Open up your home. That wall you've always wanted gone, removed safely and properly, with the engineering behind it.
Removing a structural or load-bearing wall can create one of the most dramatic transformations within an existing home. AA7 Constructions specialises in structural alterations and load-bearing wall removal, with every project led by licensed builder Andrew Akkari.
1. Site Assessment
We come to your home, listen to what's not working and look at which walls may be load-bearing and what's sitting above them, before any numbers are put in front of you.
2. Design & Approvals
We work with your architect, designer and structural engineer, or introduce you to ones we've worked with, and give construction input as the design develops and goes through any approvals.
3. Building Cost Proposal
Once plans are finalised, you receive a detailed written cost proposal, so you know what your structural work will cost before it begins.
4. Build & Handover
We manage the work from propping and demolition through to making good, keep you updated at every stage, and walk you through every detail before handing over your home.
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A kitchen closed off from the living room. A hallway that never sees daylight. A back room that faces away from the yard. In a lot of homes, one wall is doing all of that.
Take it out and the kitchen, dining and living become one space, light gets through from one end of the house to the other, and the backyard becomes part of the room.
A load-bearing wall holds up what's above it: the roof, the ceiling, or a whole floor and everything on it. Take it out without replacing that support and the load has nowhere to go.
The principle doesn't change: the load needs support before the structure carrying it comes out. Temporary props go in first, the wall is removed, the new beam and supports go in, and the props only come out once the new structure is ready to take the load.
Every opening is designed by a structural engineer, who sizes the beam and its supports and works out where the load comes down. Depending on the span and the weight, that might be structural steel, engineered timber or LVL, and sometimes new footings where the load reaches the ground. We build to the engineer's design.
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Most people want the wall gone without a beam hanging down where it used to be. A beam that sits flush in the ceiling depends on the span, the load and the structure above it. Where it can't sit flush, the engineer and your designer work out the cleanest way to show it, before anything is ordered.
Brick and timber homes are handled differently. In a brick home, the wall coming out is often carrying the roof and the brickwork above it, so the masonry has to be supported while the new steel goes in. Getting that support and sequence right is what protects the brickwork around the opening.
Structural work is where you want the person who planned it standing there when the wall comes out. Andrew has more than 25 years in the trade, and you deal with him directly from the first site visit to handover.
Credentials
NSW Builder Licence 288792C | Home Building Compensation cover on every eligible project | ABN 44 607 778 263
Tell us about your project. We'll come out, look at the site and give you a straight answer on what's possible.
Start the conversationWhat happens at the first site visit?
Andrew meets you at the property, walks through it with you and listens to what you're planning. He'll look at the site, the access and any existing structure, and what they'll allow isn't always what you'd assume. You'll get a straight read on what's possible on your property.
How much will my project cost?
It depends on the size, the site, the finishes and what's behind the walls, so anyone giving you a number over the phone is guessing. After the first visit, and once the plans are settled, you'll get a written cost proposal setting out exactly what's included and what isn't.
How long will it take?
It depends on the size of the job, the site and the approvals required. You'll receive a realistic program with your cost proposal, and we keep you updated against it throughout the build.
Do I need council approval?
It depends on the property and the work you're planning. Some minor works can be carried out without planning approval, while other projects may need a development application or a complying development certificate. Your architect, designer or planning consultant will confirm the right pathway for your project. Where a principal certifier is required, you appoint them directly and we work with them through the build.
Can we live at home during the build?
On an extension or renovation, often yes, for much of it. There's usually a stage where it gets difficult, and we'll tell you at the cost proposal stage which parts of your build you can live through, so you can plan around it rather than find out a fortnight before. A knockdown and rebuild means moving out for the build, and you'll have the program early enough to plan for it.
What happens if something unexpected comes up?
On an existing home, something usually does: older wiring, tired plumbing, structures built to a different standard. On a new build it's more often what's in the ground. Either way, you'll hear about it straight away, with what it is, what we recommend, and what it means for cost and timing. Nothing extra goes ahead until you've approved it.
Can we make changes once the build has started?
Yes, and most people do. Anything you want changed gets priced and agreed in writing before the work happens, so a change never turns into a surprise on an invoice.