Kitchen wall removal in Redwood City, CA
Kitchen wall removal in Redwood City: Kitchen Remodel Redwood City matches you with licensed remodelers in Redwood City who do this work. Taking out a wall to open up the kitchen is a frequent request in homes built when kitchens were closed off. Two things decide the scope: whether the wall carries load from above, and what runs inside it. Tell us about your project and up to 3 licensed remodelers who work in Redwood City will contact you with free, written estimates. Below are 4 things to know before you start, how permits work in Redwood City, and the questions homeowners ask most.
Bearing wall or partition
A partition only divides space and can usually come out with patching. A bearing wall holds up ceiling joists, a floor or a roof, so its load has to move to a new beam, with posts carrying it down to the foundation.
Utilities inside the wall
Switches, outlets, a heating duct, a plumbing vent or a gas line often run through the wall. Each has to be rerouted, and a vent pipe is often the hardest to relocate.
Permits and engineering
Removing a wall is permitted work in Redwood City. When the wall is load-bearing, expect an engineered beam design and structural calculations to go in with the plans.
Structural terms
Header: a short beam over a door or window opening. Glulam and LVL: engineered wood beams used for long spans. Flush beam: a beam set up into the ceiling so it does not hang below. Shoring: temporary supports that hold the load while the wall comes out. Footing: the concrete pad under a post that spreads its load into the soil.
Permits in Redwood City
- Redwood City requires a building permit for any work that section 105.2 of the California Building Code does not exempt; the City's FAQ names painting, flooring and similar finish work as typical exempt residential items.
- Applications are filed online through the City's eTRAKiT portal. Residential interior remodels can qualify for One-Stop plan review, in which Building Division staff review the plans with the applicant at City Hall.
- The City says plan review takes 6 to 24 weeks depending on scope. A permit is valid for 365 days from issuance, and each passed inspection extends it another 365 days.
City of Redwood City Building Division · (650) 780-7350, permits@redwoodcity.org
Common questions
Can a load-bearing wall come out completely?
Usually, with an engineered beam and posts. Sometimes a short wall section or a post has to stay, and the engineer decides that.
Does opening the wall affect heating?
It can. Ducts or registers in the wall may need to move, and a larger open space can change how the rooms heat.
More kitchen services
- Kitchen remodeling in Redwood City
- Kitchen cabinet refacing
- Kitchen countertops
- Kitchen layout redesign
- Kitchen island
- Galley kitchen remodel
- Small kitchen remodel
- Condo kitchen remodel
- Kitchen backsplash
- Custom kitchen cabinets
- Kitchen cabinet painting
- Gas to induction conversion
- Kitchen flooring
- Kitchen lighting
- Aging-in-place kitchen
- Kitchen bump-out and addition
Talk to a licensed kitchen remodeler about your project in Redwood City
- Free estimates, no obligation
- Licensed California remodelers
- You sign with the remodeler directly