Safe to remove this wall?

MLayden

This house was new construction when I purchased it. This wall is under the stairs in my basement. The stairs are nailed to the studs, but the studs themselves have shims above the bottom plate as they were cut too short. These shims are easily removable (no weight apparent on the wall)

I would like to cut them at the bottom of the stairs to open up the storage area a bit more. The studs also provide support for the railing coming down the stairs.

Am I safe to go ahead with the removal?

Thanks in advance.
Mitch

joecaption

It looks like it's just there to install sheetrock over it at some point.
If it was mine I would remove them and install a header at the top and run double jacks on the to ends.
That way the floor is still fully supported (in the off chance it's a supporting wall) and you could put the new studs any place you want to or just leave it open.

Wildie

The studs don't support the stair stringer, its supported at top and bottom.
The studs do support the drywall that lines the inside of the stair well! The drywall must have support. Perhaps cutting the studs off even with the underside of the stringer would suffice!

joecaption

The underside of the stairs will need to be covered with 5/8 fire code to meet code.

mae-ling

Usually the floor joist beside the stairs will be doubled up.
This one is not. And it looks to be 8-110' to the wall.

That wall may not be load bearing, but I would get someone onsite to look at it.
Once before everyone said that wall was not load bearing, the guy had it checked out, it was load bearing!!!!!

chrisn

I like that advise,I don't think anyone here looking at a pic can or should make that decision.( load bearing or not)

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CoconutPete

Is that lamp broken or does it just look like it is?

CopperClad

I can't tell by your pics, but it appears as though that you have a straight shot run? What I mean is do those stairs go straight from the basement to the first floor, or do they go up to a platform and then turn? Also, do you have stairs that go from the first floor to the second floor right above those set of stairs? Typically for any stairwell you either have a bearing wall on the sides, or you have at least a doubled up floor joist, or a glulam beam. Without seeing a few more photos looking at your whole setup it wouldn't be fair to assume that it isn't a bearing wall..

rusty baker

depends on local codes where they live

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MLayden

Yes they are a straight shot run. The stairs from the main to the upper are laid on top of this set. Beam sits at the base of the stairs with post right at bottom (kind of where dog is).

The plan was to cut the studs flush with the bottom of the stringer and drywall that.

Pete - Lamp is broken...joys of developing your basement when it's full of stuff...things break!