Will this work? Steel beam question

[Arickles]

I will start by explaining that I am not an engineer. I am planning an extension project to my house and our structural engineer has proposed an unorthodoxed method to use steel to carry the load from above the wall we will be removing. The situation is that we are taking out the entire rear wall of the house to expand the ground floor, the house has 3 stories so there are 2 full floors above this load bearing wall that need to be supported.

The proposed solution is to locate the new beam not below the existing 2nd floor rim joist to pick up the load, but rather to place the beam next to the rim joist (in the roof of the addition) and tie the beam into the existing structure with bolts. The concept is said to reduce the disruption of the existing structure since we don't have to cut into any of the 2nd floor framing. The house is 120 years old so keeping the existing structure intact is appealing. It's also less expensive.

The engineer we have hired has used this method in the past with great success, he claims. My questions are:

a) has anyone who is a professional engineer on this forum familiar with this method of framing?
b) do you think this will work and what concerns or advice do you have?

my basic thought is that as long as the bolts picking up the load from the existing house are specified to handle the weight, and everything is properly connected to the beam, then it should be fine. I'm very curious and grateful to hear any feedback. Thanks in advance.

[Kelly_Bramble]

a) has anyone who is a professional engineer on this forum familiar with this method of framing?
b) do you think this will work and what concerns or advice do you have?

my basic thought is that as long as the bolts picking up the load from the existing house are specified to handle the weight, and everything is properly connected to the beam, then it should be fine. I'm very curious and grateful to hear any feedback. Thanks in advance.

a) --> Seems like a logical solution to me.

b) --> Yes, will work..

I'm sure the PE has plans to size the bolts correctly..

I will start by explaining that I am not an engineer.

So, why are you second guessing the PE? If you think you got the wrong PE - fire them and hire one you trust...

[jboggs]

I agree with Kelly. I would just add this suggestion to help your confidence. He says he has done this in the past with success. Ask for some names and numbers of those past clients for whom he did this, not because he seems untrustworthy, but just because it is just the due diligence you should do for a decision this significant.