Should You Knock Down Walls To Achieve Open Plan Living?

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Should You Knock Down Walls To Achieve Open Plan
Living?
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• Open-concept living is a popular style for many
  modern homeowners, and whether you live in an
  apartment or a house, it can easily be achieved
  when carrying out a gut renovation. That said, it
  isnt quite as straightforward as simply knocking
  down walls to create a large space for everyone
  to enjoy.
• If you like the idea of open-concept living, but
  your existing home hasnt been constructed in
  that style, there are a number of important
  points to consider before getting stuck in and
  smashing walls down

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• All walls can be knocked down, but that doesnt
  mean you should do it
• While it is possible to knock down any wall in
  your home to create an open space if you have the
  budget, load bearing walls or those that are
  housing pipes and ducts, for example, will cost
  decidedly more to remove, and if not done so
  professionally, can have a significant and
  dangerous impact on the rest of the home.

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• Take structural and load bearing walls, for
  instance these walls cannot be simply knocked
  down if some form of structural support isnt put
  in place to hold the weight. Not sure whether a
  wall is load bearing or not? Try measuring the
  thickness of the wall, and if its thicker than 4
  and a half inches, it likely is load bearing. You
  can also check to see whether theres a beam or
  column (or both) supporting it, and if so, these
  will need to be reproduced to maintain structural
  integrity.

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• If cables, electric wires or any plumbing have
  been routed through a wall that you want to
  remove, youll need to hire a qualified
  contractor to take care of it for you, and
  naturally, this will cost more.
• What other factors should be considered when
  considering open concept living?
• The voids that are inevitably left when a wall is
  removed, must be filled in with flooring and
  drywall, and this isnt always straightforward
  depending on the existing flooring and both its
  condition and direction. Ceilings will also need
  to be addressed, and any adjacent walls must be
  rendered and painted to match.

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• Tackle it yourself or hire a contractor?
• When it comes to taking down walls in an attempt
  to save on the cost of a contractor, this is
  almost always never a sensible idea, and puts the
  structural integrity of the entire property at
  risk. With many challenges involved, not only
  might you fail to adhere to any necessary
  building codes and regulations when carrying out
  the work (which can prove costly and mean that
  the work has to be reversed or stopped), but if
  you dont know how to put temporary supporting
  beams or columns in place as the wall is being
  removed, you could run the risk of your home
  collapsing.

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• The best way to ensure that you achieve
  open-concept living without any of the drama that
  could occur from simply knocking down walls with
  an almighty sledgehammer, is to work with an
  experienced renovation company. They will ensure
  that the right walls are taken down, and that the
  entire property remains structurally sound while
  looking great and giving you a large, open space
  to enjoy.

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• RZ Construction Group Inc is one of the best
  fully inclusive general contractors in Queens,
  NY. From initial design to final clean up, our
  results speak for themselves. We are fully
  licensed, insured, and bonded to provide both
  commercial and residential construction services
  and apartment renovation in Queens NY and the
  surrounding area. Proud to serve New York State
  for 25 years. No job is too small nor too big. If
  you are looking for Queens general contractors or
  want to know more about our wide range of
  professional but affordable construction and
  repair services, reach out to us at (718)
  938-9887.