# Basement - Removing or moving support post



## jfgagnon

Hello,

I am planning the renovation of the basement of my house. I would like to renmove or at least move one of the support posts (6x6, wood) of the main beam. Which professionnal should I call to be sure this modification won't cause problems. Is a general contractor will be "enough"?

Thanks

JF


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## KUIPORNG

I don't think you can remove support post.... even moving them is going to be hard... I think you need the goveronment to approve that... which will be very difficult to get such permit... when there is safety involve... and people will not make such decision putting them at risk of being sue, or causing people/property damaged...etc....


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## concretemasonry

*Removing or moving support post*

Call a structural engineer. He may be able to give you several options and the drawings you can use for a permit.

You will probably need either new post(s) at different location and reinforcement of your existing beams if you want to open things up. Any new posts will require a new footing since no one knows how good or thick the slab is.


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## Clutchcargo

You would need a structural engineer to draw up some plans. In short it sounds like you need to make sure the surrounding footings can handle the extra load. If that's OK then you need to probably replace the wood beam with a metal I-beam, but that depends on your span. Lots of work, lots of money. Start out with the structural engineer and see what they say first. Anything is possible if you throw enough money at it.


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## KUIPORNG

*equivalent*



Clutchcargo said:


> Anything is possible if you throw enough money at it.


That is equivalent to "impossible" in my dictionary...


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## Longtooth

jfgagnon said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am planning the renovation of the basement of my house. I would like to renmove or at least move one of the support posts (6x6, wood) of the main beam. Which professionnal should I call to be sure this modification won't cause problems. Is a general contractor will be "enough"?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> JF


The 6x6 is a point load and probably goes down to a huge pad footing. It will be carrying the weight all the way to the roof. You might be able to replace it with an I beam and new pad footings at either end. You'll need a Draftsman, Structural Engineer, GC and stacks of $$


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## jfgagnon

*Thanks for the answers!*

I called a general contractor. He proposed to reinforce the horizontal beam with a long metal plate screwed on the side, and then to remove the post.

I think I'm gonna change my plans before touching the post!

Jean-François


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## send_it_all

jfgagnon said:


> I called a general contractor. He proposed to reinforce the horizontal beam with a long metal plate screwed on the side, and then to remove the post.
> 
> I think I'm gonna change my plans before touching the post!
> 
> Jean-François


Careful....If he is willing to just jump in and do that...you might want to shop around. I would still call an engineer if god came down and said "Oh yeah...we'll just bolt some steel to it".


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## kypper

I agree with send it all with the idea of calling an engineer. I would not trust the contractor to make that decision, it could cost you alot of money if he is wrong. If you do call an engineer have a plan of the floor the beam is supporting ready. He may require the dimensions from the support beam to the walls to determine the load on the beam. He may also need locations of any load bearing walls on the floor. I am considering removing some posts in my basement also and the idea that I had was to sandwich the support beam between two structural channels and add new posts and footings to hold it all up. This would be alot simpler than removing the beam and replacing it with a W-flange section. But check with an engineer to size the steel members before doing anything.


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## AtlanticWBConst.

kypper said:


> I agree with send it all with the idea of calling an engineer. I would not trust the contractor to make that decision, it could cost you alot of money if he is wrong. If you do call an engineer have a plan of the floor the beam is supporting ready. He may require the dimensions from the support beam to the walls to determine the load on the beam. He may also need locations of any load bearing walls on the floor. I am considering removing some posts in my basement also and the idea that I had was to sandwich the support beam between two structural channels and add new posts and footings to hold it all up. This would be alot simpler than removing the beam and replacing it with a W-flange section. But check with an engineer to size the steel members before doing anything.


Good advice. There are many, many factors that an engineer takes into consideration when sizing a beam. These can include, how many floors are above, what is on those floors, additional roof loads planing down above the area....etc...


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## jrwarren

*Basement support post change*

Moving, adding, or changing a post is not difficult to do but there is a correct way to go about it.

You need to have a structural engineer or an architect analyze the beam in your home for its maximum vertical load. This load will probably be in the range of 15,000 - 50,000 pounds depending on the construction type, roof, and size. The other thing to consider is the total span of the beam and the number of support posts that you will ultimately have to support it. They will also be able to provide this based on the beam's designed deflection tolerance. For example, for a given load and span, an 8" beam can have fewer supports than can a 6" beam. These will come from the architect/SE.

After you have the MAX load calculated value you will need to do these things:

1. Ask the SE/architect to determine the correct spacing for the beam span. Depending on the beam material and span, you may need more than one support post. They will be able to definitively tell you what you need as if they were building it.
2. Cut a 3x3x2 foot hole in your basement floor and fill it with reinforced 5000 psi concrete and rebar.
3. After the concrete cures for at least a week install an adjustable support post under the beam. Plan ahead and make sure the adjustable post is very close to the pad-->beam height. You don't want three inches of threads sticking up if you can avoid it
4. Tack weld or bolt the support post to the beam and secure the base to the concrete

NOTE!!! If you are adding adjustable posts to adjust the beam to correct sagging DON'T DO IT QUICKLY!!! You can make tiny adjustments every few months to allow your walls and floors to adjust. If you crank the post up to try to fix a sag all at once, you will crack your walls and make a holy mess of your house. I know people that have made this costly mistake.

This is really not a typical thing for a home owner to do on their own without any advice or another set of eyes and hands. Keep in mind that the sizing of the post itself is very important and should satisfy the compressive load that the architect or SE gives you.

IMO there is a lot of risk here. If you have never done anything like this you're better off calling someone to do it or at least work with someone that's done stuff like this.


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## 2stroked

I replaced a load bearing wall myself on my old house when a put a suit in the basement. I broke out all the dry wall to look at the wall bought some 4x4 posts one long enough to cover the wall length and 2 for the height, screwed 
them together to make an arch put it just on the inside of the wall to support the floor joist and used bottle jacks to just raise it enough to put a beam that I made from 3 2x12, screwed and glued, in and new support post at each end of the wall and then lowered it back. Worked perfect lived in the house for 8 years and never had any problems, no drywall cracking nothing.
If you are unsure about doing this yourself I would get professionals involved.


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## Ron6519

jfgagnon said:


> I called a general contractor. He proposed to reinforce the horizontal beam with a long metal plate screwed on the side, and then to remove the post.
> 
> I think I'm gonna change my plans before touching the post!
> 
> Jean-François


That man is an idiot.


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