Loadbearing walls

Loadbearing walls are structural walls that transmit the weight of the roof, floors and other internal loads to the foundations. Loadbearing walls are usually made of brick or loadbearing concrete blocks, but in some cases they are timber framed. A wall may also be considered to be loadbearing where it is adding to the stability of the structure by stiffening an adjacent wall even though it might not be supporting a vertical load itself. Consult a builder or surveyor before you make any alterations to loadbearing walls.