Possible Load Bearing Wall

[shannonf]

We took out a wall that we believed to be non load bearing.
Our electrician now claims he believes it was load bearing.
We have a split level home - this would be on the upper floor
w/ the attic above. It was about a 10 foot wall separating the kitchen
to the LVR>
the wall ran perpendicular to the ceiling joists
basically the span of the area is now 24 feet whereas before
the wall divided it.
We were told the solution would be to run a 10" wood beam along the ceiling & nail it to the ceiling joists
from exterior wall to interior wall, basically right where the wall use
to be.
it seems like we would need some sort of column supporting the weight of all this?
Is it expensive to to have a residential engineer evaluate this?
What is the give away, other than the roof caving in, that this was indeed
a load bearing wall?

[Thumper]

First thing to check, as this is already the upper floor is if your roof is built using trusses (as opposed to stick framed) Although the general rule of thumb is that if the wall is perpendictular to the joists it's likely structural - but this isn't always true, often in modern construction using trusses the interior walls are not necessarilly load bering - often they are actually not even physically attached to the trusses anyway to compensate for differential moisture contet & movement throughout the seasons.

[Thumper]

One other point I just noticed... Do not hang a 10" beam from the ceiling joists, at least not without an engineer's review and (if trusses) contacting the manufacturer of the trusses first - they may have been built to a certain spec and you would be drastically changing that if you hang a load from them. You are right you'd definatly need alternative support for this too.

"Is it expensive to to have a residential engineer evaluate this?"

is it less expensive not too? espically if you are creating a disaster just waiting to happen! :wink:

What did your code department say when you applied for the building permit to make these renovations, they must have reviewed your plan submissions in detail?

[VALENT]

I would definitely have someone look at this. Either an engineer or a carpenter with some serious experience. And, like Thumper said, do not hang a beam.

[steeve]

hi,
one way to check, is there a wall or a beam under the one you removed...your span is 24' total 12', 12'...your openning is 10' wide...you can use 3-2x10, or 4-2x8 (S-P-F) supported by a post on each end (3-2x6)

[VALENT]

But Steeve, the question I worry about with that fix is what will support the posts on either end.

[steeve]

if it was a load bearing wall that was removed that means there is a beam or bearing wall under ,supporting it. the only thing i can't see, is what size of footings or post footing is under that.

[VALENT]

steeve, if it was a load bearing wall, then the load was transferred the entire length of the wall. If you use two posts on the ends, you are concentrating that entire load onto two points only.

[steeve]

that's what i meant, we dont know the size of footings under it, but i still think ether way the footing(s) will spread the load to the ground..., it's like your beam over the exterior walls, normaly you dont have to oversize the footing on your load point but the post yes...