Carpentry and Woodworking - Respacing studs in a load-bearing wall

I'm in the process of buying my first home! It's been a bit of a nightmare, but I think (hope) it will go through. The little house is wonderful, but there's one thing that really bothers me. In the kitchen, the fridge is smack in the middle! There's no place for it that makes sense. If it were not there, the kitchen would be nice and adequately spacious, but I want to relocate the fridge.

Here's what I'd like to do, and need some help with! The wall that separates the kitchen from the living room I suspect must be a load-bearing wall. I've researched this for weeks, and it's the main wall in the house and I believe it runs perpendicular to the floor and ceiling joists. The roof is flat and there's no attic (only a small crawl space) and it's on a slab foundation.

Originally, I wanted to remove the whole wall and put in an island, but I don't think I could do that with such a large wall that is load-bearing.

So, I'd like to remove the plaster from the load-bearing wall and respace the studs to recess the fridge, build in a pantry and then also build in a dishwasher and microwave area. I would not be taking down the wall, but just respacing the studs slightly. I would give new header support between them to transfer the load. Then, behind everything, I'd build a new wall and build walls between each of the three areas, thereby giving the whole roof area much more support than it has now.

The question is, if I put in the new studs and then remove the old ones after, will that brace the load enough? The new studs will be perhaps 24 inches apart instead of 16 inches apart.

I appreciate any help with this!

Thanks,

Jen

The safest way is to build a temporary wall a few feet away. Why take any chances? You don't have to nail the top or bottom plates to the ceiling or floor. Just lock it in place.

Actually, I want to build a permanent wall a few feet away to be the back of this new recessed area. So, that should be sufficient to carry the load while I respace the studs?

No. You need two temp. walls, one on each side. Then put in a header for the wall removed , which can be flush with the ceiling , if you hang the current ceiling joists.

Be safe, G

I don't want to remove the wall. I just want to respace the studs.

Ahhhhh. Table 23 here:

Single Family Residential Construction Guide - Wall Framing (http://www.mcvicker.com/resguide/page009.htm)

Depends on the loads above, with 2x4, roof and ceiling- 24"

Roof, ceiling and 1 floor - 16"

Does that answer the question better? Be safe, G