Closed-off kitchen
If the cook can't see the family room or the kids at the table, a wall is usually the reason. Removing it, or most of it, connects the kitchen to the rest of the house.
Serving Plainfield & nearby Bolingbrook, Naperville
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Plainfield, IL
We find out what your Plainfield kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Local crews working in Plainfield ZIP 60544, 60585, 60586, 60543
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Walls that close in Plainfield kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
We remove kitchen walls in Plainfield 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.
Not sure if the wall is load-bearing
Clues include joists running across the wall above it, a beam or wall directly below it in the basement and another wall stacked above it. We confirm with an inspection and, when needed, an engineer.
Doing it without a permit
Removing a load-bearing wall without a permit and engineering risks sagging floors and problems when you sell. We pull the permit and keep the documents.
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.
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.
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
Plenty of kitchens have one small window while the dining room has three. Taking the wall out lets that daylight reach the counters.
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.
What the project covers
- Structural assessmentA check of joist direction, loads above, support below and utilities in the wall.
- Permit and inspectionsWe file the permit with the engineer's documents and schedule the inspections.
- Protection and lead-safe setupWe seal off the work area and protect floors and furniture before demolition.
- 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.
- Beam and post installationThe engineered beam set, joists connected with hangers and posts bearing on solid support.
- Ceiling, wall and floor patchingWe finish the ceiling, patch the floor where the wall stood and repaint.
Finishes and options
Wrapped and decorative beamsWe wrap visible beams in drywall, trim or stained wood to suit the room.
Posts and columnsStructural posts concealed in walls or cabinets, or finished as columns.
Flush beamSits within the ceiling joists for a flat, uninterrupted ceiling.
LVL beamsLaminated veneer lumber sized by the engineer; often used for flush beams.
Glulam beamsLaminated wood beams that can be left visible and stained as a design element.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment before and after — Plainfield homes
Before
In progress
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 2000s two-story with an open kitchen, Plainfield
A 2000s two-story with an open kitchen in Plainfield, a typical kitchen for Plainfield. The kitchen as it was: cherry-stained shaker cabinets, dark green-black granite and recessed cans. What bothered the owners most: a kitchen walled 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 light terracotta with polished nickel pulls, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters, soft gray 24x24 porcelain tile flooring through both rooms and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. On site this meant structural assessment, protection and lead-safe setup, plus temporary shoring.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Bolingbrook
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial near Westbury. Before: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs, almond laminate with a backsplash lip and a fluorescent box light in the ceiling. The main complaint was 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 powder blue with brushed nickel bar pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, large-format light stone-look porcelain tile flooring through both rooms and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. Work included structural assessment, permit and inspections, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Bolingbrook →
Before
AfterAn Aurora two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
A two-story colonial from the 1990s near Tanner, a typical kitchen for Aurora. Before: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above, white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam and two hanging glass pendants. The reason for the call: a kitchen walled 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 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. The job covered structural assessment, utility rerouting, plus ceiling, wall and floor patching.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Aurora →
Before
AfterKitchen Design & Layout Planning in a newer open-plan house, Plainfield
Finished: a new layout with an island, cabinets in pale sage, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Plainfield →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a newer open-plan house in Plainfield
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 Plainfield →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 estimateFor load-bearing walls, an engineer sizes the beam; you get a written, itemized estimate.
- 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 Plainfield homeowners
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 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.
Do I need a permit to remove a wall?
Structural work requires a permit. We handle the application with the engineer's drawings.
Will the ceiling be flat after the wall is gone?
With a flush beam, usually yes. If the engineer requires a dropped beam, we finish it cleanly and can make it a feature.
Can I remove a load-bearing wall myself?
We don't recommend it. It requires temporary shoring, an engineered beam, a permit and inspections, and mistakes can damage the structure.
Plainfield building permit for kitchen wall removal: where do I apply?
Permits go through Village of Plainfield Building & Code Enforcement, phone (815) 439-2937. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Which Plainfield homes do you most often see for kitchen wall removal?
In Plainfield we see Greek Revival and Upright and Wing cottages. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do I need historic review for kitchen wall removal in Plainfield?
Plainfield has locally reviewed areas, including Downtown Historic District (approved Sept 19, 2011, Lockport Street and Route 59 to James Street). Exterior changes there can need review; interior-only work usually does not. We check before anything changes on the outside.
Plainfield contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
Village business license ($25 annually) applies to corporate, retail and home businesses. We take care of that before work starts.
Do you work in my part of Plainfield?
Yes. Our crews work across Plainfield — ZIP 60544, 60585, 60586, 60543 — and nearby Bolingbrook, Naperville, Aurora.
Working in Plainfield
- Many Plainfield homes were built after 2000, so cabinet boxes and plumbing are usually solid and an update moves fast.
- Most Plainfield homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in the Downtown Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
ZIP 60544ZIP 60585ZIP 60586ZIP 60543
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Plainfield
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.