Advice on whether brick arches are load bearing

[rufus]

87947Hi all,hoping someone can give me a bit of advice. I have two brick arches in my hallway. I want to remove The bricks and square them off. Have recently taken up the floor, and found the original floorboards underneath.the brick arches appear to have been constructed on top of the original floorboards. I need to remove them before putting the new timber floor down. The first arch - the left side is against a double brick wall, and the right is against a gyprock wall with timber frame.the second arch has double brick walls either side. Any suggestions and advice on whether these arches would be load bearing? Hoping to avoid the cost of getting an engineer in if I can help it. Thanks guys http://www.renovateforum.com/webkit-fake-url://B6D1DA3C-4104-4E18-BD9A-13C77809EE32/imagejpeg

[johnc]

By the look of the age of the house and the style of the arch they are not load bearing at all just decorative. However to be on the safe side get up into the roof space and have a look if anything is supported in that place above the arches.

[rufus]

thanks John, appreciate the response. cheers mate

[Bloss]

As johnc says - you can't tell whether they are load bearing by looking at them! As he also said fair chance that the hallway was bridged all the way so the whole of these doorways could be safely be removed, but you need to know what is above them and bearing down on them - so a thorough look in the roof space (and knowing what you are seeing!) is a must. If in doubt take some pics and post them here.

[rufus]

Thanks Old Chippy. Had a look in the roof and one arch doesn't look to be load bearing - nothing in the roof above. The other however has a brick wall right up into the roof above the arch. So am thinking that once the arch is squared off, a lintel will need to go in to provide support. Then rendered. Before I start I'm Gonna call in the big guns and get by builder brother-in-law to come and take a look and give some advice.

[Bloss]

The other however has a brick wall right up into the roof above the arch. So am thinking that once the arch is squared off, a lintel will need to go in to provide support. Then rendered. Before I start I'm Gonna call in the big guns and get by builder brother-in-law to come and take a look and give some advice.

Lintel would go in before the arch is squared off . . . . get the big gun in . . . :-

[rufus]

hehe yeah think thats for the best:doh: