How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?

Look at what sits on it. Joists or trusses that end on the wall, a beam above it, or a wall on the story above that lines up with it are the usual signs. Send photos of the framing and the floor plan and the review will confirm it before anything is sized.

Can you stamp a beam size my contractor already picked?

Yes, if the size works for the span and the loads. If it does not, the sealed sheet shows the size that does. A stamp does not go on a beam that is too small for the opening.

Do posts need new footings?

When the post load is larger than the existing footing can carry, yes. The detail includes the footing when the existing one is not enough, which is common under a new point load in the middle of a room.

How much does a beam calculation cost?

A single wall opening is a short set, priced from $100 per sheet. The live quote uses your page count. Final pricing is confirmed after the framing photos are reviewed.

Project types / Wall removal and beam sizing

Beam, post, and footing design for a wall you want to remove

Opening a kitchen, combining two rooms, or cutting a new passage means replacing a wall with a beam. AllPEStamp reviews that load path and seals the beam, posts, and footings with a professional engineer licensed in the project state.

Load-bearing wall removal and new openings
Beam, post, and footing sized together
Existing floors and roof checked above the opening
A short sealed detail the building department can file

Get a PE stamp quote

Bearing wall or partition

A partition that carries no floor or roof can often come out without engineering. A wall under a joist bearing line, a roof strut, or a beam above it cannot. The engineer confirms which case you have from the plans and from photos of the framing above the wall, then sizes the replacement only when the wall is carrying load.

The same review covers a new header in an exterior wall. Widening a window or a sliding door removes sheathing as well as studs, so the lateral system is part of the check in wind and seismic areas.

What the sealed detail shows

The deliverable is usually a plan snippet, a beam elevation, and the post and footing under each end, with the calculations that match those sizes. If the existing footing cannot take the new post load, the detail shows the enlarged footing. If a flush beam has to fit in the floor depth, that limit is checked before the size is sealed.

Upload a floor plan with the wall marked, photos looking up at the joists or trusses, and any previous structural sheets. Ceiling height and what is in the floor or attic above the wall matter more than a finish drawing.

Seal and price

These are small sets. The engineer seals the detail sheet and the calculation pages that support it. A whole-house remodel that removes several walls is quoted by the full sheet count, not as one beam.

A single opening is typically a few sheets at $100 per sheet and can be done in about one business day. Final pricing is confirmed after plan review, because a hidden bearing point can add a sheet.

Disciplines on this project

These are the seals this kind of permit usually asks for. The quote lists only the sheets you upload.

FAQ

How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?: Look at what sits on it. Joists or trusses that end on the wall, a beam above it, or a wall on the story above that lines up with it are the usual signs. Send photos of the framing and the floor plan and the review will confirm it before anything is sized.
Can you stamp a beam size my contractor already picked?: Yes, if the size works for the span and the loads. If it does not, the sealed sheet shows the size that does. A stamp does not go on a beam that is too small for the opening.
Do posts need new footings?: When the post load is larger than the existing footing can carry, yes. The detail includes the footing when the existing one is not enough, which is common under a new point load in the middle of a room.
How much does a beam calculation cost?: A single wall opening is a short set, priced from $100 per sheet. The live quote uses your page count. Final pricing is confirmed after the framing photos are reviewed.