Open-concept living room flowing into kitchen after structural wall removal

Open-Concept &
Structural Work

One wall removed can be transformative.

Opening up a main floor changes how a home feels, not just how it looks. The kitchen that was closed off from the dining room, the living space that felt like a corridor, the entry that made your house feel smaller than it is. Structural work requires engineering, permits, and a contractor who has done it before. We'll gladly help you remove any walls and open up your home, as we've been doing across Greater Vancouver for over a decade.

12+ Years of structural work across Metro Vancouver
Free On-site structural assessment before you commit to anything
100% Of load-bearing removals done with engineered drawings
Open dining area with live-edge table and floor-to-ceiling windows over the water

The work

Removing the wall is simple. Carrying the load isn't.

Structural reconfiguration isn't just about taking something down. When a load-bearing wall comes out, it has to go somewhere: typically a beam, flush or dropped, carrying the load to posts and footings below. That work has to be engineered, permitted, and inspected. Done right, the beam disappears into the ceiling or becomes an intentional architectural detail. Done wrong, it's a liability you'll deal with for as long as you own the home.

We work with licensed structural engineers on every load-bearing removal. You get stamped drawings, a proper permit, and a final inspection, not just a promise that it's fine.

Talk to us about your plans
Open kitchen with navy island, white cabinetry and bar seating connected to living space

The result

It's more than removing a wall, it's rebuilding the flow of your home.

The most common request we hear: "we want the kitchen to feel connected to everything else." The fix is usually structural, and the result is a main floor where cooking, dining, and living share the same room. Light travels further. Conversation doesn't stop when someone leaves to check on dinner. Kids can be watched from the kitchen counter. These aren't cosmetic changes. They're fundamental to how the house works.

We take on floor-continuity, ceiling repair, and finish work as part of every structural scope so the renovation doesn't look like a renovation.

Discuss your project

Common project types

What area are you looking to change?

Most structural reconfiguration projects fit into a handful of well-understood scopes. Some are a single wall removal; others are a full rethink of how the main floor is organised. We scope each one on-site.

Full rethink

Main Floor Reconfiguration

A complete replanning of the main level: multiple wall changes, new sightlines, kitchen and living repositioned for how the family actually moves through the home.

  • Multiple load-bearing removals
  • New layout plan with design coordination
  • Mechanical and electrical relocation
  • New flooring plan for continuity
  • Full finish scope included
Kitchen-focused

Kitchen–Living Merge

The single most-requested structural project: opening the kitchen to the dining and living areas. Often paired with a kitchen renovation for a coordinated result.

  • Wall removal and beam installation
  • Island or peninsula integration
  • Lighting layout redesign
  • Hardwood or LVP floor tie-in
  • Coordinated with kitchen scope if needed

Something else in mind?

Dining room expansions, entry and sightline redesigns, cased openings, partial walls, structural columns. If it changes how your main floor connects and flows. We've likely built it.

Tell us the details

Why it matters

Structural work done without engineering is a liability, not a renovation.

Every load-bearing wall removal in Metro Vancouver requires a permit and stamped engineering drawings. Some contractors skip this step. When it comes time to sell, refinance, or claim insurance, unpermitted structural changes surface, and they're expensive to remediate. We pull every permit, work with licensed engineers, and close every inspection before we consider the project done.

Ask us about structural specifics →
01
Load Classification First

Before any demo, we assess every wall to be removed: checking framing direction, what's above, and what the wall is actually carrying. Non-load-bearing walls are still scoped carefully; load-bearing ones get an engineer involved from day one.

02
Engineered Drawings & Permit

We work with structural engineers who know residential construction in Greater Vancouver. They produce stamped drawings sized to your specific span and load. We submit for permit and schedule inspections. You don't have to manage that process.

03
Beam, Post & Foundation

The beam goes in; the posts carry it to the floor; the floor carries it to the foundation. We check the load path from ceiling to footing. If additional support is needed below (a new post, a concrete pad), we include it in the scope before breaking ground.

04
Final Inspection & Closeout

We schedule the structural inspection, walk through with the inspector, and don't close the walls until everything has been signed off. The permit closes on record. You get documentation that the work was done correctly and legally.

THE STRUCTURAL RECONFIGURATION PROCESS

What it actually takes to open a floor plan.

Every structural reconfiguration involves more trades (and a longer pre-construction phase) than it looks like from the outside. Here's a standard list of factors that are accounted for during our structural work project.

Structure
Engineering & Framing
  • Structural engineer engagement
  • Stamped beam and post drawings
  • Temporary shoring during demo
  • LVL or steel beam installation
  • Post, column & footing work
Mechanical
Systems Relocation
  • Electrical circuit and outlet relocation
  • HVAC duct rerouting
  • Lighting layout redesign
  • Plumbing relocation where required
  • Smoke and CO detector placement
Envelope
Drywall & Insulation
  • Ceiling patch and repair
  • Wall repair at removed sections
  • Insulation addition where required
  • Skim coat and texture matching
  • Full paint tie-in across affected areas
Finish
Continuity Work
  • Hardwood or LVP floor infill & matching
  • Baseboard and trim replacement
  • Beam wrap or box-out detailing
  • Ceiling height transitions
  • Final finish paint throughout

Common questions

What homeowners ask before opening up their floor plan. (Review)

Don't see yours here? Just call us.

(778) 878-9610
The short answer: you don't, without looking at the framing. Load-bearing walls typically run perpendicular to floor joists, sit directly above a foundation wall or beam, and carry load from floors above. But there are exceptions: walls that appear load-bearing sometimes aren't, and vice versa. We assess this on every site visit before anything else. We never assume.
For any load-bearing wall removal in Metro Vancouver, yes, and the municipality will require stamped drawings for a permit. For non-load-bearing walls, an engineer isn't technically required, but we often involve one anyway if there's any uncertainty or if the opening is large. The cost of engineering is small relative to the risk of getting it wrong. We include it in our fixed-price quote.
Often yes, and we assess this carefully before quoting. Existing hardwood species, width, stain colour, and finish all factor in. If we can source a match and blend it in, we do. If the floor is too old or unusual to match invisibly, we're honest about it and discuss alternatives: running new flooring throughout the affected area, using a contrasting inset, or a different flooring material that complements what's there. We won't pretend a mismatch will look seamless.
For most wall-removal projects, yes. The structural phase is fast (often just a few days of intensive work), and the dust and disruption is concentrated in a small area. For larger reconfigurations involving multiple walls and extended mechanical work, it depends on how central the work is to the home's liveable space. We talk through this honestly at the site visit and give you a realistic picture of what construction life will look like.
The structural phase itself (shoring, demo, beam drop) is typically one to three days of intense work. Most homeowners choose to be away for that stretch, partly for safety and partly because it's genuinely loud. We can work around your schedule and give you advance notice of the heaviest days so you can plan accordingly.
A single non-complex wall removal (including beam, engineering, permit, and all finish work) typically runs between $28,000 and $50,000. More complex spans, steel beams, or multiple walls push that higher. A full main-floor reconfiguration with multiple changes and coordinated finish work is a larger project and scoped accordingly. We quote fixed-price after the site visit, with no ambiguity about what's included.

Let's talk open-concept

Tell us about
your home.

Free, candid, no pitch. Tell us what you're picturing. A wall gone, the kitchen opened to the living room, a main floor that finally connects. We'll walk through the space, then tell you honestly what it takes and whether we're the right fit.

Call (778) 878-9610