structural engineer or advice?

[timmbuck2]

OK, I am remodeling my kitchen for the eventual sale of the house and move to the mountains. (Nakman's house and land made me jealous!) There is a pass-through from the kitchen to the added-on family room in the back of the house. My plan was to open up the pass-through, at least doubling the length and making it a foot or so taller. When they added the back room on, they also widened the kitchen, and there looks to be a huge header running the length of the house. The wall with the pass-through is a few feet farther out. I took a cabinet down to see what was going on in the wall to see if I could just open the pass-through up and put in a simple header. Well it looks like the pass-through has a huge header, either 2 2x4's on top of one another, or a 1x8. Seems excessive to me for a simple 5 foot wide pass-through. Anyone know of a remodel expert or engineer that could come take a look for me? If this was not a load bearing wall I would have no problem putting in a simple header, but would probably pay an expert to put in the header if it was load-bearing, so I would probably need advice on someone to do that as well. I have remodeled several houses but always stayed away from heavy stuff like this. Thanks for reading all the way to the end of this rambling message.

Timm

 

[Corbet]

Have tried searching the building codes for the required header given the size of the new opening you have planned?

 

[Red_Chili]

You pulled a permit, right? They need an engineer's buy-off to approve it in the inspection.

If done without a permit, you have to disclose that upon sale. Could create insurance difficulties...

 

[nakman]

You pulled a permit, right? They need an engineer's buy-off to approve it in the inspection.

If done without a permit, you have to disclose that upon sale. Could create insurance difficulties...

Insurance difficulties for the new buyer?

 

[Red_Chili]

Yup.

 

[Hulk]

Bill, where do you draw the line for pulling a permit? I've run 220v to some baseboard heaters in our front bedrooms and various other electrical projects. I've done some minor plumbing. I've never pulled a permit for any of this stuff.

 

[timmbuck2]

I have to admit I never thought of pulling permits for the remodeling I have done. Anything major like moving plumbing or electrical stuff I probably would have gotten an expert and pulled a permit. The Denver.gov website says I should have a permit and inspection even for drywall?

 

[nakman]

A permit covers your rear if insurance or lawyers get involved.

Huh? So if you do a poor job and pass your inspection anyway you're now less liable? I don't agree. IMO permits are most valuable for resale, where one can claim your improvements. Like if you added a bath w/o permit, you shouldn't be able to "claim" that additional bath in your listing since it was added illegally. But I've never run into an insurance issue where coverage was denied or rates were higher because improvements had been made sans permit..

As a buyer, hire an inspector.

 

[timmbuck2]

Whoever inspected the work done when the remodeled and put on an addition to my house in the 80's was asleep on a few things. (tile backsplash mounted directly on 1/4 drywall for example) My remodel is a simple tearout and replace in the kitchen (cabinets, counters, floors) and slightly widening a passthrough on a non-load bearing wall. No major electrical or plumbing involved.

 

[Red_Chili]

Well, in your original question, you mention input from a structural engineer and note widening an opening. Chances are, your municipality will want to see a permit and inspection.

Bill, where do you draw the line for pulling a permit? I've run 220v to some baseboard heaters in our front bedrooms and various other electrical projects. I've done some minor plumbing. I've never pulled a permit for any of this stuff.

'Tain't me drawin' the line. I've done my share of permitless work, guilty as charged. But in Littleton, even for an ornamental fence in the front yard I need to pull a permit. Even a hot water heater requires a permit. Certainly a tiled shower pan, two inspections needed in fact. New furnace? Permit. New tub? Yup. Faucet? Not so much, YMMV. Toilet? I'd doubt it, but I do know they want to see caulking around the base of it. Again, call to be sure, it's cheap insurance.

On the plus side, I've NEVER worked with a municipality that has been as agreeable and helpful as Littleton Building & Zoning. Never. But that front fence MUST be 2' back from the sidewalk. If I have a question, I call them up and ask, and they not only tell me what they are looking for, but give me cost saving ideas and suggestions to make things work better even if not required by code. I am extremely happy with Littleton. Arapahoe County and Denver have got to be the worst... DAMHIK.

No, schlocky work inspected and bought by the city is still schlocky work. Good but uninspected work is still good. But do it without a permit and you'd better have a good lawyer should things go awry.