How to Remove a Marriage Wall in a Modular Home
A modular home must have sturdy walls that are able to withstand the weight of the structure.
If you ever want to remove the marriage wall in your modular home, special care will need to be taken.
How To Remove A Marriage Wall in a Modular Home
You may want to remove the marriage walls to add on or make a room bigger.
To learn how to remove a marriage wall in a modular home, you will need to learn where the marriage walls are located, how to replace the marriage wall, and whether this is something you should do yourself or hire a professional for.
Location Of The Marriage Walls
A modular home will have a load-bearing wall at the front of the house, the rear of the house, and in the middle of the house.
This middle section is what is known as the marriage wall. In some cases, you may hear it referred to as the mating wall. This wall is just two walls joined together.
Typically, the wall is two to four inches thicker than the other interior walls in the home. You will find that this is stronger than most stick-built homes.
You may notice this in areas where there is an opening without a door.
Replacing the Marriage Wall With Beams
Several years ago, the only way you could eliminate any of the marriage wall was to install a beam that was below the ceiling. This is what is known as a dropped header.
This dropped header carried all the weight. It opened up the space and created a room divider.
However, this often made the home look cheap, and people did not enjoy it.
Today, better-looking beams are made. They are created out of laminated veneer lumber, which is affordable and creates a great look.
These beams can also be installed right up to the bottom of the ceiling so that they do not come into the room.
This makes the ceiling clear, and the marriage wall being gone is not noticeable.
Marriage Wall Limitations
Unfortunately, using laminated beams may not create the open space that you have in mind. The more weight your wall carries, the more the beam will have to be.
The weight of the wall increases as you remove sections of it to make the opening bigger. If you have modules stacked above, this can cause the weight to be even more.
In some situations, your structure will make the beam protrude down or take over your usable attic space.
You will want to talk to the manufacturer to determine how much space you can create safely when removing a marriage wall.
DIY Or Hire A Contractor?
How to remove a marriage wall in a modular home will require extensive knowledge of load-bearing walls and how to support and remove them safely.
If this project is done wrong, it can cause your modular home to collapse and can be an extreme safety issue. It is never a good idea to do this project by yourself.
You will need to hire a professional contractor that is an expert at removing load-bearing walls.
How To Find The Right Contractor
Once you have decided to remove the marriage wall in your modular home to create a more open floor plan, you can look for a contractor.
There are several things that you will want to consider when hiring a contractor.
Experience
You will want to make sure that the contractor you hire has had experience with load-bearing walls and the removal of sections of those walls.
You will also want to ask for licensing and insurance information upfront.
Reviews
Read reviews about the contractor before you hire them. If they have pictures from previous work, ask to see that before you hire them.
Ask them for reviews and recommendations from previous customers.
Pricing
You will want to get upfront pricing for the marriage wall removal.
Have the contractor come out and show them exactly what you want done. It may be a good idea to get several quotes.
Do not necessarily choose the cheapest one because they are more affordable. Do your research to ensure that you are choosing the best one for the job.
Timeframe
Having your modular home under renovation can be a nightmare.
You do not want to have your life disrupted for too long, so make sure that you ask the contractor what kind of timeframe they have for the job to be complete.
Talk to the manufacturer
Another thing that you can do is to talk to your manufacturer.
They may be able to remove the marriage wall for you while the home is still being constructed, This can save you time and money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions on removing a marriage wall.
Will removing some of the marriage will improve the property value?
If your goal is to improve the layout of your modular home, it may increase the value.
People tend to love open floor spaces, so it may also make it easier to sell your home in the future.
I know some about carpentry, is this enough to remove the marriage wall?
No, unless you have extensive contracting experience, it is not a good idea to do it yourself.
You could injure yourself and cause damage to your home. Not to mention you could end up in trouble if your state requires permits.
How long will it take to remove the marriage wall?
This will depend on your contractor’s timeframe. This is a job that needs to be done carefully, so it may take some time.
What if I want a protruding beam?
If you want the beam to be protruding into the room for aesthetic purposes, talk to your contractor about doing this.
Final Thoughts
While removing a marriage wall is complicated, it can help you to create a more unique-looking modular home with an open feel.
If this is something that you want to do with your modular home, speak with a contractor about getting started today.