Structural advice pre-purchase - remove wall

Ultimately, I know the answer is I need a contractor/structural engineer. I haven't bought the house though and don't want to if I can't do what I want and have an idea of the cost. Obviously, I can't go into a house I don't own and have someone start making holes in the walls/ceilings. This would be on the first floor and there is a 2nd floor and finished basement (so a look in the attic probably wouldn't answer many questions).

I am wondering if there is somewhere I can post a floor plan and a few photos and get advice (I know it will not be definitive) if this is worth pursuing?

Generally, it is a Georgian brick home built around 1950 with a center staircase.

 

You need to see if there is a wall on the second floor directly over the wall you want to remove.
If there is.... pretty good chance of being load bearing.

You can post a diagram and pictures here..... How to insert pictures.

 

also what is directly below the wall in question

 

Thanks for the replies. There is not a whole wall directly above or below the wall I'd like to remove. There may be a shorter run of a wall. I want to either make an opening as large as possible where the blue circle is or remove the entire wall where the red is.

Additional information is the room beyond the living room (with the tree in the window) I believe is an addition as there is no basement under it. The goal is to open up the kitchen which is jammed into a back corner of the house as they often were when the house was built. I'd also like to remove/relocate the powder room but I don't see that being a problem.

 

Don't know your end objective, but why not purchase a home that meets your needs rather than wrestle with a bunch of unknowns for a renovation if you purchase this property?

 

The inventory of homes is very low now and a lot of the inventory is complete garbage. No home is going to be exactly how I want it. I removed walls, installed hardwood flooring, redid and reconfigured the kitchen, 2.5 baths and countless other things in my current place. I plan to do the same in the new place. I have a lot of DIY experience and my father has experience with structural walls.

 

From the way that the opening seems to have a beam over it, coupled with the fact that where the support would be for the end of that beam has a wall underneath it in the basement, I would assume it to be a load bearing wall. It's possible it's not - but a 20' span for the living room ceiling would be unlikely.

So I'd go into it planning it to be load bearing. If you can keep a column down the middle (where the existing wall starts), it would be easy to open up. Just add another beam another 10-12;

If you want to expand it to the full 18' span, it would need to be probably a 3x9 LVL (from some quick googling). So it wouldn't take up much more (if any) height of the ceiling. If it were to be pocketed into the ceiling, it would take more work, but would open up the ceiling to hide the support beam. Definitely doable, but wouldn't be all that cheap between the beam installation, support columns, and support down into the basement and likely a new footer for the column. Plus the finish work including the flooring which will take some effort to match.

 

Looks like a load bearing wall to me.
Are there columns in the basement ?
If yes...are they on that blue line ?

 

I can see a beam in the basement that sort of aligns with the basement wall.

 

Zorftd, thanks for the detailed reply. So would that part hanging down around a foot from the ceiling near the front be a beam sitting on the living room wall?

Does that mean the joists run perpendicular to the living room wall or not necessarily? Widening the doorway between the dining room and kitchen might also be an option.

 

If the floor plans you provided are for the house in question, they don't show how the structure was built. Renovation costs are usually based on "As Built" condition. What level of definitive are you looking for?

 

I've decided to make an offer on the place. Certainly the wall can be removed...it is really a matter of at what cost/effort. Beyond the structural aspect, what is in the wall and where will be a factor. I have a couple of backup options also with regards to the kitchen. They include changing out a large window that prevents lower cabinets or having the kitchen extend into the dining room.