Very often, nothing. This is probably the most common question we get. While we can’t tell for sure without a site visit, we usually have a pretty good idea and can give you the benefit of our experience over the phone (no charge). Email us some pictures (wide angles are better, and we will need an outside shot of your home as well), and let us know when your home was built, where the wall is in the home, and what two rooms/spaces are on either side of it.
Here are some things to be aware of:
Load bearing walls support the weight of the roof, the weight of the floor(s) above them, or both. Interior walls are more likely to be load-bearing walls in older structures. Beginning in the mid-70s, homes began to be built with engineered roof trusses. If yours is such a home, it’s likely that your interior walls are not bearing any roofing loads (although they might still be bearing floor loads).
Chances are that some of your interior walls are not bearing any meaningful load and, if that is the case, then you can safely remove them. Some of our clients have us remove non-load-bearing walls as well; others prefer to do that work themselves. Be careful when you remove such walls, though, because demolition work gets messy. As often as not, removing a wall results in unanticipated consequences related to wiring, ductwork, sheetrock, and floors.
We will need three pictures of the project area (wide angles are better) as well as a picture of your home from the outside. Upload them here and fill in some basic information including the year when your home was built and where the wall/project is in the home. With this information, we can give you a sense of the project scope, timeline, and approximate cost.
Yes.
Yes, you can have a flush or flat ceiling in most cases, although it can be anywhere from a modest to a substantial additional expense.
A flat or flush ceiling requires flush headers. These structural elements are a little more complicated to install but follow the same basic construction path with a little more demolition, more material preparation, and additional fastening.
Flush headers typically involve alterations to the HVAC, electrical, and (sometimes) plumbing systems in order to make room for the header that will now be traversing the joist spaces ordinarily occupied by these systems. This adds to the expense.
Projects vary. Sometimes, a flush header is a simple affair and sometimes it can cost twice as much as a drop header (so-called because it drops down from the ceiling). When we engineer a solution, we can include and price out the option to install a flush header so you can decide if it makes sense for you.
Yes.
Yes. And, depending on the damage, yes, again.
Our structural repair services are detailed on the Structure Repair Contractor page.
Many local engineers refer us to their customers in Minnesota because they have seen our work and know our reputation. We do many high-consequence structural repair projects every year.
Yes.
Yes.
Quite likely. Send us the plan (upload it with pictures).
Yes… in most cases. Certain kinds of foundation repair call for narrow expertise and if that’s the case with your project we can refer you to the firm(s) that can help.
Yes… quite likely. Certain kinds of roof repair call for narrow expertise and if that’s the case with your project we can refer you to the firm(s) that can help.
We tried to answer some of the most common questions. Naturally, there are many more possible. Email us and we will get back to you ASAP! It’s easy!
Load Bearing Wall Company
We proudly serve the Central Minnesota, Southern Minnesota, and the Twin Cities Metro area. All local governments have their own set of rules and permits. We ensure that all those requirements are met. We pride ourselves on being #1 in customer service. We serve customers in Duluth, Rochester, Minneapolis and St Paul as well as the metro suburbs including Edina, Plymouth, Golden Valley, Roseville, and Eagan. Our service area extends to Shakopee and Lakeville to the south, Stillwater in the east, Elk River and Forest Lake to the north, and Chanhassen and other townships west of Wayzata and Excelsior.
Twin Cities Clients
