Colin wrote:

Hi, I have a quick question regarding moving basement walls. I am moving into a new home in a few weeks and there is an unfinished area in the basement I'd like to build into a small Home Theater. There is a wall in the middle of the room that I am assuming is load bearing.

My question is, would moving a wall like this and replacing with a beam be something I would need a structural engineer to develop specs/plans for? I am new to basements so am not sure if this is required or not.

Thank you for your time, it's much appreciated!

Regards,
Colin

Answer:

Colin, thanks for the great question! Based on the pictures, it looks like the wall in question probably IS a loadbearing wall. Though I do not believe the code requires that you hire a structural engineer to size the beam, it is a good idea to retain the services of a design professional for two main reasons:

1) You want to make sure the beam is properly sized for your specific situation. You can find tables online that will help you size a beam but they are only applicable for the most generic situations. We literally make a living designing repairs for beams that were specified by a contractor who has been "doing this for 30 years!" Bottom-line, you will probably be calling an engineer either before or after you put the beam in. Let's get it done right the first time!

2) A structural engineer typically will carry a comprehensive liability insurance policy that protects you if there's a problem with the beam design.

Hope this all helps! Give us a call or shoot us an email if you need further input.