Opening Up a Room

Q: What can I do to replace a load-bearing wall between my living room and kitchen? I’d like to open this space up and make one large room. Any suggestions?

A: Yes, this sort of thing is possible if the wall is replaced with a beam. That said, it's also serious work that demands judgment honed by experience. It's necessary to make the same sort of beam-size calculations that a builder would have done if the home were originally framed with an open area instead of enclosed by a wall. The Canadian building code includes tables with specs for this sort of work, and understanding them isn't difficult. Supporting the area while removing the wall and installing the beam will be the trickiest part of the task. It will also be necessary to make special arrangements to support the beam solidly at either end. It’s not enough to simply place columns directly on the floor.