nacho220

^
Once I tagged you Chuck for some reason I couldn't type anything anymore. Anyways, thanks for that. Just trying to get some honest feedback about what might be a simple question, but it's helpful to hear other ideas and other examples so I can see what works for me.
 
With that being said, thanks for all of the great feedback on this from everyone. I did speak with a contractor who I saw at a family event and he confirmed the load bearing wall is the best option for second floor placement like I am looking for. Unfortunately, the second floor is my only option at this point and for the foreseeable future. That's why I want to make sure I get it right since it will be there for an extended period of time.
 
Feel free to keep the discussion going if anyone has any additional feedback. In the next few weeks I'll be working on getting it secured and I'll post some pics in case it will help anyone else that comes across this thread with similar questions.