How Much Should Removing A Load Bearing Wall Cost?

Way too expensive especially if not completing the Sheetrock work. I just doubled my kitchen by taking down a wall that size that led to a dining room we never used. Cost me about $120 in materials to install a non visable beam in my attic. 2- 2x12x12, sheet of 1/2 plywood, loctite, and 12- 5” 3/4 bolts and hardware.

A lot depends on the framing above and how to tie everything in. There is no way on giving a price without a full inspection.

$10k sounds like a "I don't want this job" price.

I was quoted $3600 to take out a 12' section of wall, finish the drywall, move two outlets, and repair the floor transition. I thought it was a fair price in our market, but more than I wanted to spend.

DIYed it for a about $500. The most expensive part was the long piece of oak I had to buy to make the floor transition. That unfinished piece cost more than the LVL beams.

I was lucky because it ran through the middle of the house and that spine did not take a lot of weight from the roof. It essentially held the up attic joists. Also where I was tying the verticals in to the floor I had brick foundations directly beneath both spots. That helped me as I didn't have to reinforce anything down in my crawlspace. The local lumber supplier ran the calcs for me.

The hardest part was getting the beam up there with my wife. I suggest a strong friend help rather than your wife. We almost died. It was fun. I also learned that mudding drywall is harder than it looks. Respect to those guys who can do it well.

Final picture is about 90% done. Still some caulking and painting to do.

Seems pretty expensive to me. We redid out entire kitchen. took out 2 load bearing walls and replaced one with a support header built into the attic and one with a header that was framed and sheetrocked. That costs us in the neighborhood of 50K and included new cabinets, an island, granite countertops, travertine flooring sheetrock, electrical, plumbing and painting. Turnkey price except I contracted my own countertop guy (about 4K of the total), the primary contractor subbed the rest for me.

If your space and layout allow, I would suggest rethinking the pass through and consider opening it up completely and putting an island where the pass through would have been. It gives a more open feel and allows for better flow in and out of the kitchen area. It's what we did and don't regret it for a second.

That will run a little more if you go to the walls and ceiling because you'll have to blend into the two rooms. WHere we transitioned form the kitchen/dining to the living room we left a small stub wall on each end and framed above the opening with a header similar to below without the arc. That allowed for a visual break in the two rooms but still maintained a very open feel.




Good luck


ETA, price was in 2013 and also included demo and removal of old ceramic tile.

Very nice man! Good look

That;s an awesome map. I remember that Louisiana map from social studies in 6th grade.

quote:

---

I'm also curious how you came to the conclusion it is load bearing wall?

---

Went into attic and see joists resting on that wall. Also had a retired architect neighbor confirm

quote:

---

That guy is trying to rip you off. The way the poster Bottomlandbrew did his is the exact same way we did ours.

---

What type of tradesman should I contact for just removing the wall? I figured since it's just a small job I would contract it myself. A framer? I know a good sheetrock guy. Can paint and install cabinet for countertop myself. Would have countertop installed. I'm not competent enough to do the framing myself and I don't want my roof to cave in.

Depends where the current header or beam is supported. If it is running from end to end on that wall, then you likely don't need to remove it.

Really have to open the wall up on one side to see.

quote:

---

Contractor charged me $2700.

---

That's about what I was expecting, so $10k seemed high. You just chose a regular contractor? I'm hoping just removing a wall isn't too small a job for the ones around here. Getting skilled people to do small jobs around here is becoming difficult since there's so much work