Load bearing wall removal?

Hi wise neighbors..
Looking for some input on wall removal..I have what is most certainly a load bearing wall separating my kitchen & living room (runs parallel to party wall). Awaiting input from architect and structural engineer, but wanted to see if anyone has experience in removing a load bearing wall in 25ft wide brownstone? It wouldnt be the whole wall, probably just the back half of it. I know it would be necessary to put in a beam for support, am I crazy to think this can be done for 20-30k? Im on the garden level with shared cellar space below (cellar wall of this location is brick). Are there ways to reinforce without grounding into the foundation? We’re on a fixed budget and not a ton of options with our floor plan..any input appreciated!!

reccomand1nyc

in General Discussion 1 year and 6 months ago

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Lurker | 1 year and 6 months ago

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we did something like this. you definitely would want an engineer to come and do a site visit and they ought to be able to say offhand what variables you’re dealing with before going all in on doing full plans, which would help you make a decision yay or nay.
. Like, whether you would need to add a beam, and thus supports and then supports on the floor below, or maybe not at all. We added a beam on a 20 foot wide house with true 3 x 8 joist 16 OC to account for knocking down a wall. But a neighbor did the same thing and was told it was unnecessary as the joists and existing structure were overbuilt in the first place. l

justinromeu26 | 1 year and 6 months ago

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so the way it would get done so it does not have the look of columns is to open the wall a little wider than what you want the finished wall to be and install a heavier header into the walls to the side using jack studs to support it. those studs behave like columns but get enclosed in the finished wall.

The heavier header can be an aesthetic detraction.

Depending on what is going on here an engineer may recommend using steel and not every contractor can do this (i can’t). Bill at Laredo Construction uses steel but no longer comes on here and comments. Steel may offer options that those of us who work with wood framed construction may not be aware of-

Stickerhappy, why not post the names of your contractor and engineer?

stickerhappy | 1 year and 6 months ago

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We did something just like this, even more ambitious structurally than this, and avoided columns and it turned out well. I have a great contractor and engineer I could recommend if you want or can share more info on our process if helpful.

reccomand1nyc | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Makes sense! Appreciate your input!

justinromeu26 | 1 year and 6 months ago

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They will put a header up with jack studs down to the supporting wall. But this is really for architects or engineers to say what can be done and how.

reccomand1nyc | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Thank you for the reply! It sounds like a pretty extensive project. I’m wondering how that would work since the wall sits directly above a brick wall in the cellar that’s probably a foot thick? Also I read that if the header beam is less than 14 feet long it might work with columns? Thanks!

justinromeu26 | 1 year and 6 months ago

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Architects and engineers might have a way around this but any time i have added a header or opened a wall, the people directing the project said support has to go down to a footing or the foundation. We have added footings for such. On the projects i have been on there were no exceptions to that rule.