Have you recently bought a Victorian home because you value culture and history but want to do some modifications? You may like the simplicity of these older properties, with smaller and more intimate rooms, but modern-day life may require some changes. But will you need to make any significant structural changes to the property to achieve your goal, and what implications may these have?
Going Open Plan
Many people in your situation will intend to keep the outer facade so that they feel as if they are living in a traditional, older property. They may nevertheless like the concept of "open plan," where a larger kitchen is seamlessly connected to the living area to enhance the family living condition.
Making Modifications
This type of modification will certainly require input from a structural engineer and architect. If the property has more than one floor, you may need to look very closely before you knock down interior walls and especially if any are load-bearing. While the fact that one may indeed be load-bearing is not necessarily a showstopper, additional strengthening may have to be introduced. In this and many other situations, you may need to look at the foundations to see whether they are capable of dealing with the additional stress.
Underpinning Solution
Again, this does not present a major challenge even if the original foundations may be in relatively poor condition or too shallow. In this case, you can bring in a separate expert who will add special concrete pins at designated locations below ground. This process of underpinning can make up for any deficiencies as well as deal with questionable soil conditions. Once those modifications have been completed, extra internal changes (like RSJs) can be introduced without any additional worry.
No Reasons for Concern
Some people worry about the very concept of underpinning. After all, they may mistakenly feel that this work could cause insurance implications or affect resale value. However, neither of those assumptions is accurate, and once you have provided all the data to the insurance company, they'll be pleased to see that you took such a comprehensive approach. A prospective buyer will also be happy to see this and know that the renovation work was completed with full attention to detail. They can be sure that they are buying a property that has been built to stand the test of time.
Making Plans
So, as you consider your renovation plans, make sure that you talk to an underpinning contractor to discuss your options.