Ballpark estimate for removing an interior wall?

4 years ago

My family and I are moving into a (new to us) house (2 levels). There is a wall that separates the family room from the kitchen and I am wondering about how much it would cost to remove it. The hardwood floors are continuous in the doorways so I am not sure what options we have for that where the wall would be removed. I have attached pictures of the wall and drew on the picture of what I am looking for. There are some light switches that would need to be moved and some outlets that could just be removed. How much do you think a job like this would cost?

Thank you,

Featured Answer

DavidR

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Obviously this isn't an answer to your question, so I apologize for going off on a tangent. But today's focus on open floor plans puzzles me. As someone else here recently pointed out in another thread, it's hard to comprehend why homeowners enjoy showing guests their meal-preparation chaos.. To me, removing walls is kind of like choosing to work in a cubicle when you could have a real office instead.

I suspect that it's at least partly because tear-down-this-wall is what's promoted on the home improvement television programs and websites.

This trend has been rolling along for quite a while now. I wonder how much longer it can last. When enough houses have open floor plans that the remodeling cash gusher slows to a stream and then to a trickle, the contractors and manufacturers will have to come up with some new trend, so they can keep homeowners draining their bank accounts and taking out home equity loans. It'll be interesting to see what that new trend is.

BTW, I saw the ultimate in open floor plans recently. This house had two floors and an attic, and no internal walls whatsoever! It was a totally original French townhouse from about the 16th century, never modernized, no plumbing, no electricity. Also, no indoor bathroom. :)

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Comments (11)

PRO
PPF.
4 years ago
Ask a local contractor.
Craig
Original Author
4 years ago
I emailed a few different contractors in my area. Just trying to see what people on here say the price should be.

Thanks,
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150-200K would be a good ballpark with medium low end finishes. Double it for high end finishes or expensive labor. You're talking about almost every expensive portion of the house that exists, plus all of the expensive mechanicals. You are in CA, which is one of the most expensive locations in which to do any remodeling because of the real estate costs and regulation. Drop back and make sure you really like this house. Because it sure seems like you don't if you want to change so much. And you need to asses your DIY abilities as that can help to stretch your budget. For an older home, the least expensive part of it is usually the purchase price. Even though this isn't that old of a house, it does seem to need a lot of care and feeding. You're going to have to be on board with that being your lifestyle for the next 5-10 years unless you have the budget to do everything up front before you move in.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
4 years ago
It depends on whether or not the wall is structural or not. I'm betting it is.
Craig
Original Author
4 years ago
lets say it is, how much does you think it would cost?
PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
4 years ago
Most likely this is a load-bearing wall, if it is, you have to calculate the span so the appropriate beam can be installed to carry the 2nd-floor load.

If there is a basement you have to make sure you have the proper supports to pick up point loads from the above, in some cases we had to cut the slab and install footings with Lolli columns.

If a contractor does structural modifications, most of them will know how to calculate the loads and choose an appropriate beam to cover that span and give you an approximate estimate and explain the scope of work... But in any case, you will need a permit and most likely a stamped architectural detail for the building department.

That said, I did about 4-5 jobs like this and I was able to reduce the beam size depth by a few inches on the few jobs because engineers overdesigned the beam a bit, so try to find a contractor who specializes in doing this work so he can calculate the load and compare his beam to the proposed one... a few inches can play a big role especially with an 8' ceiling height.
PRO
Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc.
4 years ago
Nobody can really tell you the cost, other than it will be thousands, not hundreds. In addition to removing your wall, the electrical and HVAC in it will need to be relocated and your floors will need to be patched and refinished (not just the part that is patched, ALL the floors). And there are a few more worms in this can...consider whether or not a kitchen remodel is in your future before you do this as it does not make sense to refinish the floors now if you think the kitchen layout will change in the near future since you may then need to refinish them again after.

In other words, the wall removal should be part of, not independent of, a larger remodel. So take your time and make sure you have a plan before you do it.
PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
4 years ago
What Kristin said, all that additional work also needs to be taken into account, not to mention, looking at that wall with 3 wall openings already in it, I doubt that what you gain from it by removing that wall will be worth the money you spend on it.
User
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
10-270K, depending on if you count the the roll down the hill domino consequences costs of “just” the wall removal in that figure or not. All of the electrical, plumbing, flooring, new kitchen remodel, etc, has to be accounted for, as well as supporting a whole second floor.
PRO
Charles Ross Homes
4 years ago
I'm not sure removing the wall makes your kitchen relate to the adjacent Family Room in a way that's worth the effort or cost. I'd suggest you explore a couple of alternative furniture layouts assuming the walls are removed to see what you'll gain before doing anything else.
Jeanne Cardwell
4 years ago
https://www.houzz.com/photos/bywood-street-residence-transitional-entry-minneapolis-phvw-vp~5125754
How about something like this?

Ballpark estimate for removing an interior wall?

DavidR

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PPF.

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Ballpark estimate for removing an interior wall?

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