Closed-off kitchen
If the cook can't see the family room or the kids at the table, a wall is usually the reason. Removing it, or most of it, connects the kitchen to the rest of the house.
Serving Bloomingdale & nearby Roselle, Glendale Heights
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Bloomingdale, IL
We find out what your Bloomingdale kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Local crews working in Bloomingdale ZIP 60108
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Walls that close in Bloomingdale kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
We remove kitchen walls in Bloomingdale the careful way: assessment first, engineered design for load-bearing walls, shoring during the work and a finished ceiling and floor when we leave. You end up with an open kitchen and paperwork that shows it was done right.
A narrow doorway that bottlenecks traffic
One small doorway between the kitchen and the dining room means everyone squeezes through the same spot with plates. Widening it or removing the wall fixes the jam.
Loads that need support down to the foundation
The beam's ends carry concentrated loads that must travel down to the foundation. We check what's below each post and add blocking or a footing when required.
Kitchen layout after the wall is gone
Once the wall goes, the cabinets that were on it go too. We plan the new layout, often with an island or peninsula, at the same time as the structural work.
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.
Patching floors and ceilings
The finish work is what you see afterward: a level ceiling, a patched floor and painted walls without seams.
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.
Posts where you don't want them
A long opening may need a post or a heavier beam. We look at options with the engineer: a larger beam, steel, or a post placed where it works with the island.
What the project covers
- Structural assessmentA check of joist direction, loads above, support below and utilities in the wall.
- Permit and inspectionsWe file the permit with the engineer's documents and schedule the inspections.
- Protection and lead-safe setupDust walls, floor protection and lead-safe containment on older homes.
- DemolitionControlled removal of the wall, studs and debris, hauled away.
- Beam and post installationLVL, steel or glulam beam installed flush or dropped, with posts and support down to the foundation.
- Ceiling, wall and floor patchingWe finish the ceiling, patch the floor where the wall stood and repaint.
- Lighting and outlets in the new openingNew ceiling lights, relocated switches and code-required outlets for the open space.
Choices you'll make
Cased openingsA wide framed opening with trim, when keeping part of the wall makes more sense.
LVL beamsEngineered laminated lumber, strong and straight, the most common beam for residential openings.
Wrapped and decorative beamsWe wrap visible beams in drywall, trim or stained wood to suit the room.
Flush beamHidden in the ceiling plane, with joists hung from it on metal hangers.
Dropped beamA visible beam below the ceiling line, often wrapped in drywall or wood.
Kitchens like yours in Bloomingdale: before and after
Before
In progress
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Bloomingdale
A 1980s two-story in Bloomingdale, a typical kitchen for Bloomingdale. Before: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim, white ceramic tile with dark stained grout lines and a brass chandelier over the nook. What bothered the owners most: cooking with their back to everyone in the next room. After: the wall removed and a flush beam in the ceiling, the kitchen open to the next room, cabinets in cobalt blue with brushed nickel bar pulls, warm walnut butcher block counters, warm oak luxury vinyl plank flooring through both rooms and two glass pendants and recessed lights. The job covered structural assessment, permit and inspections, plus lighting and outlets in the new opening.
Before
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 1970s tract home, Roselle
A 1970s tract home in Roselle, a typical kitchen for Roselle. Before: 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 dark kitchen cut off from the rest of the house. Finished kitchen: 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. The job covered structural assessment, demolition, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Roselle →
Before
AfterA Glendale Heights two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Glendale Heights. The kitchen as it was: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs, almond laminate with a backsplash lip and a fluorescent box light in the ceiling. The main complaint was a dark kitchen cut off from the rest of the house. The result: the wall removed and a flush beam in the ceiling, the kitchen open to the next room, cabinets in powder blue with brushed nickel bar pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, large-format light stone-look porcelain tile flooring through both rooms and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. Work included permit and inspections, demolition, plus beam and post installation.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Glendale Heights →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Bloomingdale
What changed: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light warm taupe, warm walnut butcher block counters and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Bloomingdale →
Before
AfterBloomingdale kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: accessible kitchen remodeling
A lowered warm walnut butcher block counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in pale mint green with brushed nickel bar 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 Bloomingdale →How your kitchen wall removal goes
- 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 workWe patch, paint and clean up so the open space is ready to use.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment questions from Bloomingdale homeowners
Can I remove a wall between the kitchen and living room?
Usually yes. If the wall is load-bearing, it needs a beam sized by an engineer and a permit; if not, it still needs a check for pipes, ducts and wiring.
How much of a load-bearing wall can be removed?
Sometimes the whole wall, sometimes most of it. The engineer's design sets the limits.
Will removing the wall affect heating and cooling?
Possibly, if ducts run through it. We reroute them and adjust register locations for the new open space.
How long does it take to remove a kitchen wall?
Usually a short on-site phase for shoring, removal and the beam, followed by inspection and patching.
What does it cost to remove a kitchen wall?
There's no honest number before seeing the wall and what's in it. We price it after the inspection.
Do I need a Bloomingdale-registered contractor for kitchen wall removal?
No registration application or fee to work as a contractor in Bloomingdale. Permit submittals need a detailed written scope of work. We take care of that before work starts.
What is the Bloomingdale building department phone number?
Permits go through Building & Zoning Department, phone (630) 671-5660. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do you work in my part of Bloomingdale?
Yes. Our crews work across Bloomingdale, including Old Town Bloomingdale — ZIP 60108 — and nearby Roselle, Glendale Heights, Carol Stream.
Working in Bloomingdale
- A lot of Bloomingdale kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Bloomingdale homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
Old Town Bloomingdale
ZIP 60108
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Bloomingdale
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.