Fix 1 of 6
Open the kitchen to the living room
Most Phoenix ranch kitchens are small and shut off behind a wall. Taking the wall out, or most of it, gives you one room with light from both ends.
First we find out whether the wall holds anything up. Many do not, because the roof is carried by trusses, but a structural engineer confirms it in a letter before we cut. Then the wall comes out, a beam goes in if one is needed, and the ceiling, walls and floor are patched across the opening so the two rooms read as one. New cabinets, counters and appliances are priced as their own lines, and only if you want them.
What the job includes
The engineer's letter and the City of Phoenix permit
Temporary support while the wall is out
A beam or header set to the engineer's size
Wiring, ducts or gas in the wall moved by licensed trades
Ceiling, wall and floor patched across the opening
What changes the cost
What moves the cost of an open wall
No figures here: the number comes after the walk-through. These four things decide it.
Whether it carries weight
A wall that holds up nothing comes out with a patch. One that holds up the roof needs a beam, posts and more engineering.
What runs through it
Outlets, switches, a return-air duct or a gas line in the wall have to be rerouted before it can go.
How wide the opening is
A wide doorway is a smaller job than the whole wall. The beam, the patching and the floor all grow with the width.
Matching the floor and ceiling
Old texture, old tile and old paint have to be matched or redone across the opening, and some need testing first.
How it goes
How an open wall goes
Typical weeks, for planning. Your written schedule sets yours.
- 01Weeks 1 to 3
Step 1: Plans and the engineer's letter
We draw the opening, the engineer visits and writes the letter, and we list what runs through the wall.
- 02Set by the city
Step 2: Permit
The City of Phoenix reviews the plans. We apply and answer its questions; the time depends on its queue.
- 03About a week
Step 3: Wall out, beam in
Dust barriers go up, the ceiling is supported, the wall comes out and the beam is set and inspected.
- 04One to two weeks
Step 4: Patch and finish
Ceiling, wall, floor and paint across the opening, then the final walk with you.
Questions
Before you pick a fix
Will the ceiling sag or crack when the wall comes out?
Not if the wall wasn't holding it up. If it was, the beam takes the load before the wall goes. We support the ceiling first, and any crack that shows along the paint line is patched as part of the job.
How long are we without a kitchen?
For the days the wall is out and the floor is patched. Before demolition we set up a sink and a place for a microwave in another room, and the dust barriers keep the rest of the house usable.
Do you also do the new cabinets?
Yes, if you want them. They are written as their own lines on the estimate, so you can see what the wall costs and what the new kitchen costs separately.
Not sure the wall can go?
Text a photo of the kitchen and the living room from the doorway. We tell you what we would check.