How does one replace a supporting wall in the most efficient financial manner while maintaining safety? We are trying our first "fixer upper" and must keeps costs sensible.
Specifically, an outside L shaped porch has been previously closed in, leaving the internal living room still with its previously outside windows looking out onto the now enclosed porch. That living room is too dark, small, enclosed. Would like to get that supporting wall between the living room and porch out of there. Have heard a steel beam is in order. Is this true? Are there other options? Who does this work?
Please tell me all. Thanking you in advance.
R & W Godda

Yes a steal beam is good for this, you can also use a microlamb, this is just a wood form of a metal beam. What you have to do is go from one load bearing wall to another and span over the room you've added on. You either going to have the beam above the ceiling or you'll have it come down into the room from the ceiling, you need to decide what your going to do before you go buy something,
As far as support goes, before you start cutting you need to build a temp wall under the joist about 2ft away from where your takeing the wall out at. I know it temp but build the wall like an exterior wall is, double the top plate and 16" center the studs
Up in the attic area, what you need to do is mark out on the joist where the beam will set, depending on the thickness of the beam and whether it is wood or not, after you mark this and have the support wall up. You can now us a sawzaw to cut the joist loose,
After they are all loose , you be installing the new beam, where the beam sites on each load bearing wall you'll need to beef up the studs underneath it, you'll need atleat 3 or 4 sidebyside under the beam.
Once the beam is up nail the joist off to the beam and then use joist hangers to make sure they don't move,
This sounds easier than it will be, your looking at a few days here I feel. And its nothing you want to get into a hurry with, you may run into wires or pipes in the attic so you have to move them, I also would sujest taking out the insulation before you tear into the ceiling , its just a lot neater.
Good look

You need a professional to size the beam for you. It all depends on what it must support, to size it correctly.

Also, the supports on each side MUST extend to the foundation and not just rest on the subfloor at the rim joist.

You need a professional to size the beam for you. It all depends on what it must support, to size it correctly.

Also, the supports on each side MUST extend to the foundation and not just rest on the subfloor at the rim joist.

Right, like i said the load is supported by the beam, the beam supported by the beefed up wall studs, and then the load travels on down to rimjoist which is setting on the foundation, i think your covered

Now if the load is not on the exterior wall then you'd need to pour a slab/footing under the house and support the floor for the weight to sit on, but that's not your situation,
You do need to make sure you get the proper beam for this,

How does one replace a supporting wall in the most efficient financial manner while maintaining safety? We are trying our first "fixer upper" and must keeps costs sensible.
Specifically, an outside L shaped porch has been previously closed in, leaving the internal living room still with its previously outside windows looking out onto the now enclosed porch. That living room is too dark, small, enclosed. Would like to get that supporting wall between the living room and porch out of there. Have heard a steel beam is in order. Is this true? Are there other options? Who does this work?
Please tell me all. thanking you in advance.
R & W Godda
microlam beam ,steel or perhaps just a 2x10 header member would suffice depending on the load and the clear span of the beam.
in answer to your question of who does this kind of work.me for one haha.
but seriously,most experienced carpenters can do this for you or a home improvement specialist or a licensed building contractor.please be careful of the fly by night operations.
your best bet is with a licsensed contractor but that is probably the more costly solution.
good luck