This article will explain some guidelines for determining load bearing walls, but you should keep in mind that a structural engineer is the only person who can guarantee their recommendations on changing the structure of a home. Hence, you can follow these guidelines and you will be correct the majority of the time, but you may still want to call an engineer before you start cutting walls.

To establish whether a wall is load bearing, you must look for evidence in the attic and the basement or crawl space. Here you will have access to see the actual structure of how the walls and joists connect. If you have finished the basement or added a bonus room in the attic, it may be more difficult to see exactly how the walls and connections line up.

First, look at the foundation of your home. You will find support beams in the basement or crawl space. Normally the support beams will have several supports along their length. These supports are usually teleposts (an adjustable metal pole from floor to ceiling about three inches in diameter) in newer homes, but may also be any type of wood, concrete or steel. In most cases, the load bearing walls in a home are above the beam in the foundation. These load bearing walls will go up two or more floors and may not be directly above the beam.

Next, look in the attic of the home. If a wall runs parallel to the joists, it is most likely not a load bearing wall. If a wall is perpendicular to the joists it may be a load bearing wall. Finally, if two joists join above a wall, it's usually a load bearing wall.

Additionally, complications can exist if there have ever been renovations to a home. First, virtually all exterior walls of a home are load bearing. If an addition has been added to a home at some point in the past, then the wall between the original home and addition is load bearing. Also keep in mind that past renovations like an additional stairwell or partial removal of a load bearing wall may have transferred weight to non load bearing walls, making them load bearing. Due to these complications, it's always wise to assume that a wall is load bearing until it's been proven to the contrary.

These indicators will help you determine which of your walls are load bearing. You may then want to have a contractor or engineer verify these walls for you. If it is determined that the wall is non load bearing then you may consider doing the renovation yourself. However, if it is load bearing, you may need a building permit and it will be a lot more complicated. Your best option may be to get a contractor.

In summary, you can determine a load bearing wall by examining how the house's weight is dispersed. You can see this usually in the attic and basement or crawl space. If you have any doubts, you will want to consult an engineer or contractor before you begin your project.