Architecture - Load bearing wall

Hello,

I have a 1960's tri-level. The Lower level is 25' x 25' on slab with exterior block walls. It is divided into two room, 13 x 25 den and 12 x 25 garage. There is a load bearing ledger steel beam supported in the middle by a steel column. Picture a "+" with the steel beam running left to right intercepting the wall.

I want to remove 13' of a 25' wall seperates the garage from the den. Picture a "T" The wall sits on a 6" maybe 7" slab and it runs perpendicular to a 25' steel beam which
supports a wall above. The ceiling and floor joists runs parellel to wall. The floor joists are 2 x10 16 OC .

There is a 2 x 10 that sits on top of the wall with only one soleplate. The wall has 2- 3" pipes going to the floor above which sliced into the 2 x 10. Also right next to it is another 2 x 10.

The wall above is a bedroom closet wall and the ceiling joists above it also run parellel and perpendicular to the main bearing wall on the second floor.

I had 3 contractors to look at it and they all said it wasnot load bearing. I was all set to signed a contract when, the last contractor told me that it was load bearing because there is a wall above it. One contractor said to building a 12' wall under the steel beam and that wall would become the load bearing wall. At this point, I'm totally confused. Is it a loading bearing wall or not? If so, how would it be supported if I wish to install a beam. Anybody know a reasonable rate structual engineer in Nashville,Tn.


Thanks

I want to remove 13' of a 25' wall seperates the garage from the den.

First please explain how and why you would be removing a garage wall that separates living quarters from the fumes area of a garage? You turning the garage into another type of liveable room? If not, then I do not get this.

Hello,

I have a 1960's tri-level. The Lower level is 25' x 25' on slab with exterior block walls. It is divided into two room, 13 x 25 den and 12 x 25 garage. There is a load bearing ledger steel beam supported in the middle by a steel column. Picture a "+" with the steel beam running left to right intercepting the wall.

I want to remove 13' of a 25' wall seperates the garage from the den. Picture a "T" The wall sits on a 6" maybe 7" slab and it runs perpendicular to a 25' steel beam which
supports a wall above. The ceiling and floor joists runs parellel to wall. The floor joists are 2 x10 16 OC .

There is a 2 x 10 that sits on top of the wall with only one soleplate. The wall has 2- 3" pipes going to the floor above which sliced into the 2 x 10. Also right next to it is another 2 x 10.

The wall above is a bedroom closet wall and the ceiling joists above it also run parellel and perpendicular to the main bearing wall on the second floor.

I had 3 contractors to look at it and they all said it wasnot load bearing. I was all set to signed a contract when, the last contractor told me that it was load bearing because there is a wall above it. One contractor said to building a 12' wall under the steel beam and that wall would become the load bearing wall. At this point, I'm totally confused. Is it a loading bearing wall or not? If so, how would it be supported if I wish to install a beam. Anybody know a reasonable rate structual engineer in Nashville,Tn.


Thanks
let's see if i have this right!
you drive in the garage from the end of the house which is divided with a wall creating a den on the other side. you want to remove 1/2 of that wall to create a "larger den"! the steel beam runs from front to back of the house with 2x10 floor joist running 'WITH' the house for the rooms above. the wall in question is parallel to the floor joists and is under a closet wall? the closet above is on the highest level of the house?(being a tri. i'm guessing you come in on the middle level and go up/down to the others?( i have to ask; you never know). if everything is as stated above, the wall is not a load bearing wall but a partition wall. i live in nashville so if you want you can e-mail me a picture.
MikeTN

My car is part of my family.

Actually, when I bought the house, the one car garage had already been closed in and finished and a new 2 car garage added. So technically, it is not a garage, just an extra storage room.

Did you ever respond to Mike TN so we know exactly which direction everything goes?

I think the 25' square slab, and the directions could have been easier described.

I am trying to figure out if the steel beam and steel column are handling all the support needs, and that wall down there is just filler. But I need to know which direction everything goes. (You could say E-W, or N-S, in every description)

The layout is exactly how Mike described it. The first picture is the lower level (garage/den) and the red line is the wall. The blue lines are the joists that runs parellel to the wall. The yellow is the steel beam that is recessed into the ceiling and runs perpendicular to the wall (that I'm removing). At the point where the red line meets the steel beam(yellow) there is a steel column that I'm will leave in place.

The second picture is the top level. The red line shows that it is above the wall that i want to remove.

Thanks for any help, I'll greatly appreciate it.


http://home.comcast.net/~mespearz/new.JPG

Your answer lies in this simple-to-understand demonstration test: Take your finger and place it over the 2nd-level intersect point of the red and black line at the corner of the hall wall and the closet partition wall. Now push down real hard. And think. Think what forces that right angle is now doing to the floor joists below, if that 1st level wall is removed.

What I would do is double-up the floor joist above the wall you want to take out AND under the 2nd-level backside wall of that closet wall.

To confirm my last post:

Went up to parents house this morning. They have same layout. About a 26-28 foot wide house. Center carrying beam same direction, in basement. Same kind of cross wall above theirs, as your closet wall. So, the joists under that wall were doubled up. Also, I found the joists doubled up for another room down the way, also.

Their hall wall straddles the carrying beam, where according to YOUR drawing, if you are correct, shows one wall of the hall wall directly over the carrying beam, which means you even have more load over the floorjoists on that one side. Couple that along with the fact that the closet wall has a break in it caused by the door. That weakens the what-would-have-otherwise-been, a rigid wall structure. By removing a supporting wall underneath, you risk the door opening settling out-of-square, and wreaking havoc with the door closing right.

Therefore, doubling up the joists is indeed the way to go, for when you remove that wall. Standard practice. Then you will be fine.

If you remove the steel beam what will support your joists in the center of them?

Not sure about Nashville, but in Knoxville this person would be able to help you figure this out by phone:

Mallia, Maurice PE - Mallia Engineering Company
(865) 637-3224
1827 White Ave, Knoxville, TN 37916