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 Glen Ellyn & nearby Wheaton, Lombard
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Glen Ellyn, IL
We find out what your Glen Ellyn kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Local crews working in Glen Ellyn ZIP 60137
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Walls that close in Glen Ellyn kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
We remove kitchen walls in Glen Ellyn 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Patching floors and ceilings
Where a wall stood, there's a gap in the flooring and the ceiling. We patch or weave in matching flooring and finish the ceiling so the line disappears.
Pipes, ducts or wires inside the wall
Kitchen walls often carry plumbing vents, drains, heating ducts and circuits. We locate them first and plan the reroute before the wall comes out.
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's included
- Engineer's beam designEngineered beam sizing and a sealed letter or drawing for the permit.
- 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 installationThe engineered beam set, joists connected with hangers and posts bearing on solid support.
- Records for resaleWe hand over the structural paperwork so the change is documented when you sell.
- Lighting and outlets in the new openingLights and switches placed for the new open layout.
Choices you'll make
Wrapped and decorative beamsA dropped beam finished in painted trim or wood so it looks intentional.
Dropped beamHangs below the ceiling; simpler to install and sometimes required by span or load.
Posts and columnsWhen a post is needed, we hide it in a cabinet run or finish it as a column.
Glulam beamsGlued-laminated timber, an option when the beam will stay exposed or carry a long span.
Flush beamSits within the ceiling joists for a flat, uninterrupted ceiling.
Kitchens like yours in Glen Ellyn: before and after
Before
In progress
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a postwar Cape Cod, Glen Ellyn
A postwar Cape Cod in Glen Ellyn, a typical kitchen for Glen Ellyn. 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 closed-off kitchen that stayed dark all day. The result: 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 engineer's beam design, permit and inspections, plus records for resale.
Before
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 1980s two-story, Wheaton
This one is a 1980s two-story near Wheaton Center. What we started with: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim, white ceramic tile with dark stained grout lines and a brass chandelier over the nook. The main complaint was no view from the kitchen to the family room. Finished kitchen: 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. Work included engineer's beam design, permit and inspections, plus records for resale.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Wheaton →
Before
AfterLombard kitchen, 1960s ranch: kitchen wall removal & structural assessment
A 1960s ranch in Lombard, a typical kitchen for Lombard. 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. 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. On site this meant permit and inspections, protection and lead-safe setup, plus demolition.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Lombard →
Before
AfterKitchen Design & Layout Planning in a postwar bi-level, Glen Ellyn
Finished: 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 Glen Ellyn →
Before
AfterAccessible Kitchen Remodeling in a 1960s ranch, Glen Ellyn
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 Glen Ellyn →From first visit to final walk-through
- 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 Glen Ellyn homeowners
Will the ceiling be flat after the wall is gone?
We aim for a flat ceiling with a flush beam where the structure allows. Otherwise a wrapped beam looks deliberate.
How long does it take to remove a kitchen wall?
Plan for engineering and permit time first, then often one to two weeks of work for removal, beam and finishing.
What does it cost to remove a kitchen wall?
It depends on whether the wall is load-bearing, the beam type, what's inside the wall and how much floor and ceiling patching is needed. We give a written, itemized estimate after the visit.
What happens to the floor where the wall was?
There's usually a strip with no flooring. We weave in matching boards or install new flooring across both rooms.
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.
Glen Ellyn contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
Contractors must register with the Village and meet license and insurance requirements (Village Code 4-1-11); work that does not need a building permit is exempt. We take care of that before work starts.
Do you work in my part of Glen Ellyn?
Yes. Our crews work across Glen Ellyn — ZIP 60137 — and nearby Wheaton, Lombard, Glendale Heights.
Working in Glen Ellyn
- A lot of Glen Ellyn kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Glen Ellyn 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 60137
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Glen Ellyn
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.