What can I do with a single standing wall?
by
Sherry
+6
We wanted to open our room up and needed to remove 2 walls. they took one down and when they went to take the second one down it had every return several plumbing pipes in the wall . Way to expensive to remove if possible at all. We still want the one wall down we have a child with a wheelchair and need the room. I would love any ideas!
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Can you build a wall just around the pipe? If not, hang a curtain or decorate the area with an industrial theme.
Can you box in the plumbing pipes but open up the rest of the wall? I assume you have checked to see if the wall is load bearing.
Perhaps you should check with a local plumbing business. They would be able to tell you what they could do and the cost. It may be something you could afford to do.
Can you share some photos of the space? That will help for ideas. :)
Just accept that wall in going to have to stay. Now your new challenge is to figure out how to use that space to make something that will compliment the rest of the room.
Have you had a professional look and determine if the wall is load bearing? This is in important factor.
If the wall is load bearing there is no cheap fix. If you add a beam to hold the extra weight that is going to cost a few dollars.
Make it a type of feature wall. If you can't remove the wall play it up. Bookcases, art wall for grouping pictures or artwork, etc.
If you posted a picture that would be very helpful.
Why not apply for either a grant or low-income loan from HUD that gives preference to fix single family homes with disabled residents? to fix and relocate the plumbing. I am a bit shocked that the person you chose for your job didn't do exploratory holes in the walls to see if plumbing, HVAC and electrical were in the walls first.
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-repair-loans-grants You could also apply to Habitat for Humanity help in making repairs to homes for the disabled reasonably.
Make a collage of your favorite items, whether it is baskets or collectibles. Find a piece of artwork in a large size. Check Amazon, Wayfair, Barewalls etc for something that suits your taste and paint the wall a contrasting color. You can find murals that cover a whole single area of a wall for less than $70 on Amazon.
Folks, reread Sherry's question.
No need to pay for a professional to tell you if the wall is load bearing or not.
You can determine this yourself fairly easily by checking down in the basement.
However, the point here is that there are several plumbing pipes inside the wall in question. Dealing with them by 'boxing them in' is not an option. That is a large part of the the function of the wall - to hide the pipes. The cost of relocating these plumbing lines so that the wall can be removed, is prohibitive.
Sherry is asking for ideas on what can otherwise be done with the room to create more space, needed to accommodate the manoeuvring a wheelchair.
Sherry, would it be possible for you to post pictures of the room, showing doorways and windows, so that we can see what you have to work with?