I own a 1927 brick Tudor and I'm trying to understand my partially finished basement better. There's a brick wall that separates the finished den from the unfinished utility room. I've linked a video showing the setup. Is it typical for interior basement walls to be made of brick from that era? And more importantly, how can I tell if this wall is load bearing? I noticed that the floor joists run parallel to the wall, and in the utility room, the ceiling is exposed so I can see the joists clearly.
2 Answers
Typically, if the floor joists are resting on top of that wall, it’s likely load bearing. However, since your joists are parallel, that’s usually a sign it isn’t. It might be a good idea to get a structural engineer to take a look, just to be safe. You don’t want to risk any structural damage, especially since insurance might not cover it if you do something that causes problems. Better safe than sorry!
Looks like you've got a chimney extending to the basement! That could be why the brick wall is there; the wall may not be load bearing. But to know for sure, check if the joists above the wall are resting on it. If they aren’t, that’s a strong indicator it's not load bearing. Still, consulting a pro never hurts!
Thanks for the insight! I’ll definitely consider getting a professional opinion just to be sure.