This is a brand-new home in a fresh neighborhood, recently completed with finishing touches underway in both the basement and the yard. The client’s vision is to create a theater room in the basement, which means removing a load-bearing wall beneath the kitchen and master bedroom. While the main floor joists run parallel and don’t add weight to this wall, the joists from the master bedroom above do rely on it for support. Because of this, the wall can be removed, but only if replaced with a proper beam. The new span will extend to 15 feet and will be supported by our engineered LVL beam. The footing beneath the new bearing points must be verified before the beam is placed.
Another basement wall, running perpendicular to the joists, was also considered for removal. In this case, the engineered floor system can safely span the distance without reinforcement, meaning the wall can come out freely. The floor above may feel slightly more flexible if heavy items are placed, but it will still meet design requirements.
This Saratoga Springs home is still fresh from construction, but already evolving to match the homeowner’s plans. With the right beams in place and careful checks on footing, the basement will transform into a theater space without compromising the structure above.
