Do we really NEED TO DEMOLISH more walls? / Renovating a 110+ y.o. ABANDONED farm in Belgium

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It's either he likes the demolition work so much or we really need to demolish more walls in our old farm... Can he justify his decision this time? Join us to see whether his reasoning is legit. Episode #149. Subscribe, like and comment to stay on top of our progress. Thanks, you're the best!
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[@DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm]

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[@bartramdilks26]

The good thing about removing interior walls is that you can change the floor plan of the second floor to something that suits your family better. Doing a great job.

[@NailahRoberts]

Only if they're not supporting walls

[@bartramdilks26]

@@NailahRoberts that goes without saying, that wall obviously is not load bearing.

[@NailahRoberts]

@@bartramdilks26 I know, he's removed a lot of unnecessary weight too 😁

[@pdw7783]

And easier to put the electric conduits in the wall

[@wileycoyotesr8623]

Can you get a debris-chute? You could send both bricks and rubble down the tube from window to outside ground, even aim the debris into a wheelbarrow.

[@elrond12eleven]

and destroy both bricks and wheelbarrow.

[@wileycoyotesr8623]

Removing the wall was logical. Nobody likes to destroy history but nothing lasts forever. Our daughter had the idea of saving a 3 or 4 foot wide section and spraying epoxy on it for rigidity. New walls on the ends would stabilize it. The old wall section would almost become a piece of art. She's only 11 but I sense she's an architect in the making. 👍👍👍

[@dr.rotwang]

If you do end up going with a frame/drywall walls for the interior you can always add a bunch of extra studs under those beams for additional support. Also using drywall will make running all your electrical and HVAC much easier than dealing with brick.

[@ChileExpatFamily]

Get a dumpster and position it outside and below the second story window. Move the debris only once. I am 61 and my back is now bad but I learned a long time ago to move things only once. Jim

[@5643437]

They want to save as many bricks as possible for projects that they may be able to use them on...throwing them in a dumpster, there more chance of them breaking .

[@ChileExpatFamily]

I did not know you were saving them. In that case you can build a slide, like a tube. This is what we use. The bricks slide down the tube into the dumpster and do not break. We clean them and leave the debris in the dumpster then remove the good bricks. All of the debris and bad bricks go to the land fill. Less work. Better back. Jim

[@NailahRoberts]

Benefit of putting new walls up is you can put soundproofing insulation in

[@maggiep3129]

If you’re building wood stud and drywall walls to replace the brick, don’t forget to insulate the walls. Even though they are inside walls, you want to insulate them for a good sound barrier.

[@hermithank9514]

Removing the walls will end up being a blessing in disguise!

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Another good thing of removing these walls is the ability to make the external wall insulation continuous at these points so that you have less cold bridging. Every interior wall touching the external wall is a possible damp spot. I have seen that in my own house where the extension was joined with the old house, all walls are cavity walls, the old rear wall of the house was now an interior wall with a cavity , the outer leaf wall continues to the inside of the house because the wall cavity was not opened at the connection point of the extension wall, these corners of the room were always damp and discoloured because of this until I had insulation on the outside of the house fitted.

[@redknight1322]

I understand wanting to preserve as much of the original structure as possible, but in the interest of structural integrity and safety, it really was the best choice to remove these walls. Illiya (please forgive me if I misspelled his name) did a fantastic job salvaging usable bricks for future use elsewhere around the house. You made the right decision to remove these walls. Now, you'll be able to use modern construction that will make adding power and other systems to your redesigned rooms far simpler to install and access for maintenance. Well done!! 😉😁

[@brittawrolson5936]

With the many bricks you have saved, you could build a new feature wall wherever you want once the unsafe/unstable ones have been removed. Marina can have the beautiful texture she wanted on that new wall ❤👍🏻 great to see you moving forward on this main house🤗

[@thoeset]

There is something so satisfying about watching Mariana sweep and clean up a floor. 😊

[@ji8044]

I really enjoy the banter between the two of you. You are probably the most charismatic renovation couple on KZbin.

[@lindacarruthers3423]

When thinking of taking down the walls I recall my renovator 😂brother’s view on making careful and needed changes to older houses with some degree of historical significance .He said that the original builders were not (as we are not) perfect . Mistakes are not confined to recent generations. Also with new knowledge and use of building materials ,methods, and ways of living in one’s house ,being sensitive to the historical reality of the building ,changes must be made .Of course the huge work load those changes make in your case,must add to the complexity of decision making.In my humble opinion your decisions are always good ones.❤❤❤

[@jimbecker5675]

Taking down those brick walls upstairs gives you a lot more options for laying out for how you actually want to use the space. And yes, frame walls with sound insulation is worthy.

[@AmyLouiseDens]

Your channel is amazing - I appreciate how much work it is to speak English here.

[@tooem56]

My husband and I think you need a shirt that says, "Let's do zat". It's such a great expression.

[@imochiexe5056]

Have you guys noticed any build-up in your musculature? Not attaching those fairly tall walls was indeed a dangerous thing to do. 😮😢 Good you both decided to remove these danger zones. Teamwork makes the job less odious.❤❤🎉🎉😊😊 Catspector approval , too. 🐈‍⬛❤🎉😊

[@judithbartnik593]

I hold my breath every time Ilia goes down the steps with a bucket of bricks. I hope you will make wider, more safe stairs when you get to that point! And a railing!

[@karensinclair4189]

It has been such an enormous job. Do not lose hope just take it one project at a time. You have come so far!

[@JudithGolding]

whetting down the rubble before sweeping and shoveling up is a smart idea. I often wish I could be there to help do some of the tedious clean up with you.

[@JudithGolding]

Taking down a brick wall is a major commitment. Very brave! I imagine every bit of deconstruction is a new discovery into the process that built the structure so long ago. What an adventure every day! The night shift is better than any video game.

[@Valmtg]

Oh those flowers came up a bit early! Glad to see the work continuing inside. 😃 Opening up the second floor helps make it a bit more versatile with a more open floorplan.

[@penbrown4049]

Doing it properly creates more work. But Yes definitely it's worth it in the end ❤ you're doing so well ❤

[@sheilarowan8664]

I always think that is better to clean as you go DOING A FANTASTIC JOB WELL DONE BOTH OF YOU ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@a.p.7003]

Please use a scaffolding for the beams if the free length is 10m plus! Safety first and avoiding more stress in the beams.. Always so good seeing your videos and progress!!! 🎉🎉

[@coralsancetta7242]

Love how methodological you are. Saves time in long run.

[@walkingstick6655]

More bricks to reuse! Once you get the walls down, you'll be glad you did, of course.

[@IvIozey]

when a wall has to go, it has to go... but you should consider building up or setting up where you want the new walls. If you put the hemp insulation against the outer wall, you'll have no strong anchor points for the new walls.

[@ritafoster4958]

Oh, I’m so sorry that you had to pull down that shaky interior wall. It just adds more to your workload, but it was just too wobbly to leave as it was. You did the right thing. Marina, you are very trusting to stand so close to where Illia is tossing those bricks out the window! Great episode and am looking forward to seeing the progress! ❤️🇨🇦

[@justsomeone89]

I wonder why you insulate the walls before putting the screed back on the floors. ? I would do that first so you have a flat, and sturdy floor as a base. And the hemp has more room to expand and contract instead of in between a wall and a screed layer. I also think the walls do carry a load when the top floors are on it, the span of the wooden beams is too long for it not be supported in the middle when there is another floor on top. And the lack of weight could also be the reason why the walls were so wobly.

[@scania9786]

You are correct, single brick walls like that are almost always wobbly without load on them from floor above. This is extra noticeable by the door where it is basically a free standing wall without support.

[@keithr6572]

That wall was keeping the beam from sagging. That beam is spanning a very large distance. I suggest you put a pillar under the beam where the wall was. You can make it decorative while it is still keeping the beam from sagging.

[@johnlammers6414]

Hopefully you are allowing your children to participate in your wonderful building experience. This is a great opportunity to build a shared family memory. Best of luck.

[@sarahm8093]

Always look forward to your videos 🙂

[@DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm]

Thank you so much!

[@phillipdickinson8557]

Illia and Mariana that was great enjoyed it the wall removal and explanations were great and the new app that shows your construction start and finish each phase great can't wait for next video thank you for sharing and your time was really great never miss a video

[@kub1061]

A sound decision to remove those walls. Now you can decide on your own disposition

[@TheKruizr]

Life's good when you're a cat, no one ever asks you to carry bricks 🧱 😁

[@nodaklojack]

Yes, looking forward to how the chimney issue is resolved.

[@DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm]

We already got some replies and one offer. Waiting for the others to compare.

[@DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm]

But since we gonna repair it from inside (already decided) we are unblocked to continue on insulation.

[@toniasalways]

You can throw all those broken bricks in my driveway! My snow plow guy moved way too much gravel to the grass this year. Anikia also helping on the night shift. I've forgotten whose blog I saw them tie a rope to the bucket handle and a 2nd rope up through the bottom of the bucket with a big knot in it. Lower the bucket and then pull the bottom rope to dump it.

[@DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm]

LOL I call it “business continuity” now you need to hire someone again to move it back! Thanks for the tip.

[@MediaTribeUSAAus]

Ok, wow, I’ve been considering Milanote for a long time and you’ve just shown me exactly why I need it!

[@CasbahD]

To save those bricks, use a long board with wood attached to the sides to make a chute and just slide them down.

[@SusanZiegler]

You just posted the very best sponsorship ad I have ever seen on KZbin! Well done!

[@tinareaume7484]

Nice to see work on the main house again.

[@mariastellamelendez8670]

I like the big open room. You will have so much fun decorating and living in it.

[@ImpyChan]

Since you're removing the wall, are you planning to make any changes to the floorplan afterwards? It seems like a good time to consider how the beams relate to the spaces they pass through, since I remember you mentioned originally wanting to keep them exposed. There's also no obligation to just put a straight wall back across to replace the old one, it might be more effective to think in zigzags in order to better allocate the space. For example, you could put interlocking closets between a couple of the rooms, so that everyone has built in storage, or change the door placement to have the most efficient but comfortable hallway possible at the top of the stairs, etc.

[@nativetexson]

The removal of the brick walls will allow you to reconfigure the space as you move forward with construction. I'm doing that with my house in France.

[@PEPPER2323]

Keep it up.. .........Dallas, Texas

[@soilihenriksson3696]

Joy to see again and that you manage good. I have been quite good health and been able to go shopping food, what needed. Shops are near.

[@arjanvogel6444]

Thanks for your vid 😇💟💟💟 Love and bless you all guys, good work guys 👍😁.

[@andreamalik2961]

It's fascinating to watch the work you guys are doing 😊

[@09conrado]

It might be interesting for you to look int buying a 'stort slurf' or construct a slide for the rubbish out the window...

[@porthole12]

Very wise salvaging as many bricks as you can for future products or sale. Here in the states antique bricks sell for between $2.00 to $4.00 each!

[@anitabirrer7076]

Greetings from switzerland...you do a realy hard job...take care...it is intetessting to follow your projekt...thanks for the vid's

[@scottyandhutch]

The walls have to come down for safety. Looking on the bright side this gives you the opportunity to redesign the space. For example, built-in wardrobes when you put in the new walls.

[@marilynlautner2454]

It’s great that you have an app that will help you structure your process. How are the children? We never see them. Enjoy your early spring.

[@Rebuildm3417]

Just ensure that you insulate the new walls properly. You don’t want to hear sounds from different rooms.

[@sontisontheim3138]

just keep in mind: small rooms are way better to heat. but the posdibility to make free walls wherever you want is a huge possibility

[@annegretewardrope5668]

Just amazing such a hardworking man you two are great 👍 😊

[@karenchesser6348]

I have seen with other projects that if you want the old brick look you can cut the bricks with a tile saw and make slabs. Then mortar on the wall like you would regular tile.

[@raytalbot5890]

Walls wobble due to nothing above them holding them in place …. 👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@Ostekiks]

Hey its nice to see your work, but make a slide of two boards 4" by 4" nailed together, then you can slide the bricks down and put them on pallets, less hard for your back and arms

[@Олександр-в5п8э]

Ви чудові !!! Успіхів вам 🙏😉

[@Kimella777]

Oh it’s good seeing all this progress ❤😊

[@helenversteeg4516]

For removing rubble and any kind of excess building materials from upstairs, why don't you buy or hire a shoot? Loving watching your channel, the work you two do is amazing. Happy renovations! 🎉

[@danyelpotvin385]

I always wonder why you do not rent a debris chute instead of carrying buckets to a wheel barrow… it’s like a plastic tube about 60cm in diameter (debris chute) you and husband work really hard .. I admire all your determination and work ! !

[@josefreck1103]

Ihr macht tolle Arbeit weiter so einfach Spitze und bleibt gesund 👏🏻👋🙋‍♂️🇩🇪👍

[@trevelynbrown4444]

Looking good . Many more options for the upstairs. Are you looking at changing the angle of the stairs ? They are very steep . I would be concerned someone may trip .

[@barburich5796]

Great job better to be safe

[@emilyerdbeer3679]

That's a good idea to remove the wobbly walls, but did you notice how the beam sank when Ilya removed the stones? It would be better to support the beam in at least two places. By removing so many beams and walls, you have taken away a lot of stability from the house. 😮

[@teepeeX]

Best decision to take down wobbly walls, very unsafe ... see you at another brick in the wall😅

[@jaymanishere]

I think that you should just use "timber framing" to make the new walls. They are much quicker to build and about as thick as the brick wall.

[@threellamas16]

For ease and convenience, a non-load bearing wall in English is called a partition wall. Just trying to help!😁

[@erneststevenson3872]

Clean up as you go - excellent strategy. How about a chute for the bricks- from window to ground level. Large Diameter plastic pipe might work??

[@eastafrica1020]

You are building an extensive pile of reclaimed resources. You will be able to open a builders warehouse. 😊

[@heatherthefireislefairy5469]

you could rig up a cloth slide from the window to the ground and save trips up and down with tithe buckets. or a pully with a bucket outside the window for the stuff you don't need to save at least

[@timothyball3144]

If sound-deadening is a goal with walls, I have seen where the wall has 2x6 top and bottom plates, but 2x4 studs placed on alternate sides. The theory is that sound won't transfer through the drywall, through the studs, then through the drywall.

[@heidibarlow6687]

Wow❤ a lot of work!!👊🏻💪🏻🙌🏻

[@sontisontheim3138]

keep the doorframe and the door. these walls are later build ones so no problem to demolish it.

[@paulstuart8676]

Guys the spaces created without the walls is great and maybe bigger rooms might be nicer, especially after the hemp insulation is installed. I don't understand the European fascination with lots of tiny rooms. Think about it as its to be your home. If you want more rooms you could build on top of the workshop where the old hay loft was, that would make a fantastic studio and relaxing area. Lots of small rooms end up being just storage rooms or cupboards. Cheers, love the channel.

[@bethcervenka1813]

Now that you have the tiny building that guests could use, I hope the two of you are taking the ground bedroom and let the kids have the top floor.

[@annegretguellich2952]

Escape to rural France ist pretty intresting too

[@heatherjames5097]

Gone are the days when you could just take the hose up there, eh! :)

[@whiskeyontherocks]

If an interior wall is unsafe or needs a lot of repair then yes I would take it down. But, taking a wall down takes a lot of time and I would only do it if it was necessary

[@fatimar8924]

Ui ! Sumidos . Tá tudo bem aí ? 🌾🌾🏡😉🙏💕

[@darilynkrupp6309]

I was wondering why you didn't use a chute to send debris from the window to the ground. They can be made with a round concrete form, usually used for creating concrete columns (called a Sonotube in US) or something similar, attached to a tall ladder for stability. (I use straps or bungee cords to secure to the ladder.)

[@PeterLee-zn3jl]

DEMOLITION MAN..! Diggin scrapin choppin and shovelin...there he goes..! Join in the FUN...,!

[@Jarlerus]

I'm wondering about the second floor floor: It looks like it's just a layer of bricks laid sideways - but that doesn't seem stable, so I'm wondering: What keeps that floor up/stable? :) Are there some metal bars within it or something?

[@DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm]

Indeed, metal bars in between. I showed it in previous videos, but can’t find the link now anymore. 149 videos already posted 😅 Stability engineer said it’s very good and solid floor, we shouldn’t worry.

[@Jarlerus]

​@@DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm ok! Nice!

[@jerrycratsenberg989]

I do not understand interior Brick room divider walls on the second floor. To me, it makes no pactical sense. You might think of insulating the wall that joins with the barn on the barn side so that you have some brick texture on the second floor. Thank you for sharing your wonderful journey.

[@goblinking4995]

That good it take all the weight off the floor

[@dorotaswiecicka7350]

You are fantastic ❤❤❤

[@МихайлоГоловатий-р8о]

Вітаю і бажаю Вам успіху)))❤

[@DeHoeveOldBelgianFarm]

Дуже дякую!

[@y.lelivelt2619]

The former owner used cheap stuf. The stones and the mortar and the flooring. Terrible ,so now you have to pay for it.

[@MichaelPhet]

Hi marina are you going to threw the bricks back through the window.lol😅

[@astro1billy]

a non load bearing wall in commonly called a partition wall in the US.

[@dahemac]

I will never get over your brick floors/ceilings. It was cool when you explained them. But they will always seem very very weird to me.

[@garykirk9888]

I’m watching and enjoying the renovation of your Home you might get to enjoy your retirement in it LOL teasing joke

[@thomasbubacz7402]

Time to design a proper stairway.

[@jacobkramer8866]

You are constantly adding to the stock of reclaimed brick and other supplies in your yard. Many people are interested to acquire reclaimed stones etc. Why not store them on a pallet then you can much easier move them and make some money by selling them

[@joannejohnson1180]

What an awful, tedious job it seemed to remove those walls. I'm surprised you didn't have to support those giant beams even tho they aren't load bearing. They just seem really, really long. But what do I know?!