Removing a half wall to open up small space?!?

[sheabee]

Hi,

we are remodeling a small duplex. it's about 1250 square feet in this unit, so we're hoping to open up the living room to the kitchenette/dining area to make it seem a little less cramped. this is the lower unit.

i have two questions really.

Q1: do you think it's fine, structurally speaking, to remove this half wall?

the placement of the wall between hardwood floors and what WILL be the new ceramic tile floor we are putting in the kitchen is odd. there will be a heating vent that needs to move to the floor, fine. but we need to make a decision about either tiling further out and cutting out some hardwood, or adding hardwood where the wall is being removed.

Q2: for aesthetics and ease of difficulty, which route would be better for filling in the flooring? hardwood the removed area? or tile out a little further?

pics attached. and if i didn't provide any needed info, please ask and i'd be happy to expand on it.

thanks,
tara

 

[nealtw]

Moving the return air vent may be a bit of a job under the house. I would look at taking out a little hardwood to square out for the new tile floor. Are you planning on taking the old floor out of the kitchen? They appear to be old lino tiles which may contain asbastos.

 

[sheabee]

we were likely going to remove the old floor since the hardwood and the linoleum are level. so to have the tile be closer to the hardwood level we considered it. we heard it might be asbestos. do you suggest leaving it?

and then, based on your response, i'm assuming it seems ok structurally to remove that wall?

 

[oldognewtrick]

The half wall is not structural, the rest of the wall very well may be. You will have to reposition the duct in the half wall.

 

[nealtw]

I wouldn't expect anything important in the wall but the beam above will be supported by the wall behind the fridge so don't get into that part of the wall. You could take a sample of the tile and get it tested. Evan if it is bad, you just don't want to cut it with a saw. I would go for prying it up with the board below and break it as you go. Sheet off the kitchen with plastic to contain any dust and ware dust mask or something that fit the face better.