I-beam supports

[LFG1234]

I recently purchased a house with a partially finished basement. The finished area has a boxed in I-beam support in the middle of the room. The support is approx. 10 feet from both the next support and the basement wall. I would like to remove or move the support to open up the room a bit. Any suggestions on determining how I can do this in a safe manner.

[caleyg]

When you say I-beam support, are you talking about an upright column or a horizontal beam that the floor joists rest on?

If it's the latter, I'd say moving it is next to impossible. If the former (a column) it may be possible to replace it with two--one on either side. For some situations that helps, for others it makes it worse.

Either way the best advice is to consult a structural engineer locally.

[LFG1234]

The supports I am referring to are vertical supports that are metal posts.

Since you say it may be possible and to contact a structural engineer, any suggestions on who (in general) I should be looking for (quals, design-builder, etc.) or how to find one.

If I did move the supports, would it require me to make modificaition to the basement floor, like beefing up the concrete at the new location?

[caleyg]

Yes, you would have to break through the slab and pour an appropriate footing. I'll assume here that since the distance between supports now is 10' you can *likely* move your supports wherever they work best for you, providing that there is never more than 10' between the supports--that is 10' clear space is the most you can get.

It is possible that there are other variables though (like a bearing wall right above that needs that support at that spot). Which is why you should contact an expert locally. My yellow pages has a whole page of engineers--construction, consulting, architechtural, structural. I'd start with structural and just see if they do that kind of work, if not they may know who does.