. Real chimney to a woodburning fireplace in the basement. So the chimney has to stay. (I was thinking perhaps it was a water heater or furnace flue and could either be re-routed or decommissioned if newer heating unit has been installed.) Probably masonry but possibly prefab insulated chimney pipe. But the electric fireplace add-on is going to be demolished so you're reclaiming some floor space and are opening up part of that wall. So we're left we how to contend with what's left, which is exactly what you said from the get-go. I was over-thinking it. OP not in possession of the house until August so can't go poking & peeling off layers of stuff. Another couple of ideas after seeing some pictures. First one won't work for you but will toss it out as an idea that might work for someone else. After the fake fireplace is gone, frame it out wider and hang the TV there, with storage accessed from the side. Second idea is a tweak on the first one. Frame it out wider and make the whole shebang look like a cabinet. Part of the 'cabinet' would be chimney but the other half would be real storage. Put doors/ drawer fronts on all of it with only half serving a real purpose. Either stash sofa throws/ DVD's etc. there or turn it into pantry. (The pantry could open up to the kitchen side with dummy doors on the living room side.)...See More
rockybird
6 years ago
PROBeverlyFLADeziner
6 years agoSome times you can simply open the top of the wall to help to open up a space. Maybe don't take down the wall, but do get rid of any framed openings.
H&R
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoHere is a very roughly sketched up floorplan using the surveyer's drawing. Hopefully this helps? We're thinking by knocking down the pantry and removing the pocket door, it will make the room bigger, and the new hallway will link it to the rest of the house. (Don't worry - I'm building a new pantry outside the wall opposite the utility room!)
H&R
6 years ago
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
6 years agoH&R
6 years ago
Lampert Dias Architects, Inc.