There should be support beans throughout the basement. Long metal polls attached to a steal rail that goes across the basement.

The structural prints will have these outlined so you will know where they are.
If the basement has been restored there should be updated prints.

Short answer, yes.

It is the exact same concept as upstairs. If it's a load bearing wall you will need to run some sort or support weather it's a column in the ground or an above head beam. Depending on the length needed, a beam might not be cost effective or even possible at all.

I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR OR FRAMER but when I look for a load bearing wall the two dead give aways to me are if they used a 4x4 or 6x4 instead of a 2x4, if they have multiple 2x4's screwed together, or if there is a wall directly above or below the wall on the next floor. There are other ways of knowing by looking at floor joists and roof rafters, however since I'm just the carpenter it's not my job lol. I just have to tell someone the concern of putting a cabinet in a specific location (for example it's not smart to run a rink right next to a load bearing wall as you will loose structure when you drill through it to run plumbing and if you have a leak that rotts it away then you have big issues).

002 wrote It is the exact same concept as upstairs. If it's a load bearing wall you will need to run some sort or support weather it's a column in the ground or an above head beam. Depending on the length needed, a beam might not be cost effective or even possible at all.

I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR OR FRAMER but when I look for a load bearing wall the two dead give aways to me are if they used a 4x4 or 6x4 instead of a 2x4, if they have multiple 2x4's screwed together, or if there is a wall directly above or below the wall on the next floor. There are other ways of knowing by looking at floor joists and roof rafters, however since I'm just the carpenter it's not my job lol. I just have to tell someone the concern of putting a cabinet in a specific location (for example it's not smart to run a rink right next to a load bearing wall as you will loose structure when you drill through it to run plumbing and if you have a leak that rotts it away then you have big issues).

How much am I looking at to have this done or should I just look for another house I would have one built but it's a weird situation I'm in I have about $100,000 left after buying house will this be enough to finish the basement?

Zolfe wrote

002 wrote It is the exact same concept as upstairs. If it's a load bearing wall you will need to run some sort or support weather it's a column in the ground or an above head beam. Depending on the length needed, a beam might not be cost effective or even possible at all.

I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR OR FRAMER but when I look for a load bearing wall the two dead give aways to me are if they used a 4x4 or 6x4 instead of a 2x4, if they have multiple 2x4's screwed together, or if there is a wall directly above or below the wall on the next floor. There are other ways of knowing by looking at floor joists and roof rafters, however since I'm just the carpenter it's not my job lol. I just have to tell someone the concern of putting a cabinet in a specific location (for example it's not smart to run a rink right next to a load bearing wall as you will loose structure when you drill through it to run plumbing and if you have a leak that rotts it away then you have big issues).

How much am I looking at to have this done or should I just look for another house I would have one built but it's a weird situation I'm in I have about $100,000 left after buying house will this be enough to finish the basement?

It depends on how many load bearing walls you're taking out, how much work you're doing yourself, and how you want to accomplish it. If you do it the right way and get an architect to look at it, get the proper material, proper blocking, etc. you'll be upwards of $3k per wall.

Price wise, I haven't done much but I did some jobs bidding with a buddy who is a contractor and subs out a bunch of work, there was a couple load bearing wall jobs that we did. One was right around $1k because he was keeping the wall, but he wanted to shorten it 16". The other one was $5k because the wall was like 30' long or some stupid crap like that and he would not do a column in the center so we had to take a section of the roof out and it was a huge PITA.

Another thing to consider is location and construction rules. The jobs that I did were union and these jobs are considered safety something which means at least 2 people need to be on the job. You have to have a journeyman because an apprentice can't work alone so a lot of times we'll get a journeyman with a fairly new apprentice. Journeyman rate is $43.92/hr so you're paying $351 per day for 1 guy. The apprentice starts at like $25/hr so bare labor is $550 per day, after the company mark up it will be like $700. Then factor in materials and such.

If you are in a non union area, all that crap doesn't apply. You can probably find a carpenter who works at $20 hr and can get it done by himself.

$100k is MORE than enough to finish a basement. Assuming a standard 2500 sqft house and the basement is concrete floors with bare studs and you want hardwood floors or carpet and drywall, it shouldn't be more than $25-30k. I really wish I remembered the numbers, but it seemed to me that when I was working with my buddy he tried to keep everything at around $20 per sqft on his remodels. When we went out to bid he literally just calculated the sqft of the area and he had it rounded out pretty good to where he could have a number per sqft if they wanted carpet and drywall or hardwood and refinished brick, he had a number.

002 wrote

Zolfe wrote

002 wrote It is the exact same concept as upstairs. If it's a load bearing wall you will need to run some sort or support weather it's a column in the ground or an above head beam. Depending on the length needed, a beam might not be cost effective or even possible at all.

I'M NOT A CONTRACTOR OR FRAMER but when I look for a load bearing wall the two dead give aways to me are if they used a 4x4 or 6x4 instead of a 2x4, if they have multiple 2x4's screwed together, or if there is a wall directly above or below the wall on the next floor. There are other ways of knowing by looking at floor joists and roof rafters, however since I'm just the carpenter it's not my job lol. I just have to tell someone the concern of putting a cabinet in a specific location (for example it's not smart to run a rink right next to a load bearing wall as you will loose structure when you drill through it to run plumbing and if you have a leak that rotts it away then you have big issues).

How much am I looking at to have this done or should I just look for another house I would have one built but it's a weird situation I'm in I have about $100,000 left after buying house will this be enough to finish the basement?

It depends on how many load bearing walls you're taking out, how much work you're doing yourself, and how you want to accomplish it. If you do it the right way and get an architect to look at it, get the proper material, proper blocking, etc. you'll be upwards of $3k per wall.

Price wise, I haven't done much but I did some jobs bidding with a buddy who is a contractor and subs out a bunch of work, there was a couple load bearing wall jobs that we did. One was right around $1k because he was keeping the wall, but he wanted to shorten it 16". The other one was $5k because the wall was like 30' long or some stupid crap like that and he would not do a column in the center so we had to take a section of the roof out and it was a huge PITA.

Another thing to consider is location and construction rules. The jobs that I did were union and these jobs are considered safety something which means at least 2 people need to be on the job. You have to have a journeyman because an apprentice can't work alone so a lot of times we'll get a journeyman with a fairly new apprentice. Journeyman rate is $43.92/hr so you're paying $351 per day for 1 guy. The apprentice starts at like $25/hr so bare labor is $550 per day, after the company mark up it will be like $700. Then factor in materials and such.

If you are in a non union area, all that crap doesn't apply. You can probably find a carpenter who works at $20 hr and can get it done by himself.

$100k is MORE than enough to finish a basement. Assuming a standard 2500 sqft house and the basement is concrete floors with bare studs and you want hardwood floors or carpet and drywall, it shouldn't be more than $25-30k. I really wish I remembered the numbers, but it seemed to me that when I was working with my buddy he tried to keep everything at around $20 per sqft on his remodels. When we went out to bid he literally just calculated the sqft of the area and he had it rounded out pretty good to where he could have a number per sqft if they wanted carpet and drywall or hardwood and refinished brick, he had a number.

The basement is 2650 but only like 1000 is unfinished

Depending on how fancy you're trying to go, you should be able to stay under $20k. If you want marble floors and stone walls, then we're looking at a different number lol.

002 wrote Depending on how fancy you're trying to go, you should be able to stay under $20k. If you want marble floors and stone walls, then we're looking at a different number lol.

Yeah it's just gonna be a common area stained concrete is the fanciest id go probably maybe hardwood

Sundown wrote There should be support beans throughout the basement. Long metal polls attached to a steal rail that goes across the basement.

The structural prints will have these outlined so you will know where they are.
If the basement has been restored there should be updated prints.

Short answer, yes.

aw man if thats the case my house would have fallen down a while ago its only made out of bricks and a few wooden beams.


anyways back to the topic yes you can take down walls as long as its not a supporting wall(these are a big no no to touch) if the wall is hollow like the kitchen was in my basement then its fine if its like my basement and 99% of it is brick then you cant do jack all, but yeah as long as theres no supports or studs that are keeping stuff up you can destroy the wall since theres no studs(not flimsy thin wood that wouldnt hold a place up) and if theres metal poles than thats a no no to touch as well, just got to know if its a supporting wall or not, hollow means nothing there so its ok no echo(hollow sound) i wouldnt touch it, thats what i am doing thats how i figured out my basement is 99% bricks only