It's late. Too much wine. You can open what?. Your zipper Your tin of beans. Your front door. ??? PhilSo
Hi guys... Sorry for the delayed resposer. We currently do not live there hence to lack of more pictures. Also I took the original pics from the sales brochure hence why they look photoshopped. And YES I am female... Anyways back to the question at hand The electric meter is behind there and we want to use it to house the TV and for storage but not as it is. it was purpose built for the previous owners TV so size, depth and accessories are different. Also there is a lot of dead space that could be used. Here are more photos... Thanks for the replies
It's all doable. It's possible the quarter landing is supported off the stud wall underneath but it shouldn't need to be. In your position I would rip off the plasterboard underneath the stairs (but leave the studs) to expose underneath and have a good look at the method of construction, if needs be get a carpenter in for a day to strengthen or perhaps build a bulkhead to support anything if required.
The horizontal timber indicated that there was a landing there and it was below the level of the floor above. The pictures you provided confirm it. With the floorboards running across the width of the stairs the landing joists will naturally run the opposite way. So they will be fixed against the back wall and to the top of the stairs. As Jord alludes to above, it all depends on what is supporting what around the newel post in the picture section I posted. It may well be that this is tied into the floor joists of the main landing above. So as Jord mention remove the plasterboard and post some updated pictures of the underside of the landing. What are you going to do with the downstairs floor ? That looks like it could be red pine and clean up really well
I Is it a big/expensive job? Someone quoted us £1500 to remove and strengthen it but we were not even sure if it needs it?
If you take the plasterboard off and expose the structure a few people on here will give you an indication of what needs doing - if anything at all
Thanks all... Will do after the holidays have a very merry Christmas and I shall be sharing pictures soon
Hi all I hope your Christmas was lovely... My husband managed to crawl through and take some pictures. There is a metal frame behind so we're still unsure. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts... Thanks
The metal is purely a partition and isn't taking any load whatsoever, it does appear that you'll be ok to remove underneath without anything detrimental happening. I would get your husband to break the plasterboard off from the inside and unscrew the ply pattress so you can see fully from the outside, remove all of the metal met sec stud and clean up the opening. You should be good then to decide on your own designs.
The metal frame is just another means of making a stud wall - the modern day equivalent of 3x2 timber. Edit: Jord beat me to it (with a better answer as well)