Lead paint on older walls
Tearing out painted plaster in an older house can release lead dust. Our crews contain the area and clean with HEPA vacuums.
Serving Elk Grove Village & nearby Itasca, Wood Dale
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Elk Grove Village, IL
We find out what your Elk Grove Village kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Local crews working in Elk Grove Village ZIP 60007
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Walls that close in Elk Grove Village kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
We remove kitchen walls in Elk Grove Village 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.
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.
Wanting no beam showing
A beam hidden in the ceiling looks cleanest but takes more work, since joists are cut and hung from the beam. We plan it with the engineer.
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.
Not sure if the wall is load-bearing
You can't tell from the paint. We check joist direction in the attic or basement, what sits above and below the wall, and open a small section if needed.
Pipes, ducts or wires inside the wall
What is inside the wall matters as much as what it holds up. Wiring, gas lines, ducts and vents each need a new route.
Partial wall or half wall
Sometimes the best answer is a large cased opening or a counter-height wall with seating. It keeps a structural element and still opens the room.
Posts where you don't want them
If the span is long, the engineer may call for a post. We plan its location with the kitchen layout so it doesn't block the walkway.
What's included
- Structural assessmentWe inspect the wall, the framing above and below it and what runs inside it.
- Engineer's beam designEngineered beam sizing and a sealed letter or drawing for the permit.
- 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 reroutingPlumbing, ducts, wiring and gas moved out of the wall by licensed trades.
- Beam and post installationLVL, steel or glulam beam installed flush or dropped, with posts and support down to the foundation.
- Lighting and outlets in the new openingLights and switches placed for the new open layout.
Finishes and options
Dropped beamHangs below the ceiling; simpler to install and sometimes required by span or load.
Posts and columnsStructural posts concealed in walls or cabinets, or finished as columns.
LVL beamsEngineered laminated lumber, strong and straight, the most common beam for residential openings.
Glulam beamsLaminated wood beams that can be left visible and stained as a design element.
Cased openingsA wide framed opening with trim, when keeping part of the wall makes more sense.
Kitchens like yours in Elk Grove Village: before and after
Before
In progress
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Elk Grove Village
The site: a 1950s ranch in Elk Grove Village. The kitchen as it was: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and a dome ceiling light. The main complaint was 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, permit and inspections, plus beam and post installation.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Itasca
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial in Itasca. The kitchen as it was: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above, white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam and two hanging glass pendants. The reason for the call: 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 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. Work included structural assessment, protection and lead-safe setup, plus lighting and outlets in the new opening.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Itasca →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar bi-level in Wood Dale
The site: a postwar bi-level in Wood Dale. 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 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. Work included engineer's beam design, protection and lead-safe setup, plus lighting and outlets in the new opening.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Wood Dale →
Before
AfterKitchen Design & Layout Planning in a 1950s ranch, Elk Grove Village
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 Elk Grove Village →
Before
AfterAn Elk Grove Village 1960s ranch: before and after
What changed: a lowered charcoal concrete-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in pale sage uppers and light gray 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 a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Elk Grove Village →The project, step by step
- Assessment visitWe look at the wall, the attic or basement and what's inside, and talk about the open layout you want.
- 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 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 Elk Grove Village homeowners
Can I remove a wall between the kitchen and living room?
In most homes, yes. The question is what it takes: a beam, a post, rerouted utilities. We answer that after the assessment.
What happens to the floor where the wall was?
We patch it to match or, if the floors differ, run new flooring through the open space.
Will removing the wall affect heating and cooling?
Sometimes. Ducts in the wall get rerouted through the ceiling, floor or another wall, and we check that both rooms still get enough air.
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.
Can I remove a load-bearing wall myself?
It's not a DIY job. Without proper shoring and a correctly sized beam, floors and ceilings can sag or crack.
Which Elk Grove Village homes do you most often see for kitchen wall removal?
In Elk Grove Village we see Planned suburban community founded 1950s-60s, most houses built by Centex and 1970s apartment communities, some later converted to condos. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do you work in my part of Elk Grove Village?
Yes. Our crews work across Elk Grove Village — ZIP 60007 — and nearby Itasca, Wood Dale, Schaumburg.
Working in Elk Grove Village
- A lot of Elk Grove Village kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Elk Grove Village homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Older paint is treated with lead-safe practices: containment, HEPA cleanup and a clean hand-over.
ZIP 60007
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Elk Grove Village
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.