OT - Need a structural Engineer or Architect, Anyone know of one in Ohio... Options

[tdgray]

I am in the planning stage of finishing my basement. I have a walkout basement (with no way to walkout yet) that when finished will hopefully add another 1,150 sq ft to my house as usable living space (total = 4750 sq ft). Going to put the usual things in it, pool table, bar, big screen TV etc.

I need to move some support posts to make the space flow better so I am sure that I will need a couple of beams engineered. More important than that I want to knock out the block wall so that I can put in about 14 feet of doors and windows. These will let lead out to my stone patio I put in last summer. I am sure that I will need some extra support but I am not sure how much, what spacing etc.

With that said does anyone know of a structural engineer or architect up in NE Ohio? If not how, without picking one out of the phonebook, how would I go about finding such a person? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif)

Thanks in advance.... you guys are a wealth of information. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)

[GWN7]

QUOTE (tdgray @ Dec 30 2004, 07:44 AM)

I need to move some support posts to make the space flow better so I am sure that I will need a couple of beams engineered. More important than that I want to knock out the block wall so that I can put in about 14 feet of doors and windows. These will let lead out to my stone patio I put in last summer. I am sure that I will need some extra support but I am not sure how much, what spacing etc. With that said does anyone know of a structural engineer or architect up in NE Ohio? If not how, without picking one out of the phonebook, how would I go about finding such a person? (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif) Thanks in advance.... you guys are a wealth of information. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)

That's a lot of work.....you can remove support posts if the beam they are under is beefed up. That increases the load capacity and lengthens the span between posts. You might be able to put a steel beam along side the existing one to open up the floor plan. It all depends on how it's constructed now.

As to opening up the wall you will have to go to a steel header. It's the only way you will get enough head room to put in any doors. A wood beam spanning 14' would have to be at least 16" thick to support the upper story weight. You can put smaller steel beams in above the pockets where the windows are going to be instead of knocking down the whole wall.

Yep you need a architect (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif) (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)