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 Elmhurst & nearby Villa Park, Lombard
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Elmhurst, IL
We find out what your Elmhurst kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across Elmhurst ZIP 60126
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Elmhurst kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
We remove kitchen walls in Elmhurst 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.
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.
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.
Closed-off kitchen
A kitchen boxed in by walls feels smaller and darker than it is. Opening it to the next room is often the single biggest change you can make.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Everything in a kitchen wall removal
- Engineer's beam designEngineered beam sizing and a sealed letter or drawing for the permit.
- Protection and lead-safe setupDust walls, floor protection and lead-safe containment on older homes.
- Temporary shoringShoring holds up the ceiling and floor above during the work.
- Utility reroutingVents, drains, circuits and ducts rerouted before the wall comes down.
- 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.
Choices you'll make
Glulam beamsLaminated wood beams that can be left visible and stained as a design element.
Cased openingsA trimmed, enlarged doorway that opens the view while keeping some wall for cabinets.
Steel beamsA steel beam carries more load in less depth, which can avoid a dropped beam or a post.
Flush beamSits within the ceiling joists for a flat, uninterrupted ceiling.
Posts and columnsWhen a post is needed, we hide it in a cabinet run or finish it as a column.
Before and after: kitchens near Elmhurst
Before
In progress
AfterBefore and after: a postwar Cape Cod in Elmhurst
This one is a postwar Cape Cod in Elmhurst. What we started with: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls, laminate with an aluminum edge band and a round fluorescent ceiling ring. The reason for the call: 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 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. The job covered protection and lead-safe setup, utility rerouting, plus beam and post installation.
Before
AfterVilla Park kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: kitchen wall removal & structural assessment
This one is a postwar Cape Cod in Villa Park. Before: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and a dome ceiling light. The main complaint was 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 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. Work included protection and lead-safe setup, temporary shoring, plus utility rerouting.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Villa Park →
Before
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 1950s ranch, Lombard
This one is a 1950s ranch in Lombard. The kitchen as it was: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls, speckled laminate and a fluorescent box light. The reason for the call: a closed-off kitchen that stayed dark all day. After: 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 protection and lead-safe setup, utility rerouting, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Lombard →
Before
AfterAn Elmhurst postwar Cape Cod: before and after
A new layout with an island, cabinets in two-tone, white quartz counters and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Elmhurst →
Before
AfterAn Elmhurst 1950s ranch: before and after
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 Elmhurst →How your kitchen wall removal goes
- 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 workCeiling, floor and wall patching, paint and lighting, then a walk-through.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment questions from Elmhurst 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.
Can I remove a load-bearing wall myself?
No. Structural changes need engineering, a permit and experienced crews to support the load during removal.
Can I remove a wall between the kitchen and living room?
Most kitchen walls can come out with the right support. We find out what the wall carries and plan the beam and reroutes.
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
Common signs are ceiling joists that rest on top of it, a beam or wall directly below it, or another wall stacked above it. Only an inspection confirms it.
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.
Elmhurst building permit for kitchen wall removal: where do I apply?
Permits go through Community Development Department (Building), phone 630-530-3030. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a permit for kitchen wall removal in Elmhurst?
It depends on the scope. Elmhurst's rule in short: Elmhurst requires permits for building and construction projects; all permits are applied for through the City's Citizen Self-Service Portal. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department (Building).
Do you work in my part of Elmhurst?
Yes. Our crews work across Elmhurst — ZIP 60126 — and nearby Villa Park, Lombard, Addison.
Working in Elmhurst
- A lot of Elmhurst kitchens date from the 1950s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Elmhurst homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community Development Department (Building) handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60126
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Elmhurst
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.