The real question is...what would you do if someone in onlineland said yes do it?

How about calling a structural engineer to come take a look and give a professional opinion? Cheaper than having your bedroom fall into your kitchen!

@catinthehat real answer is no

@chispa that would be the only way I’d approach it if I truly wanted to extend the opening.

Is this the first floor? If so, I'd be really cautious about doing that alteration. You'd have to replace that large vertical beam and somehow splice and extend the overhead support structure. Then you are also dealing with gaps in flooring. Most people doing wall removal are getting a big return on investment, but in this scenario, it looks like you already have a fairly open passageway and would only gain a few feet. Only you can decide if it would be worth it. We do occasionally see posts from people who want to close off the kitchen more, often for sound or other privacy concerns. With the TV on the other side of that wall, you would need to decide if the cook wants to hear more of the TV without being able to see it.

Most lower level walls in pre 80s stick framed homes are load bearing. Most walls in lower levels of all multilevel homes are load bearing.

“You don't need an engineer; you need an experienced framer. Load bearing or not, he'll widen the opening properly.”

Joe I believe the term you are looking for is a licensed contractor performing a permitted structural remodel complete with a set of plans approved by the local building department.

A multi story multi family building and a DIYer are at complete odds. This is a disaster waiting to happen. You’re required to hire licensed and insured professionals to assess and perform the work both. This isn’t a single family house that you can collapse or burn down with no effect on anyone outside your family. You can actually kill your neighbors. If you survive, you’d be personally liable.

The last load bearing beam I designed, built, and installed was approved by inspection right after they inspected it. No engineer stamp or plans were required, however, jurisdictions will vary. Play by the rules in your area please.

Joe, as many folks have told you time and again on these forums, passing inspection doesn’t prove you did an adequate job. Period. I am reiterating this for the benefit of other people reading.

For simple project, a contractor that can read a prescriptive table may be all that’s required. This is far from a simple project, and no prescriptive will deal with the exact virtually commercial design situation without much more information being known. You need an on site engineer. The correct order is Parameters, Design, Permit, Demo, Build!

Thank you all for your responses. Going to leave the frame as is.

@User this is a single family home

"Joe, as many folks have told you time and again on these forums, passing inspection doesn’t prove you did an adequate job. Period. I am reiterating this for the benefit of other people reading."

Cat:

I've always advocated for playing by the rules and I've always argued for value. Hiring an engineer for a job like this is setting money on fire. You don't get a referral for a brain surgeon when you've got a headache.

Inspection doesn't inspect for quality or looks, they inspect for code compliance. A beam buried in a wall doesn't have to be pretty, it just has to be right and pass inspection. It doesn't take an engineer to do this. That is true no matter how many people on Houzz say otherwise.