Residential Wall Structural Assessment
Budget: $250 – $750 CAD
I’m hoping to get input on two related structural items at our 238 Street renovation. We’ve made a few layout changes that involve modifying the support structure in what was originally the garage area (now being converted into living space).
1. Beam Ply Reduction with New Central Post:
• The existing beam in the garage is showing 14-ply LVL to the ceiling that spans approx. 20’2”, carrying the second floor above.
• We plan on pouring a new footing and plan to install a central structural post beneath the beam (within the new dividing wall between the mudroom and office), splitting the span into roughly two equal 10’ sections.
• Question: Based on this reduced span and new support, how many LVL plies can we safely remove from the existing beam?
2. New Opening in Load-Bearing Wall:
• On the left side of the original garage, we are creating an opening into a new walk-in closet, which modifies what appears to be a load-bearing wall.
• Question: What size of engineered header do we need to safely span this new opening and carry any existing vertical loads? Are there any additional framing or post/footing requirements we should account for?
Please let me know if you need anything else to assess this properly—we’re hoping to move forward with rough-ins and framing shortly.
Ideal Skills and Experience:
- Structural engineering knowledge
- Experience with residential buildings
- Ability to identify and recommend solutions for wall issues
- Familiarity with renovation requirements and building codes
1. Beam Ply Reduction with New Central Post:
• The existing beam in the garage is showing 14-ply LVL to the ceiling that spans approx. 20’2”, carrying the second floor above.
• We plan on pouring a new footing and plan to install a central structural post beneath the beam (within the new dividing wall between the mudroom and office), splitting the span into roughly two equal 10’ sections.
• Question: Based on this reduced span and new support, how many LVL plies can we safely remove from the existing beam?
2. New Opening in Load-Bearing Wall:
• On the left side of the original garage, we are creating an opening into a new walk-in closet, which modifies what appears to be a load-bearing wall.
• Question: What size of engineered header do we need to safely span this new opening and carry any existing vertical loads? Are there any additional framing or post/footing requirements we should account for?
Please let me know if you need anything else to assess this properly—we’re hoping to move forward with rough-ins and framing shortly.
Ideal Skills and Experience:
- Structural engineering knowledge
- Experience with residential buildings
- Ability to identify and recommend solutions for wall issues
- Familiarity with renovation requirements and building codes