Looking for General contractor

Getting ready to start the remodel of my basement and wanting to know if anyone has experience with a good general contractor. I will be doing a majority of the work, but there is about 14' of a load bearing wall that I want removed. Don't know if I really want to tackle that one on my own. Or even if i can go that big without support posts somewhere in the span.
Just looking for names that maybe others have used and been happy with the quality and cost of the work. Hopefully I'll get a little something back from taxes to help get the project started.
thanks
-David-

 

I know the procedure for removing a load bearing wall, just don't know if I want to tackle the job. That's one job I'll at least get some price quotes on before I decide to tackle. The wall is in the basement of a split level. No load bearing walls on first floor above it. Center of a 23' span.Floor joists are joined above the wall with steel plates.

 

could you elaborate on the couple 2x support beams? And what about the foundation? I assume its just slab below the wall. Would i need footings under the support posts to handle the load?

 

Basically I want to make 2 rooms into one big family room. the wall is in the middle of a ~23 foot span. The floor joists above each room (2x10s) meet above the wall and are connected end to end with plates. I have no main beam as some homes do. Just a load bearing wall with double top plate. I want to take out a 12-14' length of the wall to give me a ~14x23' room. I know I will have to drop the ceiling for the beam as well as the heating ducts in this area , but that is not a problem.
My concerns are the size of beam needed, and whether or not the floor will hold the load when its distributed to each end of the span. I assume its just a poured slab under that particular wall.

 

Should be... but it is a 1950s skogman home.... Is there a way to find out if I have a footing under there without just cutting a big hole??
It is not built with floor trusses. The floor joists are 2x10s ~12foot long, 16" on center. Meeting over this wall giving me a ~12' room on each side.

 

No cracks in the floor around the wall so its been holding strong however it was poured. But that big of a span being removed redistributes a big load to a small area. I'd rather check into it before assuming too much.
I'm well aware of how to do the work, and I know I could overbuild the hell out of it as a safety factor for my piece of mind, just looking to get some professional advice, thoughts, opinions and pricing before I jump head first into it.

 

Will do.
Anyone got any names? I'd like to get a few different opinions/prices on this work.