On Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:37:00 +0100, george [dicegeorge] wrote:
A 3 inch notch in a 4 inch beam which supports a lot of floor and a
wall?

Wait, is the beam 4" tall, or 4" wide?

If 4" tall and what's visible is the top-side of the ceiling below then
don't you only have 4"-high joists too, which doesn't sound like enough
to be holding up a floor at all? (at least not over average room-sized
spans; if it were supported every foot or two, or in an attic not
designed to take furniture loads, it might be different)

cheers

Jules