Increasing Size of Fridge Alcove for larger fridge

Shark on 07/08/2020 - 16:14
Last edited 07/08/2020 - 16:19

Hi guys,

We are looking to renovate our kitchen and are currently engaging with kitchen designers. However, our current fridge alcove is limiting our fridge options as we would like a larger french door fridge (family of 6). Our current fridge is 825mm wide. We would like to go to a 900mm fridge + allowing 20mm of air ventilation either side, so 940mm width. The current fridge and alcove is very tight with an opening of 850mm wide. We therefore need an extra 90mm of width in the fridge alcove. This is outside the scope of the kitchen designer at the moment until we have discussed with a builder/handyperson.

The alcove is single brick with a horizontal steel plinth above the existing fridge at the front of the alcove. The original design was for an oven in this alcove and so the alcove is open above the fridge for ventilation into the single roof cavity.
I've linked below photos of the current fridge and alcove and a copy of the relevant parts of the house plan. I've marked the single brick wall in question in red highlighter and the steel plinth in dashed red highlighter.

I'm getting a builder/handyperson out to inspect and advise on the weekend, but to give me some early insight, do you think this alcove wall is load bearing? As the easiest solution would be to remove the outside alcove brick wall and replace with matching cabinatery panel.

Thoughts please? Thanks in advance

Link to kitchen photos and house plan:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/152494682@N02/albums/721577153…

Home & Garden

Comments

  • adgnetworks on 07/08/2020 - 16:48

    Ditch the meals area and expand the kitchen out.

    • Shark on 07/08/2020 - 16:56

      We are doing this and going with a central island bench instead. However, this doesn't fix the fridge alcove size which is what we are currently grappling with.

  • John Kimble on 07/08/2020 - 17:07

    I'm no expert, but I don't see how/what it would be load bearing (I could be wrong).

    • Shark on 07/08/2020 - 17:32

      Thanks

  • Euphemistic on 07/08/2020 - 17:17

    Seems unlikely to be load bearing, but hard to tell without seeing in the roof.

    • Shark on 07/08/2020 - 17:32

      Thanks. Yeah, I intend to jump into the roof cavity tonight for take a look at the joists etc and get a better idea.

  • Stewardo on 07/08/2020 - 18:31

    Looks like a mid 90s truss roof, the part your talking about removing wouldn’t be supporting the truss. Should be ok for licensed builder to remove and cabinet maker to Install an end panel.

  • brad1-8tsi on 08/08/2020 - 00:54

    It doesn't look load bearing.
    the "walls look like they were done in 3x2 so maybe come down to 2x2 on the pantry side and (as you said) a cabinetry panel on the other.

    I had to jam the fridge in in my last house and only had 15mm clearance at the sides so I put some floor level vents in at the rear and the fridge was still going after 11 years (and it was a crap Westinghouse). Maybe rear ventilation is a partial solution?

  • donkcat on 08/08/2020 - 06:55

    Yeah no way this is load bearing

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