removing a wall between kitchen and lounge, need approval?

Getting this wrong is not a paperwork problem. Removing a load bearing wall without a properly sized beam causes deflection above it, which shows up as cracked cornices, doors that stop closing and, in the worst case, structural failure.

Indicators a wall is load bearing

• It runs perpendicular to the ceiling joists above it.
• There is a wall or a beam directly above it on the storey above.
• It sits over a beam, a thickened section of slab or a row of stumps below.
• It is close to the centre of the building's span, which is where internal support usually sits.

None of these is conclusive on its own. Roof structures in Australian homes vary a great deal, and trussed roofs in particular can make an apparently central wall entirely non-structural, or the reverse. This is what a structural engineer is for, and the fee is small relative to the job.

What else is in there

• Electrical cabling and switch drops, which must be rerouted by a licensed electrician.
• Plumbing, particularly if a kitchen or bathroom backs onto it.
• Ducting for heating or cooling.
• In pre-1990 homes, potentially asbestos in the wall sheeting itself.