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 Hanover Park & nearby Bartlett, Roselle
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Hanover Park, IL
We find out what your Hanover Park kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across Hanover Park ZIP 60133
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Hanover Park 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 Hanover Park home.
Closed-off kitchen
When guests gather in the doorway because the kitchen has no room, it's time to look at the wall that separates it from the living space.
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.
Patching floors and ceilings
The finish work is what you see afterward: a level ceiling, a patched floor and painted walls without seams.
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.
A narrow doorway that bottlenecks traffic
Traffic piling up at a single kitchen door is common in older layouts. A wider opening with a correctly sized header is often enough.
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.
Loads that need support down to the foundation
The beam's ends carry concentrated loads that must travel down to the foundation. We check what's below each post and add blocking or a footing when required.
What the project covers
- 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 inspectionsWe file the permit with the engineer's documents and schedule the inspections.
- 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.
- Ceiling, wall and floor patchingWe finish the ceiling, patch the floor where the wall stood and repaint.
- Lighting and outlets in the new openingLights and switches placed for the new open layout.
Finishes and options
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.
Wrapped and decorative beamsWe wrap visible beams in drywall, trim or stained wood to suit the room.
Dropped beamHangs below the ceiling; simpler to install and sometimes required by span or load.
Glulam beamsLaminated wood beams that can be left visible and stained as a design element.
What the work looks like in Hanover Park homes
Before
In progress
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 1970s split-level, Hanover Park
This one is a 1970s split-level near Ontarioville. What we started with: white painted cabinets with yellowed paint and dated scalloped trim, white laminate with brown flecks and a fluorescent box light. 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 unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls, black honed granite counters, warm oak luxury vinyl plank flooring through both rooms and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. Work included engineer's beam design, permit and inspections, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Before
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 1980s two-story, Bartlett
The site: a 1980s two-story in Bartlett. 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: no view from the kitchen to the family 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. On site this meant structural assessment, temporary shoring, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Bartlett →
Before
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a two-story colonial from the 1990s, Bloomingdale
A two-story colonial from the 1990s near Old Town Bloomingdale, a typical kitchen for Bloomingdale. 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 reason for the call: cooking with their back to everyone in the next 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. On site this meant temporary shoring, utility rerouting, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Bloomingdale →
Before
AfterHanover Park kitchen, 1970s tract home: kitchen design & layout planning
Finished: a new layout with an island, cabinets in terracotta, dark soapstone-look quartz counters and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Hanover Park →
Before
AfterA Hanover Park 1970s tract home: before and after
Finished: a lowered bright white quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in cream uppers and walnut-stained lowers with matte black pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Hanover Park →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 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 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 Hanover Park homeowners
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?
Most kitchen walls can come out with the right support. We find out what the wall carries and plan the beam and reroutes.
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.
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.
Will the ceiling be flat after the wall is gone?
Often yes. Flush beams hide in the ceiling; when a dropped beam is needed, we finish it to suit the room.
Does kitchen wall removal need a Hanover Park building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Inspectional Services Division (Hanover Park Fire Department), phone 630-823-5860. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Hanover Park contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
All contractors must be registered and bonded with the Village before a building permit is issued; apply via Inspectional Services. We take care of that before work starts.
Does a Hanover Park historic district affect kitchen wall removal?
Hanover Park has locally reviewed areas, including historic Commission protects heritage buildings/sites and no specific districts named. Exterior changes there can need review; interior-only work usually does not. We check before anything changes on the outside.
Do you work in my part of Hanover Park?
Yes. Our crews work across Hanover Park, including Ontarioville — ZIP 60133 — and nearby Bartlett, Roselle, Bloomingdale.
Working in Hanover Park
- A lot of Hanover Park kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Hanover Park homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in a historic district? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
Ontarioville
ZIP 60133
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Hanover Park
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.