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.
Serving Winfield & nearby Wheaton, Carol Stream
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Winfield, IL
We find out what your Winfield kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across Winfield ZIP 60190, 60185
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Winfield 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 Winfield 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.
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.
Patching floors and ceilings
The finish work is what you see afterward: a level ceiling, a patched floor and painted walls without seams.
Closed-off kitchen
A kitchen boxed in by walls feels smaller and darker than it is. Opening it to the next room is often the single biggest change you can make.
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
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.
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.
What the project covers
- Engineer's beam designEngineered beam sizing and a sealed letter or drawing for the permit.
- Permit and inspectionsPermit application, framing inspection and final sign-off handled by us.
- Protection and lead-safe setupWe seal off the work area and protect floors and furniture before demolition.
- Temporary shoringTemporary support walls on both sides carry the load while the wall is removed and the beam set.
- 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.
- Ceiling, wall and floor patchingWe finish the ceiling, patch the floor where the wall stood and repaint.
Materials and options
LVL beamsEngineered laminated lumber, strong and straight, the most common beam for residential openings.
Glulam beamsGlued-laminated timber, an option when the beam will stay exposed or carry a long span.
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.
Steel beamsA steel beam carries more load in less depth, which can avoid a dropped beam or a post.
Kitchens like yours in Winfield: before and after
Before
In progress
AfterWinfield kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen wall removal & structural assessment
A 1990s two-story colonial in Winfield, a typical kitchen for Winfield. The kitchen as it was: 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. Finished kitchen: 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 permit and inspections, temporary shoring, plus demolition.
Before
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 1980s two-story, Wheaton
The site: a 1980s two-story near Wheaton Center. Before: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim, white ceramic tile with dark stained grout lines and a brass chandelier over the nook. What bothered the owners most: 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. On site this meant engineer's beam design, protection and lead-safe setup, plus demolition.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Wheaton →
Before
AfterWinfield kitchen, 1980s two-story: kitchen design & layout planning
A new layout with an island, cabinets in terracotta, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Winfield →
Before
AfterA Winfield 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
What changed: a lowered charcoal concrete-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in deep burgundy with brushed nickel bar 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 Winfield →
Before
AfterKitchen Additions in a 1980s two-story, Winfield
The kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in deep olive with polished nickel pulls, warm walnut butcher block counters, black-and-white checkerboard tile flooring through the old and new space and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Additions in Winfield →The project, step by step
- 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 beamShoring, utility reroutes, demolition and beam installation, followed by inspection.
- Finish workCeiling, floor and wall patching, paint and lighting, then a walk-through.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment questions from Winfield homeowners
Can I remove a load-bearing wall myself?
It's not a DIY job. Without proper shoring and a correctly sized beam, floors and ceilings can sag or crack.
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.
Will removing the wall affect heating and cooling?
Sometimes. Ducts in the wall get rerouted through the ceiling, floor or another wall, and we check that both rooms still get enough air.
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.
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
Exterior walls and many center walls are bearing. Interior walls need checking from the attic or basement, which is what our assessment does.
What is the Winfield building department phone number?
Permits go through Building and Safety / Community Development (Village of Winfield), phone 630-665-1767. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do you work in my part of Winfield?
Yes. Our crews work across Winfield — ZIP 60190, 60185 — and nearby Wheaton, Carol Stream, West Chicago.
Working in Winfield
- A lot of Winfield kitchens date from the 1980s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Winfield homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
ZIP 60190ZIP 60185
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment nearby
Other kitchen services in Winfield
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.