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 Buffalo Grove & nearby Arlington Heights, Palatine
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Buffalo Grove, IL
We find out what your Buffalo Grove kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across Buffalo Grove ZIP 60089
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Buffalo Grove kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
We remove kitchen walls in Buffalo Grove 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.
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.
Patching floors and ceilings
Hardwood can often be woven in where the wall was; other floors may need replacing through both rooms. We plan the floor as part of the job.
Partial wall or half wall
If the full wall can't come out, a wide opening, a half wall or a pass-through still opens the view. We compare the options with you.
Doing it without a permit
Removing a load-bearing wall without a permit and engineering risks sagging floors and problems when you sell. We pull the permit and keep the documents.
Loads that need support down to the foundation
Point loads at the beam ends need a continuous path to the ground. We add posts, blocking or a new footing in the basement as the engineer specifies.
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.
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.
- Temporary shoringShoring holds up the ceiling and floor above during the work.
- Utility reroutingVents, drains, circuits and ducts rerouted before the wall comes down.
- Beam and post installationThe engineered beam set, joists connected with hangers and posts bearing on solid support.
- Records for resaleYou keep the permit, the engineer's letter and the inspection sign-off for future buyers.
- Lighting and outlets in the new openingLights and switches placed for the new open layout.
Materials and options
Steel beamsUsed for long spans or heavy loads where a wood beam would be too deep.
Wrapped and decorative beamsA dropped beam finished in painted trim or wood so it looks intentional.
Cased openingsA wide framed opening with trim, when keeping part of the wall makes more sense.
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.
Before and after: kitchens near Buffalo Grove
Before
In progress
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Buffalo Grove
A 1980s two-story near The Highlands, a typical kitchen for Buffalo Grove. Before: 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 wall that kept the cook out of every conversation. Finished kitchen: 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. On site this meant structural assessment, beam and post installation, plus records for resale.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Arlington Heights
The site: a 1950s ranch in Arlington Heights. Before: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls, speckled laminate and a fluorescent box light. What bothered the owners most: a closed-off kitchen that stayed dark all day. Finished kitchen: the wall removed and a flush beam in the ceiling, the kitchen open to the next room, cabinets in light warm taupe with polished nickel pulls, bright white quartz counters, black-and-white checkerboard tile flooring through both rooms and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. Work included temporary shoring, records for resale, plus lighting and outlets in the new opening.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterA Lake Zurich 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
This one is a 1990s two-story colonial in Lake Zurich. Before: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above, white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam and two hanging glass pendants. What bothered the owners most: cooking with their back to everyone in the next room. The result: the wall removed and a flush beam in the ceiling, the kitchen open to the next room, cabinets in light terracotta with brushed nickel bar pulls, black honed granite counters, light oak hardwood flooring through both rooms and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. On site this meant permit and inspections, beam and post installation, plus records for resale.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Lake Zurich →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Buffalo Grove
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 Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterA Buffalo Grove 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
A lowered charcoal concrete-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in light greige 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 a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Buffalo Grove →From first visit to final walk-through
- Assessment visitWe look at the wall, the attic or basement and what's inside, and talk about the open layout you want.
- Engineering and estimateFor load-bearing walls, an engineer sizes the beam; you get a written, itemized estimate.
- PermitPermit filed and issued before any structural work starts.
- Removal and beamTemporary support, wall removal, beam and posts set and inspected.
- Finish workWe patch, paint and clean up so the open space is ready to use.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment questions from Buffalo Grove homeowners
What does it cost to remove a kitchen wall?
Load, span, utilities to reroute and the finish work drive the price. After the assessment we send a line-item quote.
Do I need a permit to remove a wall?
Almost always for bearing walls. Non-bearing walls with electrical or plumbing changes often need one too.
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 do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
Check whether the joists above run perpendicular to it and whether it sits over a beam in the basement. We verify on site.
How much of a load-bearing wall can be removed?
It depends on the span and load. The engineer decides whether one beam can carry it or a post is needed.
Buffalo Grove contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
All contractors working in the Village must register annually; $75 per trade, no fee for state-licensed contractors. We take care of that before work starts.
What is the Buffalo Grove building department phone number?
Permits go through Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services (BS&A Online), phone 847-459-2530. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
What kind of Buffalo Grove homes do you work in?
In Buffalo Grove we see Early post-Korean War single-family homes, some about 1,000 sq ft. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do I need a permit for kitchen wall removal in Buffalo Grove?
It depends on the scope. Buffalo Grove's rule in short: Permit required to replace or modify a kitchen, including replacing cabinetry; replacing a sink or faucet needs a plumbing permit even in the same location; electrical must meet the 2017 NEC. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services.
Do you work in my part of Buffalo Grove?
Yes. Our crews work across Buffalo Grove, including The Highlands, Green Knolls, Windfield, Didier Farms — ZIP 60089 — and nearby Arlington Heights, Palatine, Lake Zurich.
Working in Buffalo Grove
- A lot of Buffalo Grove kitchens date from the 1980s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Buffalo Grove homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
The HighlandsGreen KnollsWindfieldDidier Farms
ZIP 60089
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Buffalo Grove
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.