How Much Does It Really Cost to Remove a Load Bearing Wall?

Removing load-bearing walls is an important design tool for creating an open-plan house with fewer obstructions, larger rooms, and better traffic flow. The average cost to remove a load-bearing wall is $6,760 for 120 square feet of wall.

Average Cost to Remove a Load-Bearing Wall

The cost of removing load-bearing walls starts at $2,120 for interior walls with few complications and rises to an average high cost of $11,400 for exterior load-bearing walls and interior walls with many services that need to be rerouted.

How to Know If the Wall Is Load-Bearing

A load-bearing wall acts as the support structure for the roof, floor, or walls directly above it. You can tell if a wall is load-bearing when:

• Ceiling joists run at a 90-degree angle to the wall; or

• It's a partial wall with a visible support beam; or

• It's an exterior wall; or

• A support structure is directly below it

Cost by Square Foot

Removing a load-bearing wall costs an average of about $56 per square foot, with lower-end costs of $18 per square foot and upper-end costs of around $95 per square foot.

To determine square footage, measure the length and height of the load-bearing wall. Multiply length by height. Do not subtract for doors or windows. The resulting number will be the total area of the load-bearing wall.

Cost by Linear Foot

Removing a load-bearing wall costs an average of about $450 per linear foot. This estimate is for standard eight-foot-tall walls. Use a tape measure to measure the entire length of the wall.

Cost by Type of Project

Removing a load-bearing wall in a home improves the quality of life for residents and adds property value to a home. You can expand a kitchen, turn two small bedrooms into a large suite, transform a bedroom into an office, or update the look of an older home.

Enlarge a Kitchen

The cost of enlarging a kitchen by removing a load-bearing wall ranges from $2,250 for a short partial wall to $6,750 for a full, 15-foot wall.

Enlarging the kitchen creates an open feeling so that people in the living room or dining room can converse with the cook. It also allows you to install large pieces like kitchen islands, peninsulas, or extended kitchen cabinets.

Create a Bedroom Suite

The cost of creating a bedroom suite by connecting two smaller rooms ranges from $6,750 for a 15-foot common wall to $8,100 for an 18-foot wall.

Often, the way to create a large bedroom suite in a small- or medium-sized house is to take down a wall. On the other side might be a rarely used guest bedroom or the room of a child who has gone off to college.

Expand a Living Room

Expanding a living room by removing a wall—usually, a long wall with a hallway on the other side—costs $9,000 to $13,500.

Main Cost Factors

Size of Wall

The size of the load-bearing wall is an important factor in determining the overall removal cost.

Larger walls cost more to remove. It's also important to consider the height of the wall. The standard wall height is eight feet, so taller 10- or 12-foot walls should be estimated accordingly.

Permits and Fees

Permits and fees associated with removing a load-bearing wall collectively cost from $1,200 to $2,000, with an average cost of $1,600.

Most municipal authorities highly regulate the removal of load-bearing walls, so one or more permits will be required for the project.

A general remodeling or building permit will be required. The permit may include related electrical, mechanical, and plumbing work or you may need to apply for these permits individually.

Tip

You may also need to submit architectural drawings, showing the wall within the existing floor plan and the position of the new support structure. You will also need to pay for a plan review.

Type of Wall

The type of materials used in the load-bearing wall makes a sharp difference in the removal cost.

Drywall and stud walls cost an average of about $0.40 per square foot to tear down. Masonry walls, including brick, cost about $4.30 per square foot, due to their weight and the difficulty of disposing of them.

Number of House Levels

The removal cost of load-bearing walls on the lower level of two-story houses ranges from an average of $7,235 to $11,000.

These higher cost estimates reflect the greater weight borne by the temporary support structure and the permanent support beam.

Interior vs. Exterior Wall

Removing an exterior load-bearing wall costs an average of $15,585, ranging from $12,170 to $19,000.

Exterior walls, which are always load-bearing, are more difficult to remove and replace than interior walls because of the heavy weights they carry.

Labor

The cost of labor for removing a load-bearing wall is typically included in the contract price.

If you decide to remove your own load-bearing wall with assistance from qualified workers, prevailing wages for this work range from $39 up to $78 per hour, for an average of about $60 per hour.

5 Reasons to Remove a Load-Bearing Wall

• Create an open floor plan: A house with an open floor plan—one with fewer barriers between rooms—has better traffic flow and helps to bring people together rather than isolating them.

• Modernize the home: Older homes typically have rooms segmented by walls and doors, so removing the walls helps to modernize the home.

• Turn two rooms into one: When the wall is removed, two small rooms separated by a common wall can become one large room.

• Enlarge a room: By removing a wall, a room such as a kitchen can be enlarged by pushing into the dining or living room.

• Build an addition: An exterior, load-bearing wall is fully or partially removed when an addition is built onto the house.

Cost to Replace Load Bearing Wall With a Beam

Replacing a load-bearing wall with a support beam costs $1,850 to $3,700. The average cost of a support beam is $2,775.

When a load-bearing wall is removed, another element must later be installed to take its place: another load-bearing wall, a supportive beam that spans the entire distance, or vertical support columns.

Most homeowners opt for a support beam since this leaves the room open and free of obstructing columns. LVL or Microllam beams are popular because they offer more strength in a smaller size, so the beam is less visible.

Additional Costs

Demolition Disposal

The average cost to dispose of materials in a load-bearing wall removal project is $1,325, but costs can range from $900 to $1,750.

Hazardous Materials

When demolished wall materials contain hazardous materials like asbestos or lead-based paint, add an average of as much as $12.50 per square foot to the demolition costs.

Certified abatement companies must remove asbestos and lead-based paint materials.

Electrical Wires

The hourly cost of an electrician to reroute electrical cables or terminate them is an average of $90. Electricians charge from $47 per hour to $133 per hour.

Plumbing and Gas Lines

When the load-bearing wall contains water or gas pipes, plumbers can reroute or cap off the services. Some plumbing companies are certified to work on both water and gas lines.

Per hour, the cost to do this is an average of $123, starting at a low of $45 and ranging up to $200.

Ductwork Rerouting

HVAC ductwork located in a load-bearing wall must be rerouted to other walls, to the ceiling, or under the floor. The cost per linear foot is about $40, ranging from a low of $25 to a high of $55.

Wall and Ceiling Repair

The ceiling and any wall surface previously connected to the load-bearing wall must be repaired. At an average cost of $2.50 per square foot, these services receive new drywall, which is later finished and painted.

DIY vs. Professional Load-Bearing Wall Removal

Removing a load-bearing wall is generally a contractor-driven project since it involves many different trades: demolition, electrical work, design, structural carpentry, and more.

However, experienced do-it-yourselfers can remove their own load-bearing wall. Homeowners who do this can save money since most of the cost of professional removal is labor.

How to Save on Load-Bearing Wall Removal Costs

The cost of removing a load-bearing wall can quickly eat up money earmarked for other home remodeling projects. So, it helps to find ways to save on removing the wall.

• Reduce the size of the wall removal project by removing only part of the wall.

• Dispose of demolished wall materials by yourself.

• Terminate or reroute electrical lines, provided you are experienced at electrical work.

• Cap or replumb water lines by yourself using PEX pipes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much of a load-bearing wall can be removed without a support?

You can remove as much of a load-bearing wall as you want, as long as the weight is fully carried in another way, such as with a beam or support columns. A structural engineer or contractor can help you determine how much wall can be removed by consulting load and span tables. These tables consider the type of replacement beam, its depth, elasticity, lumber grade, wood species, type of load, and other vital factors.

Do you need a structural engineer to remove a load-bearing wall?

The type of project determines whether you need a structural engineer to remove a load-bearing wall from your home. The permit may require an assessment by a professional structural engineer. Otherwise, a general contractor experienced in removing load-bearing walls can assess your home's structural integrity for the project.

How much does it cost to knock down a wall between a kitchen and dining room?

Knocking down a load-bearing wall between a kitchen and dining room ranges from $2,250 to $6,750. If the wall is load-bearing, it must be replaced with another wall, a support beam, or vertical support columns.

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Read the original article on The Spruce.