I think removal could be done pretty quick, you will have to allow for potential collapse of the property though, so allow for that within your budget.
If it was an easy solution, the pillar would probably not be there anyway.
In the words of my architect "you can have anything you want - for a price". You'd need the services of an architect who will have his preferred structural engineer do the calculations. The architect will then come up with a solution but you may not like the cost!
DV
Having just used a competent structural engineer to analyze a vaguely similar operation, I am willing to bet that the chances of you considering the required work to be "relatively painless" are exactly zero. The pillar is there for a reason, and there seems to be a substantial beam above it. If you remove the pillar and double the span of that beam, you would also need to (caution: amateur rule of thumb ahead) double the height of the beam. Etc.I am thinking of buying this house, but not if removing the pillar in the picture is too hard. Anyone know of a relatively painless solution?
If you like the house so much, how does that pillar spoil your enjoyment enough to put you off if you can't remove it?I am thinking of buying this house, but not if removing the pillar in the picture is too hard. Anyone know of a relatively painless solution?
The only likely solution as PsB suggests is a much deeper single RSJ replacing the present arrangement. That involves considerable upset and expense.
That could be a bouncy floor upstairs….When I was in college the (joke) answer to problems like this was ‘skyhooks’.
More seriously, the pillar probably supports 2 RSJs that meet at the pillar- easier handling than one very long single RSJ. If so that makes removal of the pillar even more problematic. The only likely solution as PsB suggests is a much deeper single RSJ replacing the present arrangement. That involves considerable upset and expense. I would just accept the pillar.