# Load bearing wall removal options



## ikessky (Aug 24, 2009)

I have attached a rough floor plan for your review. Basically, we want to make the wall represented by the red lines into a half wall surrounding the basement stairs. The length of the wall we would be removing is maybe 15'. The roof is a hip roof with regular spliced rafters. In the basement, there is a steel beam running the length of the house, sitting directly beneath the red wall on the right hand side. Therefore, I'm pretty sure that is my load bearing wall. We really don't want to do a beam and header and sacrifice head room. I was talking to my father-in-law and he suggested going into the attic crawl space, cutting an area in the rafters and installing a beam from the end of the house to the hallway (represented by the blue lines) and then using joist hangers to tie the rafters into the beam. We also talked with another family member (who I do some part time general contracting with) and he suggested running lvl from the one end to the hallway above the rafters and then tying the rafters into that lvl, which would be easier because I wouldn't have to cut the rafters, provide temporary support inside the house, etc. I could get the lvl up there, tie the rafters into it, and then begin removing the wall. No the question is, do they make some kind of special joist hanger for a beam that is overhead? I did a search and could only come up with standard joist hangers and hurricane/rafter ties. I don't think those would be sufficient, but I'm not sure. Any suggestions?


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## SelfContract (Dec 6, 2007)

Da whole house will collapse... Uh oh.. I see da contractors' bombs coming soon yer way!!.. Run Roger Run!!! :shutup::whistling


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

If you were in fact a General Contractor, you would know what to do, this is not a DIY website.

My advice is to hire a competent Licensed General Contractor to do the job, it would need plans sealed by an Engineer or an Architect.


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## JonM (Nov 1, 2007)

bwalley said:


> If you were in fact a General Contractor, you would know what to do, this is not a DIY website.
> 
> My advice is to hire a competent Licensed General Contractor to do the job, it would need plans sealed by an Engineer or an Architect.



He never said he was a "General Contractor" only that he was a "General"...you're in BIG trouble if he directs a Drone over your house...:clap:


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## wallmaxx (Jun 18, 2007)

Sir, yes sir.


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## wallmaxx (Jun 18, 2007)

Do what you want to do.

Then, deal with the consequences.

Do you really think you can get some free engineering advice from the internet? :no: That would be dangerous and foolish. The same would be true if I asked you if this picture of my head shows skin cancer or just a discoloration?

Either do what you think is right (wrong)

or

take a few minutes and a few hundred dollars and hire an engineer to certify your structural issue. A thing done right gives you moral and legal advantages.


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## ikessky (Aug 24, 2009)

Wow, thanks for the warm welcome guys.  I guess that I'm not an official lisenced general contractor and therefore you guys cannot offer any advice for me. I'm not looking to get dimensions or information for the beam/lvl, but just looking to see if they do in fact make some special hanger to tie a rafter to a beam that is overhead so I would have a source I could buy them from. I guess I'll just have to wait for my family member to be slow enough to do the job for me. I have never dealt with rafters before. I end up doing some part time work with them, but it is usually in the area of drywall, roofing, and that sort of thing. So, here's my apology for not knowing anything and trying to learn a little something (even if it was from the internet).


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

ikessky said:


> Wow, thanks for the warm welcome guys.  I guess that I'm not an official lisenced general contractor and therefore you guys cannot offer any advice for me. I'm not looking to get dimensions or information for the beam/lvl, but just looking to see if they do in fact make some special hanger to tie a rafter to a beam that is overhead so I would have a source I could buy them from. I guess I'll just have to wait for my family member to be slow enough to do the job for me. I have never dealt with rafters before. I end up doing some part time work with them, but it is usually in the area of drywall, roofing, and that sort of thing. So, here's my apology for not knowing anything and trying to learn a little something (even if it was from the internet).


The type of advice you are asking for cannot be answered here, yes there are joist hangers that can be used in an application like this, but this is not the type of job that should be done by someone with out the required skills and knowledge to do it properly and safely.


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## ikessky (Aug 24, 2009)

bwalley said:


> The type of advice you are asking for cannot be answered here, yes there are joist hangers that can be used in an application like this, but this is not the type of job that should be done by someone with out the required skills and knowledge to do it properly and safely.


Which is precisely why I'm not going to be doing the job by myself, but rather simply lending a hand and some "dumb muscle". I will not be specing out any material by myself. Still, that doesn't stop me from wanting to find out the best way to do this job and what the common practice is does it? You know how slow free family jobs happen right? I would like to understand the proper and common way to do this before the guys show up at my house and expect me to help without being given too many directions.


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## bwalley (Jan 7, 2009)

ikessky said:


> Which is precisely why I'm not going to be doing the job by myself, but rather simply lending a hand and some "dumb muscle". I will not be specing out any material by myself. Still, that doesn't stop me from wanting to find out the best way to do this job and what the common practice is does it? You know how slow free family jobs happen right? I would like to understand the proper and common way to do this before the guys show up at my house and expect me to help without being given too many directions.


 
Is your family member that is doing the job a licensed contractor?

If so and plans are drawn and sealed by an engineer, and the plans are followed, it should be fine.


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## SelfContract (Dec 6, 2007)

bwalley said:


> *Is your family member that is doing the job a licensed contractor?*
> 
> If so and plans are drawn and sealed by an engineer, and the plans are followed, it should be fine.


 

No, OP=HO trying to bypass any GC and save dough$$... and no, none of family members are GCs either, and hidden work may not be inspected and/or passed, etc..... is that a satisfied answer!!?? :thumbup::jester:


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## Nathan (Jul 21, 2003)

Please post on www.DIYChatroom.com. This site is for pros only.

Thanks


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