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 Mount Prospect & nearby Des Plaines, Arlington Heights
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Mount Prospect, IL
We find out what your Mount Prospect kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across Mount Prospect ZIP 60056, 60005
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Mount Prospect 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 Mount Prospect 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
We check the building plans, get the association's approval and have an engineer review any condo wall before removal.
Posts where you don't want them
A long opening may need a post or a heavier beam. We look at options with the engineer: a larger beam, steel, or a post placed where it works with the island.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What's included
- Structural assessmentWe inspect the wall, the framing above and below it and what runs inside it.
- 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.
- DemolitionWe take the wall out carefully and clear the site.
- 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
Steel beamsA steel beam carries more load in less depth, which can avoid a dropped beam or a post.
Flush beamHidden in the ceiling plane, with joists hung from it on metal hangers.
Cased openingsA trimmed, enlarged doorway that opens the view while keeping some wall for cabinets.
Dropped beamA visible beam below the ceiling line, often wrapped in drywall or wood.
Glulam beamsLaminated wood beams that can be left visible and stained as a design element.
Before and after: kitchens near Mount Prospect
Before
In progress
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Mount Prospect
The site: a 1950s ranch in Mount Prospect. 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. What bothered the owners most: a dark kitchen cut off from the rest of the house. 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. On site this meant structural assessment, ceiling, wall and floor patching, plus records for resale.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Arlington Heights
The site: a 1950s ranch in Arlington Heights. 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. 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 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 utility rerouting, ceiling, wall and floor patching, plus records for resale.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterAn Elk Grove Village postwar bi-level: before and after
This one is a postwar bi-level in Elk Grove Village. What we started with: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and a dome ceiling light. The reason for the call: a dark kitchen cut off from the rest of the house. 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. On site this meant structural assessment, protection and lead-safe setup, plus demolition.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Elk Grove Village →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Mount Prospect
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 Mount Prospect →
Before
AfterAccessible Kitchen Remodeling in a 1950s ranch, Mount Prospect
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 Mount Prospect →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 estimateFor load-bearing walls, an engineer sizes the beam; you get a written, itemized estimate.
- PermitPermit filed and issued before any structural work starts.
- 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 Mount Prospect homeowners
Can I remove a kitchen wall in a condo?
Possibly, with association approval and an engineering review of the wall.
Will removing the wall affect heating and cooling?
It can. A wall often holds a supply or return duct, and a bigger open room may need registers moved. We plan the duct reroute with the beam.
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.
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?
In most homes, yes. The question is what it takes: a beam, a post, rerouted utilities. We answer that after the assessment.
Do I need a Mount Prospect-registered contractor for kitchen wall removal?
A Contractor's License is required for general contractors (and listed trades); $200, valid one year, applied for through the online portal. We take care of that before work starts.
Does kitchen wall removal need a Mount Prospect building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Community Development Department - Building & Inspection Services, phone (847) 870-5675. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Can you do kitchen wall removal in a Mount Prospect 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 permit for kitchen wall removal in Mount Prospect?
It depends on the scope. Mount Prospect's rule in short: Kitchen remodels need a permit and a code review (about 10 business days). We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department - Building & Inspection Services.
Do you work in my part of Mount Prospect?
Yes. Our crews work across Mount Prospect — ZIP 60056, 60005 — and nearby Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village.
Working in Mount Prospect
- A lot of Mount Prospect 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 Community Development Department - Building & Inspection Services handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60056ZIP 60005
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Mount Prospect
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.