Archway or Wide Open?

[Account Closed]

I just purchased a HUD home that I have to house hack for a year or two .I am in the process of gutting the home and I have a partitionwall between the living room and dining room/ den area.

 I have a choice of removing the wall completely or creating an archway entrance.

 The engineer calls for a steel monument frame, which is like an upside down U I am estimating the total cost ,engineer $750 plus steel and installation $1500 = $2200 total or create a archway walk thru for about $500. I bought the property right and have  equity. I am wondering if the added cost of the steel frame would be worth it?

[Mike Wood]

@Account Closed I would remove the wall. 

Looking at the pics, I'm surprised you would need a steel beam.  The span does not look that long, and to me seems like something an LVL could easy do.  That would likely reduce your costs, something to talk to your engineer about (or find another engineer).