Lead paint on older walls
Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint on walls and trim. We use lead-safe practices: containment, controlled demolition and HEPA cleanup.
Serving Des Plaines & nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Des Plaines, IL
We find out what your Des Plaines kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across Des Plaines ZIP 60016, 60018
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Des Plaines kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
A kitchen wall can hold up a floor, hide a vent stack or carry the ductwork for the whole upstairs. We open the wall to see, bring in a structural engineer when the wall carries load, and handle the beam, posts, permit and inspections in your Des Plaines home.
Doing it without a permit
Unpermitted structural work can show up during a home inspection. We file the permit and pass the inspections so the change is on record.
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.
Wanting no beam showing
Most people want a smooth ceiling after the wall is gone. We aim for a flush beam and tell you early if a dropped beam is required.
Daylight stuck in the next room
If the bright side of the house is on the other side of the kitchen wall, removing it is the simplest way to borrow that light.
Loads that need support down to the foundation
Removing a bearing wall shifts its load to two points. We make sure each one has solid support all the way to the foundation.
A wall that hides a structural problem
Cracks over a doorway, a sagging ceiling or a floor that dips at the wall can point to an overloaded header or past changes. We check before removing anything.
Partial wall or half wall
Not every wall needs to disappear completely. A wider opening or a peninsula in place of the wall can give most of the benefit.
What's included
- Structural assessmentWe inspect the wall, the framing above and below it and what runs inside it.
- Temporary shoringTemporary support walls on both sides carry the load while the wall is removed and the beam set.
- 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.
- Ceiling, wall and floor patchingWe finish the ceiling, patch the floor where the wall stood and repaint.
- Records for resaleYou keep the permit, the engineer's letter and the inspection sign-off for future buyers.
- Lighting and outlets in the new openingNew ceiling lights, relocated switches and code-required outlets for the open space.
Materials and options
Flush beamSits within the ceiling joists for a flat, uninterrupted ceiling.
Cased openingsA wide framed opening with trim, when keeping part of the wall makes more sense.
Glulam beamsLaminated wood beams that can be left visible and stained as a design element.
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.
Before and after: kitchens near Des Plaines
Before
In progress
AfterBefore and after: a postwar bi-level in Des Plaines
The site: a postwar bi-level in Des Plaines. Before: 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 dark kitchen cut off from the rest of the house. 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 utility rerouting, ceiling, wall and floor patching, plus records for resale.
Before
AfterA Park Ridge 1960s ranch: before and after
The site: a 1960s ranch in Park Ridge. Before: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and a dome ceiling light. 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 light warm taupe with satin brass pulls, warm walnut butcher block counters, hickory luxury vinyl plank flooring through both rooms and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. The job covered structural assessment, beam and post installation, plus records for resale.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Park Ridge →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar Cape Cod in Des Plaines
What changed: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers, black honed granite counters and two glass pendants and recessed lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Des Plaines →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Des Plaines
Finished: a lowered bright white quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in cream uppers and walnut-stained lowers with polished nickel 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 Des Plaines →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Des Plaines
What changed: the kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in two-tone with brass hardware, white quartz counters, light oak LVP floor through the old and new space and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Additions in Des Plaines →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.
- PermitPermit filed and issued before any structural work starts.
- 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 Des Plaines 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.
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.
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
Exterior walls and many center walls are bearing. Interior walls need checking from the attic or basement, which is what our assessment does.
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.
Will the ceiling be flat after the wall is gone?
With a flush beam, usually yes. If the engineer requires a dropped beam, we finish it cleanly and can make it a feature.
Des Plaines building permit for kitchen wall removal: where do I apply?
Permits go through Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division, phone 847-391-5380. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a Des Plaines-registered contractor for kitchen wall removal?
Contractors must register with the City (via the online portal); registrations expire Dec 31. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for kitchen wall removal in Des Plaines?
It depends on the scope. Des Plaines's rule in short: A building permit is required for any residential kitchen remodel; non-structural work uses the Kitchen/Bath Non-Structural permit ($150 fee, rough and final inspections). We handle the permit when one is needed with Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division.
Do you work in my part of Des Plaines?
Yes. Our crews work across Des Plaines — ZIP 60016, 60018 — and nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Elk Grove Village.
Working in Des Plaines
- A lot of Des Plaines kitchens date from the 1960s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Des Plaines homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60016ZIP 60018
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Des Plaines
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.