Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 4/28/2009

Question
Hi I was looking at having a structural wall removed, so it will need to have a beam put in place to support the existing building, the wall is in effect to be moved 1.5 meters to the side, so assume that in the place of the current wall a support will need to be to added.

The wall is currently about 5m long and the building above is 3 floors. I was after a rough idea of the cost to put in a support where the wall currently is so the building does not fall down!

Answer
Hi Shayne, first of all you need to consult an engineer who specialized in structural elements.  In this country they are called P.E.'s.  The P.E. will be able to determine what size beam you need and what other supports and footings required to safely hold up the weight involved.  This will probably cost around 500 dollars..The work itself, depending on the fix agreed upon will cost between 1000 to 1500 dollars or more if there are unforseen circumstances.  This cost does not include the patching and filling in of floor and ceiling openings left after the wall is removed...Once you have an engineered design you can get bids from local contractors to do the work...I hope this information helps feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com