Expert: Dan Griffin - 11/18/2007

Question
I own a 1950's era raised home. The VERY small kitchen is off the front living room. There is an opening there that was once a doorway, but I removed the door. I would like to knock out part of the wall to create an opening that would "open up the space" a bit and functionally connect the 2 rooms. I want the new opening to start at about 4' high in order to install a counter top that would function as a bar area. A friend who does construction work told me that the wall that I want to open up is NOT a load bearing wall, but I really want to be sure before I start knocking out sheetrock. How can I tell? Also, how should I cut this hole? I am doing the work myself. The living room side of wall is sheetrock, but the kitchen side of the wall is paneling. Please help. I think this should be a fairly easy task, but I don't want to get in over my head. I am in the New Orleans area. Thanks!

Answer
The number one issue is whether or not it is load bearing.  Peak up in your attic.  If you have trusses it is not load bearing.  If you have a cut roof we need to worry about whether the ceiling joist tails rest on this wall you want to remove.  If they do not, it is NOT load bearig.  If they do break on this wall it is load bearing and the job is a bit more technical.

Let's hope it is not.

The next big worry is electrical wiring or plumbing in the wall.  Wiring can be re-routed by a licensed electrician, plumbing gets more complicated.

The next decision(s) involve how deep you want to go.  It would be possible to completely remove the wall, patch a continuous ceiling, and have a continuous floor.  Getting all planes and finishes to match would be problematic.  Your idea of creating a pass through makes some things easier. If you cut through all the studs (remember about the plumb and elec) you do need to add a sill plate and a header plate.  You may want to keep the studding at each side of the doorway as the low wall section will need something structural to hold it up.  There are other solutions, but it will need something.  You could create a serving bar/countertop or do the wall in spindles.  By keeping a wall furr down at the top of the wall, it allows each ceiling to remain independent for texture and color.  Start with the hole smaller than your finish intention, you can always make it larger until you diagnose the other problems.  The electric is probably running from the attic down to the receptacles and/or running sideways.

Look at some similar things at someone else's house to get some ideas how to trim out the top and bottom.