What’s a Flitch Beam? Opening up Structural Walls During Home Renovations
Looking to buy a home? Here's a fun construction tidbit from Buyer's Edge.
Since many homebuyers in the Washington, DC Metro area today are moving away from homes with traditional, separate, living spaces, our Exclusive Buyer Agents are constantly being asked about opening up structural walls to expand kitchens into dining areas or family rooms. To achieve this modern, open look, homeowners are savvy enough to understand that some structural, load-bearing walls will need to come down during the home renovation process. Today, it seems that the majority of contractors and architects choose to create flitch beam headers when this is needed since they can carry a heavier load and are move stable over the lifetime of the home. At Buyer’s Edge, before you leap, we do recommend that buyers talk about all design options with home contracting professionals before they buy. Many factors will dictate the best solutions, but this true-life example with Stephen Carpenter-Israel, President/Broker with Buyer’s Edge Buyer Brokerage Real Estate Company, is a pure "Winner.”
In a 120-year-old farmhouse, Bethesda Contracting was able to temporarily support the structure and then remove the existing structural wall between the kitchen and the dining room. Cutting out the old structural elements (wall and beams) and trimming back the floor joists, creating an opening for the new structural "Flitch Beam" to be built in place, the homeowners achieved the best possible scenario. They will now have a flush ceiling across the space allowing for lighting and cabinetry to run unobstructed from the old smaller spaces together.
Check out this flitch beam video with
Stephen Carpenter-Israel.
BEFORE STRUCTURAL WALL IS REMOVED DURING KITCHEN RENOVATION
FLITCH BEAM INSTALLED DURING KITCHEN RENOVATION OF FARMHOUSE