How to remove a partition or create an opening in it

Whether to gain space, make a room more practical, bring in more light or open up the view, it can be tempting to knock down a few partitions. Even so, certain rules must be followed. Which ones? And why? Here are the answers.

Leave partition removal to a professional

Nothing stops you removing a partition or making an opening in it to gain space or light, but this kind of work must follow precise rules. It is essential to take certain precautions, such as checking that your wall is not load-bearing and that the partition does not hide electrical cables or pipes — otherwise your project could quickly turn into a disaster… That is why we strongly recommend calling in a professional.

At ProDemolition, the Brussels-based demolition company working across Belgium, you can bring in a qualified tradesperson simply, quickly and efficiently. A works designer will assess the feasibility of your project and give you a quote. Once you approve it, a qualified professional will come to your home within 48 hours.

How do you recognise a load-bearing wall?

Before even thinking about removing a partition, you need to know whether it is a load-bearing wall. A few clues help tell a load-bearing wall from a simple partition. If your wall sounds hollow, it is most likely made of plasterboard and therefore not load-bearing. Also look carefully at its thickness: the thinner a partition, the more likely it is a dividing wall (and therefore not load-bearing!). Finally, be aware that if a building’s beams have weakened over the years, simple partitions may have become load-bearing over time, and removing them could compromise the building’s stability…

How do you remove a load-bearing wall?

Removing a load-bearing wall requires far more care than working on a simple partition. In a co-ownership building, removing a load-bearing wall can damage the structure of the building and your neighbours’ homes. That is why the co-ownership’s approval is required if the wall turns out to be load-bearing. Once you have the green light from the co-owners, work can start. The load-bearing wall must then be carefully cut and solidly propped, in particular by installing an IPN beam (IPN stands for “I à Profil Normalisé”, a standard I-section steel beam; a tapered-flange IPN beam has a 14% slope towards the edges), in other words support beams.

How can you be sure a wall contains no cables or pipes?

To avoid nasty surprises, check before demolition that your wall contains no cables (electrical, internet) or pipes. How? A switch or a tap suggests there are wires and/or pipes inside the partition. To be sure, you can also invest in a material detector.

A professional has both the know-how and all the equipment needed (hammer, chisel, saw, material detector…) to remove your partition safely, so why go without?

How do you knock down a partition?

Once you are certain it is a simple partition — not a load-bearing wall — make sure there are no cables or pipes. If you find any, locate them precisely. After protecting the floor, taking the usual precautions (helmet, gloves, safety shoes, safety glasses…) and turning off the water and electricity, all that remains is to break up and cut the wall, starting from the top and clearing the rubble regularly. The catch: depending on what your wall is made of (plasterboard, gypsum blocks, brick, aerated concrete, etc.), the difficulty varies considerably. You have been warned.

Our demolition company is at your service for demolition work anywhere in Belgium.