ᐅ Load-bearing wall needs to be removed – where and how should I start?

Hello everyone,

I have only recently started looking into this topic, so I’m not quite sure where to begin. I would appreciate any tips!!!

Here’s the situation: We are buying a house, and we plan to do the following:
(a) Remove a load-bearing wall and replace it with a support beam. We know this is possible because we’ve seen it done in a "similar" house (same model, so to speak, just a few streets away).
(b) Hire an electrician, as the previous owners installed cables very unprofessionally, with wiring running everywhere, and the current state is simply unacceptable.
(c) Heating – we’re not yet decided whether to just replace the radiators or remove them and install underfloor heating instead. We will definitely get professional advice on this. Even if we only replace the radiators, the pipes need to be checked as well.

The exterior facade is well insulated, but the windows need to be replaced, which the previous owners somehow neglected.

Now... there are cables running through the wall we want to remove… and a small radiator is mounted on that wall, so there are pipes within the wall as well.

How should we proceed? What needs to be done first?
Option 1: Remove the wall first, then deal with the electrical work, then the heating (that is a, b, c).
Option 2: Remove the wall first, then address the heating, then the electrical work (a, c, b).

Or should it be done differently? We’re having trouble visualizing the right sequence.

Regarding the wall removal: I will need a structural engineer, but which companies usually carry out this kind of work?

Thank you very much in advance.

Option 3: Remove the wall and handle the electrical work and heating at the same time. Of course, you can also simply drain the heating system and then address the heating issue more calmly after the demolition.

P.S. Underfloor heating is always a good choice. You don’t have to check the pipes thoroughly since they will almost all be replaced.

So, does the specialist company that demolishes the wall also take care of ensuring that cables and pipes running through the wall are handled properly?

What kind of company usually does this kind of work? I mean, if cables need to be installed, I look for an electrician; if I want to renovate the bathroom, I search for bathroom renovation. But who exactly is responsible for demolishing walls? And structural engineer and building permit / planning permission come first anyway, right?

Lena-a schrieb:

So does the specialist company that demolishes the wall also take care of ensuring that cables and pipes remain running through the wall?
What kind of company actually does this work?

This can be done by all kinds of companies – basically any company labeled as a construction contractor. But no one really “takes care” of the utilities. They usually just end up sticking out of the wall or floor. Imagine action movies where houses get demolished and leftover pipes and cables stick out.

Lena-a schrieb:

Approval comes first anyway, right?

Of course, the structural engineer comes first. The ceiling needs to be supported and an appropriate beam installed.
Approval? It depends – sometimes yes, sometimes no. Which state and how large is the wall?