Load Bearing Wall Removal Plans and Engineering
Stamped load bearing wall removal plans with the beam, posts, footings and connections your contractor needs and your building department expects.
- Stamped by a PE licensed in your state
- Built to IBC, IRC and local amendments
- Plan-check comments answered
Open the space without compromising the structure
Load bearing wall removal is one of the most requested remodel projects, and one of the few where a mistake can cause sagging floors, cracked drywall or worse. The wall you want gone is holding something up: floor joists, ceiling joists, rafters, a second story, or a combination of all of them. Taking it out means building a new path for that load before the wall comes down.
PE Engineer designs that new load path. We confirm what the wall carries, size the beam that replaces it, check the posts and footings at each end, and detail every connection. The drawings and calculations are sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in your state and formatted for your remodel permit.
Homeowners use us to get a clear answer and a permit-ready plan. Contractors use us to keep a kitchen or great room remodel on schedule. Either way you get a fixed-fee quote up front, usually the same day.
What you receive
- Plan showing the wall to be removed
- Beam size, grade and bearing details
- Post and footing design at each end
- Connection and hardware callouts
- Temporary shoring notes
- PE stamped calculations and drawings
What a wall removal design covers
Removing a bearing wall affects more than the opening itself, so the design follows the load and the lateral system through the house.
Wall assessment
We confirm from photos, drawings and measurements whether the wall is bearing and exactly what it supports, including loads from upper floors that are easy to miss.
Replacement beam
A flush or dropped beam in LVL, glulam or steel, sized for the actual loads and the ceiling look you want, with bearing length specified at both ends.
Posts and footings
Posts sized for the beam reactions and carried continuously down to a footing. New pad footings are designed when the existing foundation cannot take the load.
Lateral bracing check
Many interior bearing walls also brace the house against wind and earthquakes. We check that role and add bracing elsewhere when removal leaves a shortfall.
Connections
Joist hangers, post caps, post bases and straps specified by type and capacity, so the new beam ties into the existing framing as a complete load path.
Construction notes
Temporary shoring requirements and a clear sequence on the drawings, so the crew knows what must be supported before the wall is cut out.
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Send your drawings or describe the project. A licensed engineer reviews it and sends a clear, fixed-fee proposal, often within hours.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
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How to tell if a wall is load bearing
You cannot tell a bearing wall by looking at the drywall. The clues are above and below it. A wall is likely load bearing if:
- Floor or ceiling joists run perpendicular to the wall and rest on its top plate, or overlap and splice on top of it.
- It sits near the middle of the house, which is where joists in many older homes break their span.
- Another wall, a beam or a post sits directly above it on the next floor.
- A beam, girder or foundation wall sits directly below it in the basement or crawlspace.
- It is an exterior wall. Exterior walls almost always carry roof and floor loads.
Roof trusses complicate things. Many trusses span from exterior wall to exterior wall, which makes interior walls non-bearing. Others are designed with an interior bearing point, and some interior walls end up carrying load because the house has settled onto them over time. The truss drawings, if you can find them, tell the true story.
Before anyone buys a beam, send us photos of the wall, the attic or floor framing above it and the basement or crawlspace below it, plus a sketch with dimensions. We will tell you whether the wall is bearing and what the load bearing wall removal will involve.
What load bearing wall removal engineering includes
The engineering starts by tracing every load that currently comes down through the wall: the floor or ceiling joists on each side, any walls or posts above it, roof loads from rafters or trusses, and snow load for your location. Those loads become the design load for the new beam.
We then choose a beam that fits your goals. A flush beam hidden inside the ceiling gives a clean, open look but usually needs a deeper member and joist hangers on both sides. A dropped beam is simpler and often cheaper but leaves a soffit across the ceiling. Long openings may call for steel to keep the beam shallow. The sizing itself is covered in detail on our beam and header calculations page.
The part that gets overlooked is the ends. Each end of the new beam delivers a concentrated load that used to be spread along the whole wall. That load needs a post with enough bearing, solid blocking through every floor below, and a footing that can carry it. Many slabs and older footings cannot, so a new pad footing is common.
Finally, we check whether the wall was part of the bracing system. Interior walls in many homes resist wind and seismic forces. If removal reduces that resistance below what the code requires, we add sheathing, hold-downs or a new braced wall elsewhere.
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- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by a licensed PE
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Temporary shoring and the construction sequence
The riskiest moment in a wall removal is the time between cutting out the old wall and setting the new beam. During that window the loads above must be held up by temporary shoring.
Shoring methods and safety on site are the contractor’s responsibility, but our drawings note what must be supported and in what order, so nothing is left to guesswork. A typical sequence looks like this:
- Build temporary stud walls or install adjustable shores on one or both sides of the wall, bearing on a surface that can carry the load.
- Remove drywall and relocate any plumbing, wiring or ductwork running through the wall.
- Pour any new footings and let them cure before they take load.
- Remove the wall framing and install posts, then lift the beam into place.
- Install hangers, post caps and straps as shown, then remove the shoring gradually.
When the floor above is a second story or the beam is heavy steel, shoring may need to bear on the floor below or even the basement slab. We point that out in the notes so the crew plans for it. If the house has already sagged where a wall was removed without engineering, we can design a repair that jacks the structure back toward level in stages.
Permits, inspections and wall removal plans
Almost every building department requires a permit for load bearing wall removal, and most require stamped engineering to go with it. A typical submittal includes a floor plan showing the wall to be removed and the new opening, the beam and post locations, the foundation work, the connection details and the calculation package. We prepare all of it in one set.
If the wall removal is part of a larger kitchen or living area remodel, our remodel and renovation plans combine the architectural layout and the structural design so you submit one coordinated package instead of two.
After the permit is issued, expect these inspections:
- A footing inspection before concrete is poured, if new footings are required.
- A framing inspection after the beam, posts and hardware are installed but before drywall covers them.
- Rough inspections for any plumbing, electrical or mechanical work that was rerouted.
Inspectors compare the installed beam, post sizes and hardware to the stamped drawings, so the drawings call out each item clearly. If the plan reviewer issues comments, we respond and revise within the original scope at no extra charge. Condo and townhouse owners should also check with their association, since walls may be shared structure and require approval.
You likely need this if
- You want an open kitchen or great room
- Joists rest on the wall you want removed
- There is a floor or wall above it
- Your city requires stamped engineering
- A wall was removed without a permit
- Your contractor needs a beam size
How it works, start to finish
From your first message to stamped drawings, you work directly with the engineering team.
- 1Share your projectSend the address, scope and any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. Two minutes is enough.
- 2Receive a fixed-fee proposalAn engineer reviews the scope and replies with a firm price and delivery date for your load-bearing wall removal drawings.
- 3Engineering and draftingWe run the calculations and prepare drawings to the codes your jurisdiction enforces, checked before sealing.
- 4Stamped set deliveredYou receive a sealed PDF set ready to submit, and we answer any plan-check comments within scope.
Codes and standards for wall removal design
Wall removal engineering follows the codes your jurisdiction has adopted for alterations to existing buildings:
- International Residential Code (IRC) for one- and two-family dwellings
- International Existing Building Code (IEBC) for alterations where adopted
- ASCE 7 for dead, live, snow, wind and seismic loads
- AWC National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction
- AISC 360 for steel beams and columns
- AWC Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) for bracing
How licensing works. Engineering drawings must be sealed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where your project is located. PE Engineer works with a network of state-licensed PEs, so every set is reviewed and stamped by an engineer with an active license in the state where your project is located. Their name and license number appear on the seal, exactly as your building department requires.
Related services
Beam & Header CalculationsStamped beam calculations for LVL, glulam, steel and lumber beams and headers, including posts, bearing and footings under every point load.Explore More
Remodel & Renovation PlansKitchen, bath, basement, attic and whole-house remodel plans showing existing conditions, demolition and new work, with structural changes engineered.Explore More
Framing PlansFloor, wall and roof framing plans with joist, rafter, header and shear wall design, sealed by a licensed PE for permit.Explore MoreFrequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to remove a load bearing wall?
In almost every jurisdiction, yes. Removing a bearing wall is a structural alteration, and building departments typically require a permit and engineered beam and post design. Skipping the permit can create problems with insurance and resale, and inspectors may require the work to be opened up later. Our stamped plans give you the engineering the permit application needs in one package.
Can you tell if my wall is load bearing from photos?
In most cases, yes. Photos of the wall, the attic or floor framing above it, and the basement or crawlspace below it usually show what the wall supports. When framing is hidden, a small inspection opening in the ceiling often settles the question. If a site visit is required, we can arrange one through a local licensed engineer.
Can I remove only part of a bearing wall?
Yes. A partial removal is designed the same way as a full one, just with a shorter beam acting as a header over the new opening. The remaining wall segments must still be checked, because they now carry the beam reactions at each end. A partial opening is often a good compromise when a full removal would need a very deep or costly beam.
Can the new beam be hidden in the ceiling?
Usually. A flush beam sits within the depth of the ceiling joists, which hang from it on hangers. It may need to be deeper, engineered lumber or steel, and the joists above must be accessible to install the hardware. We will tell you if a flush beam is practical for your span.
How much does it cost to engineer a wall removal?
It depends on the span, what the wall supports and whether new footings are needed. We review your photos and sketch and send a fixed-fee quote, usually the same day, so you know the engineering cost before you commit to the remodel.
What if the wall was already removed without a permit?
We can design the beam, posts and footings for the existing opening and provide stamped plans for a permit to legalize the work. If the structure has sagged, we include a repair approach. Photos of the current condition help us scope the work accurately.
Get your free load-bearing wall removal proposal
Tell us where the project is and what you need. Attach any drawings, photos or plan-check comments. A licensed engineer reviews every request.
- Upload your filesPlans, sketches, photos or comments
- Get a fixed-fee proposalUsually the same day
- Receive stamped drawingsSealed by a PE licensed in your state