Open Concept Kitchen Remodel

Open floor plans are highly-desired in today’s homes because they can increase opportunities for connection and interaction between people.  One way to achieve this is by removing obstacles that limit visual connection between rooms.

A recent client’s remodeling project was to achieve a bigger kitchen by removing the wall between the kitchen and dining room.   But can that wall be removed without causing major damage to the structure of the home?  Does the wall hold anything up, which is to say is the wall load-bearing?  What is inside that wall and can it be moved to allow wall removal?  How can I find out?

Load-bearing walls must be positively identified before starting any home improvement that includes removing or altering a wall, door or window opening.  Identifying load points and structural walls in a house requires an accurate assessment of the structure, building materials, and an awareness of the local building practices.  This structural assessment is best done by a licensed Architecture firm, or Professional Engineer. Do not attempt this yourself. Contact Elite Renovators to have your load bearing wall removed right.

A load-bearing wall is one that bears the weight and force of a structure, and transfers that weight to the ground.  Grounding points – like foundations, footings, columns and piers – are what bear the weight of the home.  Some structures that span between these grounding points are known as load-bearing walls, beams, headers, trusses or lintels.

When In Doubt, Don’t Cut It Out

It is best to be safe and stay on the side of caution and consider every wall as load-bearing until it has been confirmed by a professional.

A load bearing wall can be removed, but a new system for transferring the weight has to be built.  The most common way to solve this is by building a new header and post structure to go in place of the wall.  Our team has the expertise to positively remove almost any load bearing wall properly, contact us to find out more.