Basements can certainly have load bearing walls, though it is much
more common to carry the load on a beam, often called a girder.
The girder can be multiple layers of dimension lumber, lvl beam,
steel H beam, or other configuration usually having several
columns (often steel lally type columns) breaking up the span of
the beam to reduce its size. This beam is most certainly load
bearing. Another good way to tell if something is load bearing is
whether the joists rest on this beam.

I can't figure out what you are describing. It sounds a bit like
what you are talking about is carrying the top of the stair or a
landing at the top of the stair. If there is a wall on the next
floor that rests on this wall and, especially, if the upstairs
ceiling joists break on that wall, then it is all load bearing.
If it is carrying the top of the stair and you remove it and you
then place two 250# men at the top of the stair carrying a deep
freeze, what is going to happen? A particularly bad time to find
out is load bearing. Without being able to see the wall in
question, I doubt that anyone can tell you whether it is load
bearing or required.

--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"car crash" wrote in message
...
I am doing my basement and wanted to take out a wall near the
staircase. What concerns me is that at the end of the staircase
there
are 2 2x4's that have a big yellow coloured 2x10 resting on it
at the
top. Now this 2x10 is being held up by a steel floor joist
support,
but what I was wondering if is that the 2 2x4's area load
bearing
wall? Someone from Home Depot was telling me that there is no
such
thing as a load bearing wall in the basement and that I can
definitely
take it out.
Can anyone else provide input ? The house is brand new, 1 year
old,
and built in Ottawa, Ontario
Thanks.