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 49 Chicago-area suburbs
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Chicago & the Suburbs
We find out what your Chicagoland kitchen wall carries, then open it safely with an engineered beam and a permit.
- Kitchen remodels across the Chicago suburbs, from Naperville to Evanston
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Walls that close in Chicagoland kitchens, and what it takes to remove them
We remove kitchen walls in Chicagoland 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
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.
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.
Posts where you don't want them
Sometimes a post is unavoidable. We try to put it at the end of a peninsula or inside a cabinet run so it disappears into the design.
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.
A narrow doorway that bottlenecks traffic
One small doorway between the kitchen and the dining room means everyone squeezes through the same spot with plates. Widening it or removing the wall fixes the jam.
Pipes, ducts or wires inside the wall
Kitchen walls often carry plumbing vents, drains, heating ducts and circuits. We locate them first and plan the reroute before the wall comes out.
Wanting no beam showing
A flush beam sits within the ceiling joists so the ceiling stays flat. Whether it's possible depends on the joist depth, span and load, which the engineer confirms.
What the project covers
- Structural assessmentWe inspect the wall, the framing above and below it and what runs inside it.
- Utility reroutingPlumbing, ducts, wiring and gas moved out of the wall by licensed trades.
- DemolitionWe take the wall out carefully and clear the site.
- Beam and post installationLVL, steel or glulam beam installed flush or dropped, with posts and support down to the foundation.
- Ceiling, wall and floor patchingWe finish the ceiling, patch the floor where the wall stood and repaint.
- Records for resaleWe hand over the structural paperwork so the change is documented when you sell.
- Lighting and outlets in the new openingNew ceiling lights, relocated switches and code-required outlets for the open space.
Finishes and options
Cased openingsA wide framed opening with trim, when keeping part of the wall makes more sense.
Glulam beamsLaminated wood beams that can be left visible and stained as a design element.
Dropped beamHangs below the ceiling; simpler to install and sometimes required by span or load.
LVL beamsLaminated veneer lumber sized by the engineer; often used for flush beams.
Posts and columnsStructural posts concealed in walls or cabinets, or finished as columns.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment across Chicagoland
The same job looks different in a 1920s bungalow, a 1970s split-level and a new subdivision. Here is what we plan for in different parts of the region.
Prewar towns
Balloon framing and plaster walls
Older framing methods and heavy plaster need extra care. We assess the framing type, add fire blocking where required and patch plaster cleanly.
Condo and townhome towns
Can I remove a kitchen wall in a condo?
Possibly, with association approval and an engineering review of the wall.
Glendale Heights, Lisle, Arlington Heights, Oak Park, Evanston, Woodridge
Recent kitchen wall removal work around Chicagoland
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar Cape Cod in Elk Grove Village
A postwar Cape Cod in Elk Grove Village, a typical kitchen for 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 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 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 structural assessment, ceiling, wall and floor patching, plus lighting and outlets in the new opening.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Elk Grove Village →
Before
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 1980s two-story, Orland Park
This one is a 1980s two-story in Orland Park. The kitchen as it was: 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. The result: 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. The job covered utility rerouting, ceiling, wall and floor patching, plus records for resale.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Orland Park →
Before
AfterKitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in a 1990s two-story colonial, Wheaton
This one is a 1990s two-story colonial near Danada Square area. 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: 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. The job covered utility rerouting, demolition, plus lighting and outlets in the new opening.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment in Wheaton →From first visit to final walk-through
- 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 beamShoring, utility reroutes, demolition and beam installation, followed by inspection.
- Finish workCeiling, floor and wall patching, paint and lighting, then a walk-through.
Questions about kitchen wall removal
Do I need a permit to remove a wall?
Structural work requires a permit. We handle the application with the engineer's drawings.
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.
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.
Do I need an engineer to remove a kitchen wall in Chicagoland?
If the wall carries load, an engineer's design is needed. For non-bearing walls, it usually isn't.
How long does it take to remove a kitchen wall?
Usually a short on-site phase for shoring, removal and the beam, followed by inspection and patching.
Which towns do you serve?
Chicago and 49 suburbs, from Naperville and Aurora to Evanston, Schaumburg and Orland Park. Pick your town below for local details and ZIP codes.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural Assessment near you
Pick your town for local details, ZIP codes and nearby projects.
