Walls Don’t Have to Stay There

When they buy a home, most people think walls and doorways are there to stay. They’ll spend years griping about how much better it would be if that door was just over two more feet or if the wall between two rooms was moved just a little. But, even if the wall in question isn’t a load bearing wall, they’d never dream of actually moving it. That’s because they never worked on a university campus. Sometimes, I thought people made up walls and doorways that needed moving just to amuse themselves. They’d say they wanted a window where a door was, they wanted the original window closed up and they wanted a new door at the other end of the hall. Two days later, the painters would come and you never would have known that whole wall was just completely redone. Seeing that happen a few times made me realize that a wall or door isn’t something that has to stay where it is.

Now, I also have experienced the joy of living with a wall someone tore out that shouldn’t have come out. I’m sure there wasn’t a problem when it was done in the 60’s, but it is becoming a problem. I’m going to have to decide whether I want to put it back in or put in a set of pillars for support. Hmm. Old farmhouse, old farmhouse…Grecian pillars. Or something that looks like a fireman’s pole. I see a new wall in my future!

So, the next time you wish a wall was somewhere else, give someone a call to make sure it isn’t a load bearing one. If it isn’t, go ahead and move it. After all, it isn’t like you can’t move the wall back again if you change your mind.

Photo of wall being drywalled by K. Thomas