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 Lombard & nearby Villa Park, Glen Ellyn
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Lombard, IL
We find out what your Lombard kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across Lombard ZIP 60148
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Lombard kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
Taking out the wall between the kitchen and the dining or family room is one of the most requested changes in Lombard homes. Before any demolition we find out whether the wall is load-bearing and what runs through it, then remove it with an engineer-sized beam, a permit and proper temporary support.
Walls in condo buildings
Condo walls may carry building loads or common plumbing. The association and an engineer need to sign off before we remove them.
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.
Daylight stuck in the next room
Plenty of kitchens have one small window while the dining room has three. Taking the wall out lets that daylight reach the counters.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What's included
- Engineer's beam designFor load-bearing walls, a structural engineer sizes the beam, posts and connections and provides stamped drawings.
- Permit and inspectionsPermit application, framing inspection and final sign-off handled by us.
- Temporary shoringShoring holds up the ceiling and floor above during the work.
- Utility reroutingPlumbing, ducts, wiring and gas moved out of the wall by licensed trades.
- DemolitionControlled removal of the wall, studs and debris, hauled away.
- Ceiling, wall and floor patchingDrywall or plaster repair, flooring woven in or replaced, and paint.
- Records for resaleWe hand over the structural paperwork so the change is documented when you sell.
Finishes and options
Cased openingsA wide framed opening with trim, when keeping part of the wall makes more sense.
Glulam beamsGlued-laminated timber, an option when the beam will stay exposed or carry a long span.
Posts and columnsWhen a post is needed, we hide it in a cabinet run or finish it as a column.
LVL beamsEngineered laminated lumber, strong and straight, the most common beam for residential openings.
Flush beamSits within the ceiling joists for a flat, uninterrupted ceiling.
Before and after: kitchens near Lombard
Before
In progress
AfterA Lombard postwar bi-level: before and after
A postwar bi-level in Lombard, a typical kitchen for Lombard. What we started with: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls, speckled laminate and a fluorescent box light. What bothered the owners most: 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 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 engineer's beam design, permit and inspections, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Before
AfterA Villa Park postwar bi-level: before and after
This one is a postwar bi-level 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. The result: 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 engineer's beam design, permit and inspections, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Villa Park →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar Cape Cod in Glen Ellyn
This one is a postwar Cape Cod in Glen Ellyn. Before: 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. 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. Work included engineer's beam design, permit and inspections, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Glen Ellyn →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Lombard
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 Lombard →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Lombard
What changed: a lowered black honed granite counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in deep burgundy with polished nickel pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Lombard →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 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 Lombard homeowners
Can I remove a kitchen wall in a condo?
Sometimes. You'll need association approval, and an engineer should review the wall since it may carry building loads or shared pipes.
Do I need a permit to remove a wall?
Structural work requires a permit. We handle the application with the engineer's drawings.
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.
What does it cost to remove a kitchen wall?
There's no honest number before seeing the wall and what's in it. We price it after the inspection.
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 Lombard building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Building Division, Community Development and Building, phone (630) 620-5750. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Can you do kitchen wall removal in a Lombard condo?
Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.
Do I need a Lombard-registered contractor for kitchen wall removal?
Contractors must register with the Village: $100 fee, valid 1 year, online or via Building Division; insurance certificate with at least $300,000 liability coverage. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for kitchen wall removal in Lombard?
It depends on the scope. Lombard's rule in short: Village requires a building permit for new structures and updates to existing structures; replacing interior doors and fixtures at the same size with no structural change needs no permit. We handle the permit when one is needed with Building Division, Community Development and Building.
Do you work in my part of Lombard?
Yes. Our crews work across Lombard — ZIP 60148 — and nearby Villa Park, Glen Ellyn, Addison.
Working in Lombard
- A lot of Lombard kitchens date from the 1960s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- We know how Building Division, Community Development and Building handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60148
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Lombard
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.