Balloon framing and plaster walls
Many older Berwyn homes are balloon framed, with studs running past the floor levels and no fire blocking. We add fire blocking where we open walls and handle plaster carefully.
Serving Berwyn & nearby Oak Park, Chicago
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Berwyn, IL
We find out what your Berwyn kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across Berwyn ZIP 60402
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Berwyn kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
Taking out the wall between the kitchen and the dining or family room is one of the most requested changes in Berwyn homes. Before any demolition we find out whether the wall is load-bearing and what runs through it, then remove it with an engineer-sized beam, a permit and proper temporary support.
Lead paint on older walls
We treat old paint as possibly lead-based on pre-1978 homes and follow lead-safe work practices throughout demolition.
Not sure if the wall is load-bearing
Clues include joists running across the wall above it, a beam or wall directly below it in the basement and another wall stacked above it. We confirm with an inspection and, when needed, an engineer.
Pipes, ducts or wires inside the wall
A vent stack or a main supply duct can change the plan. We open an inspection hole, see what's inside and price the reroute up front.
Kitchen layout after the wall is gone
Losing a wall means losing cabinets and outlets. We redesign the kitchen so storage moves into an island or other walls.
A narrow doorway that bottlenecks traffic
When serving dinner means turning sideways in a 30-inch door, the opening is too small. We enlarge it with a proper header or take the wall out entirely.
Daylight stuck in the next room
A dim kitchen beside a sunny family room is a layout problem, not a lighting one. Opening the wall shares the windows between both spaces.
A wall that hides a structural problem
Previous owners sometimes cut openings without proper headers. We look for signs of that and fix them as part of the new beam design.
Everything in a kitchen wall removal
- Structural assessmentWe inspect the wall, the framing above and below it and what runs inside it.
- Engineer's beam designFor load-bearing walls, a structural engineer sizes the beam, posts and connections and provides stamped drawings.
- Permit and inspectionsPermit application, framing inspection and final sign-off handled by us.
- Protection and lead-safe setupDust walls, floor protection and lead-safe containment on older homes.
- Utility reroutingVents, drains, circuits and ducts rerouted before the wall comes down.
- DemolitionWe take the wall out carefully and clear the site.
- Ceiling, wall and floor patchingWe finish the ceiling, patch the floor where the wall stood and repaint.
Finishes and options
Cased openingsA wide framed opening with trim, when keeping part of the wall makes more sense.
Wrapped and decorative beamsWe wrap visible beams in drywall, trim or stained wood to suit the room.
Dropped beamHangs below the ceiling; simpler to install and sometimes required by span or load.
Steel beamsA steel beam carries more load in less depth, which can avoid a dropped beam or a post.
Posts and columnsStructural posts concealed in walls or cabinets, or finished as columns.
What the work looks like in Berwyn homes
Before
In progress
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a prewar foursquare, Berwyn
A prewar foursquare near South Berwyn, a typical kitchen for Berwyn. The kitchen as it was: 1980s honey-oak raised-panel cabinets installed over the old plaster, dark brown speckled laminate and a brass ceiling fixture with a glass dome. The reason for the call: a wall that kept the cook out of every conversation. After: the wall removed and a flush beam in the ceiling, the kitchen open to the next room, cabinets in light warm taupe with matte black pulls, bright white quartz counters, warm oak luxury vinyl plank flooring through both rooms and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. The job covered engineer's beam design, protection and lead-safe setup, plus demolition.
Before
AfterAn Oak Brook raised ranch: before and after
A raised ranch in Oak Brook, a typical kitchen for Oak Brook. The kitchen as it was: white painted cabinets with yellowed paint and dated scalloped trim, white laminate with brown flecks and a fluorescent box light. The reason for the call: a wall that kept the cook out of every conversation. The result: the wall removed and a flush beam in the ceiling, the kitchen open to the next room, cabinets in cobalt blue with unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls, black honed granite counters, warm oak luxury vinyl plank flooring through both rooms and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. Work included permit and inspections, protection and lead-safe setup, plus utility rerouting.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Oak Brook →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar Cape Cod in Elmhurst
The site: a postwar Cape Cod in Elmhurst. The kitchen as it was: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls, laminate with an aluminum edge band and a round fluorescent ceiling ring. What bothered the owners most: a wall that kept the cook out of every conversation. After: the wall removed and a flush beam in the ceiling, the kitchen open to the next room, cabinets in cobalt blue with satin brass pulls, black honed granite counters, light oak hardwood flooring through both rooms and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. On site this meant protection and lead-safe setup, utility rerouting, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Elmhurst →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1920s bungalow in Berwyn
Finished: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters and two glass pendants and recessed lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Berwyn →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1920s bungalow in Berwyn
A lowered dark soapstone-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in cream uppers and walnut-stained lowers with satin brass pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and two glass pendants and recessed lights.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Berwyn →From first visit to final walk-through
- Assessment visitAn inspection of the wall and the framing around it, plus your plans for the new space.
- Engineering and estimateBeam design when needed and a line-item quote for the structural and finish work.
- PermitWe submit the permit with the engineer's documents and wait for approval.
- Removal and beamShoring, utility reroutes, demolition and beam installation, followed by inspection.
- Finish workCeiling, floor and wall patching, paint and lighting, then a walk-through.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment questions from Berwyn homeowners
Is my older home balloon-framed?
Many homes built before about 1940 are. Studs run continuously past the floor levels, so we add fire blocking where we open walls.
Do I need an engineer to remove a kitchen wall in Berwyn?
If the wall carries load, an engineer's design is needed. For non-bearing walls, it usually isn't.
How much of a load-bearing wall can be removed?
Often all of it, with a beam that spans the full opening. Very long spans may need a steel beam or a post.
Can I remove a load-bearing wall myself?
No. Structural changes need engineering, a permit and experienced crews to support the load during removal.
How long does it take to remove a kitchen wall?
Plan for engineering and permit time first, then often one to two weeks of work for removal, beam and finishing.
Does a Berwyn historic district affect kitchen wall removal?
Berwyn has locally reviewed areas, including Central Berwyn Bungalow Historic District. Exterior changes there can need review; interior-only work usually does not. We check before anything changes on the outside.
Which Berwyn homes do you most often see for kitchen wall removal?
In Berwyn we see Chicago-style brick bungalows, Duplexes and three-unit buildings and Larger homes on south side. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do I need a Berwyn-registered contractor for kitchen wall removal?
Contractors must be licensed and bonded with Berwyn; $10,000 surety bond and liability insurance naming the City per license (per licensing form. We take care of that before work starts.
What is the Berwyn building department phone number?
Permits go through Building Department, City of Berwyn, phone 708-788-2660. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a permit for kitchen wall removal in Berwyn?
It depends on the scope. Berwyn's rule in short: City permit list includes any kitchen and bathroom remodeling, all electrical work, and plumbing/sewer work (faucet or toilet replacement excluded). We handle the permit when one is needed with Building Department, City of Berwyn.
Do you work in my part of Berwyn?
Yes. Our crews work across Berwyn, including South Berwyn, South Oak Park area, Depot District, LaVergne — ZIP 60402 — and nearby Oak Park, Chicago, Oak Brook.
Working in Berwyn
- Most Berwyn homes are prewar. We work around plaster walls, radiators and out-of-square rooms every week.
- Most Berwyn homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in the Central Berwyn Bungalow Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
South BerwynSouth Oak Park areaDepot DistrictLaVergneOgden Avenue
ZIP 60402
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Berwyn
Kitchen Design & Layout PlanningLayouts, 3D plans and material picks before work starts.
Accessible Kitchen RemodelingKitchens that work for every age and ability.
Kitchen AdditionsBump-outs that add room for an island or dining area.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.