To make a knowledgeable decision you'll need to know whether the walls affected are load bearing walls. It's best to contact a structural engineer to determine that. Did you want to take out the stairs & one side wall? The stairs & both side walls? If just one side wall, is it a full wall or just a railing going down?

This would be stairs and one side wall. The side wall is just a partial wall with a railing, there is a beam at the beginning and end of the staircase which I'm sure cannot be removed. I figured I would have to consult a professional but just wanted some input on whether anyone has ever done this or not. I have looked at tons of basement remodeling sites and have not seen any information about this.