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pfar54

Load bearing wall question

5 years ago

Could anyone help with the following question regarding the potential of a load bearing wall.
I recently found blue prints and thought it may help with my question. The blueprints shows the basement, main level and upstairs.
Is anyone able to view these and tell if the wall between my dining room and kitchen load bearing? I indicated the wall with a red arrow or dotted line.

Comments (12)

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Is anyone able to view these and tell if the wall between my dining room and kitchen load bearing? I indicated the wall with a red arrow or dotted line.


    No one here has the super power needed to view your prints.


    Someone local, like a contractor or structural engineer is your best source.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Sorry my photos didn't attach. They indicate beams and joist details.






  • 5 years ago

    That doesn't mean that it was built as designed. You need an in person contractor or engineer to asses the As Built condition of the house. This is not internettable, or free.

  • 5 years ago

    What is the best means to have an engineer come out? I've tried in the past by searching Google and sites like home advisor with no luck.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    If the house was built as shown on the plans, the wall is not load bearing.

    If the first floor framing is visible from the basement you can easily determine if the house was built to these plans. If there is a ceiling, you could make an inspection hole in the ceiling just below the wall. I can't think of a reason to frame the house differently unless the floor plan was drastically changed.

    Obviously, before you start tearing out walls, you need to hire someone to inspect and verify the structure.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Hire a General Contractor on a consulting basis, with the provision that they will get first crack at your envisioned job that’s bound up with removing the wall.

    Bear in mind that supporting a load bearing wall is only a small part of removing that wall. Walls contain things. They provide backing for furniture arrangements, and art, and lighting controls, and electrical outlets. People rarely think all of that through well on the front end unless they have an interior designer on board. This is a ”give a mouse a cookie” situation, with tons of downstream consequences and costs other than your direct ask.

  • PRO
    5 years ago

    Verbo is correct. People can and do draw all kinds of stuff. That may or may not be what gets built. A competent framer can tell you if it's load bearing or not.

  • 5 years ago

    In your basement, can you confirm there are posts and a long ceiling beam on the yellow line below?



    Can you see the floor joists of the first floor from the basement below? Which way do they run (left-to-right or top-to-bottom)?


    If the yellow beam is there and the joists run perpendicular to it, then your kitchen/DR wall isn't load bearing.

  • 5 years ago

    Yes the posts and main beam are as shown on the blue prints. The joists run perpendicular to the beam. My red line is meant to show the direction the beam is running.

  • 5 years ago

    Would there be anything needed to check from the main floor to the second story? That is the part I am unsure of what to check.

  • 5 years ago

    Would there be anything needed to check from the main floor to the second story? That is the part I am unsure of what to check.