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Looking to take out a supporting wall to open up the downstairs but just have a question about support for the steel. I've had a SE do the calcs for the size of steel etc but when I've stripped the plaster board off the wall the block work stops at the wall in the downstairs WC which is where I want to open the room up to.

I've got BC and a builder coming in a few days but I wanted to get an idea of the best way to support the steel that will be at the end next to the utility room as it obviously can't sit on the stud wall!

A couple of things spring to mind which are build a pillar for it to sit on but how big would this need to be as I don't want to eat into the living room/kitchen with a nib, don't mind losing some space in the utlity tho.

Or the other option I thought of was to put in an upright steel for the horizontal steel to sit on. I guess the SE would need to spec what type of steel and size I'd need for this one as well but at I guess would this take up less floor space?

The wall front to back on the 1st floor is also block. All other walls and all the 2nd floor walls are stud partition.

The opening is roughly 3.7m and the steel needs to be 203x102x23kg/m UB (S275 grade steel)

Ground floor plan showing block/stud walls

31000_30272_57720_88376753_thumb.jpg


Ground floor plan showing opening and steel placement

31000_30272_57721_77972922_thumb.jpg


Many thanks[/img]
 
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Sorry mate but your posted photo thumnails won't expand.
However I think you've already provided the best answer, a steel column to support the beam. That being said, you'll require to provide a sufficient load bearing footing for this to sit on. Get your'e SE to provide that at the same time as the column spec...pinenot :)
 
As pinenot, your diagrams aren't clear.

If you need to suport the end of the beam, a steel column is usually the most expensive way; a brick pier would probably be a lot cheaper and more practical.

Did your SE not forsee this problem? Did he visit the house to take a proper look? What are you paying him for? - he seems to have only done half the job. Calcs for a steel beam are no good if he hasn't told you how to support it.

If there are only stud walls upstairs, the beam is probably supporting only the floors. If this is the case, an 8x4 to me seems big; did he try for a 7x4, or a 6x3 1/2 I wonder?
 
should be able to click on these ones



There are block walls on the 1st floor as well. The 2nd floor are stud walls.

When the SE came round we pulled off some plaster but short of stripping the whole wall of plaster we couldn't see where/if the block wall finished. He did say that we may need to have a nib in the living room area but I want to avoid that if at all possible. I don't mind losing space in the utility room
 
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I wanted to get an idea of the best way to support the steel that will be at the end next to the utility room as it obviously can't sit on the stud wall!
You could potentially sit the beam on the stud wall, it depends on what the loads are and whether there is a footing underneath.
Your SE could tell you if the stud wall will take the load, or if you need to install another timber post in the wall.

It might be cheaper and easier, and it might look better than a brick pier or steel post.
 
I wanted to get an idea of the best way to support the steel that will be at the end next to the utility room as it obviously can't sit on the stud wall!
You could potentially sit the beam on the stud wall, it depends on what the loads are and whether there is a footing underneath.
Your SE could tell you if the stud wall will take the load, or if you need to install another timber post in the wall.

It might be cheaper and easier, and it might look better than a brick pier or steel post.

It's just a small 4x2 stud wall screwed into the floor. I didn't think they'd be anyway that a stud wall could take the load??
 
I didn't think they'd be anyway that a stud wall could take the load??

RR's right; contrary to popular belief, there are circumstances where studwork can be used to support a steel beam. I've done it to support steel beams in lofts.
The problem is - what's the stud wall sitting on? If it's just floorboards, forget it.
 
I didn't think they'd be anyway that a stud wall could take the load??

RR's right; contrary to popular belief, there are circumstances where studwork can be used to support a steel beam. I've done it to support steel beams in lofts.
The problem is - what's the stud wall sitting on? If it's just floorboards, forget it.

It's not sitting on floorboards it's into the concrete. I'm hoping the foundation for the block work runs all the way from the front to the back of the house and that it doesn't stop at the end of the block work.

Getting the SE to come back and have a look.
 

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