Can Walls Be Removed in Prefabricated Panel Houses?

It is not advisable to remove walls in prefabricated panel houses at will. Whether walls can be removed needs to be evaluated based on specific circumstances, and strict compliance with structural safety requirements is essential.

Prefabricated panel houses are products of the "rapid housing construction" trend in the 1970s and 1980s, featuring unique structural characteristics. The panels are primarily bonded with mortar, lacking steel reinforcement for continuity, resulting in relatively poor overall rigidity and limited renovation potential. Before removing any walls, it is crucial to determine their nature:

• Load-bearing and counterweight walls must never be touched. Load-bearing walls support the weight of the upper structure; removing them would cause the upper structure to lose support, potentially leading to structural instability and significant safety hazards. Counterweight walls, typically found between balconies and rooms, play a crucial role in supporting the balcony's load-bearing capacity; removing them would significantly reduce the balcony's load-bearing capacity, possibly triggering severe accidents such as balcony collapse.
• Non-load-bearing walls, although not structurally functional, should not be removed arbitrarily. Non-load-bearing walls are usually lightweight partitions used for indoor separation. However, wall renovations in prefabricated panel houses involve overall structural integrity, and any modifications may affect the house's overall structural safety. Therefore, it is not as simple as deciding which walls can be removed; reinforcement must be carried out after removal.

If wall removal is indeed necessary, the following preparations must be made:

• Engage a professional agency to assess wall nature: This is an essential step before wall removal. Professional agencies can accurately determine the nature of the walls, providing a scientific basis for subsequent renovations. The assessment cost is approximately between 500 and 1500 yuan.
• Install crossbeams on the roof to transfer loads: If renovation is necessary, crossbeams should be installed on the roof to transfer loads. The cost of steel beams is approximately between 200 and 400 yuan per meter. Additionally, the new and old structures must be reliably connected using chemical anchors, with each anchoring point capable of bearing a load of at least 1 ton to ensure the safety of the renovated structure.

Furthermore, there are three red lines that must be strictly adhered to when renovating prefabricated panel houses: Do not build any structures on the roof without permission, as this increases the house's load and affects structural safety; do not convert ordinary residences into crowded venues (such as training classes or restaurants), as crowding increases the house's usage risks; do not thicken the leveling layer on the floor or stack heavy objects for extended periods, as this may cause the floor to become overloaded and damaged.