Load bearing wall removal in Duncanville

Duncanville is full of sturdy ranch homes with layouts from another era: a closed kitchen, a separate den and a formal living room that rarely gets used. Opening one load bearing wall can change how the whole house works.

We remove that wall with a beam designed by a licensed engineer, a city permit and a crew that specializes in this one job.

Homes from Duncanville’s growth years

Duncanville grew fastest from the 1950s through the 1970s, with the biggest jump in the 1960s, and much of its housing comes from those decades. Mid-century ranch homes on generous yards are a common sight, along with some Tudor-inspired and contemporary houses.

These homes were built solidly, but their floor plans divide the main living area into small, separate rooms.

Galley kitchens and closed dens

Many houses from this period have a narrow galley kitchen between a den at the back and a dining room at the front. The kitchen gets little light, and whoever is cooking is cut off from everyone else.

Removing the wall between the kitchen and the den is the most common request in homes like these. It usually supports the ceiling joists and sometimes the roof, so it needs a properly sized beam and posts.

The formal living room nobody uses

Many ranch homes from this era have a formal living room at the front that sees guests a few times a year, while the family squeezes into the den at the back. Removing the wall between the living room and the kitchen or dining area turns that unused space into part of daily life.

Sometimes a partial opening with short wing walls on each side gives the best balance of openness and furniture space. We sketch the options with you before the engineer designs the beam.

Low ceilings and beam choices

Ranch homes from the 1960s and 1970s usually have flat ceilings at standard height. A dropped beam that hangs below a low ceiling can feel heavy, so many owners prefer a flush beam set into the ceiling line.

A flush beam needs room in the attic to connect the joists. We check the attic during the estimate and tell you which option fits your house before the engineer finalizes the design.

Paneling, soffits and older finishes

Wood paneling, kitchen soffits and textured ceilings are common in homes from these decades. Removing a wall often means deciding what to do with them at the same time.

We patch the drywall and ceiling where the wall stood. If paneling or an old ceiling texture can’t be matched, we explain the options before work starts, so there are no surprises on the finish.

Wiring from the 1960s and 1970s

Homes built in the late 1960s and early 1970s sometimes have aluminum branch wiring, and older houses may have circuits that have been extended many times. When the wall is opened, we identify every wire inside it.

Any electrical rerouting is planned before the work day and listed in your written price, not added later.

Candlelight Estates and early 1970s streets

Candlelight Estates was built in the early 1970s, and houses of that age across Duncanville share similar features: one-story layouts, attached garages and a family room separated from the kitchen.

In these homes, the wall between the kitchen and the family room is often the only thing keeping the house from feeling open.

Larger homes around Green Hills

Green Hills and nearby streets include larger homes than the typical Duncanville ranch. More square footage usually means longer walls and bigger openings, and sometimes a second story or a vaulted family room.

Longer spans may need deeper engineered beams or steel, and the engineer checks every load above the wall before the design is final.

Slab or pier-and-beam

Dallas-area homes moved from pier-and-beam foundations to concrete slabs around the time Duncanville was growing, so a house here could have either. We check during the estimate.

On a slab, the engineer confirms the concrete under each new post can carry the load and adds a footing where needed. On pier-and-beam, we add support under the floor so the posts bear on solid ground.

Permits in Duncanville

Duncanville’s Permit and Inspection Services lists remodeling that adds or replaces walls among the work that needs a permit, and structural changes like removing a load bearing wall need one too. We file it with the engineer’s plan, schedule the inspection and close it out.

Converted garages and old exterior walls

In some older homes, a previous owner converted the garage into a room or added a den at the back. The old exterior wall often stays in place between the original house and the new space, still carrying the roof.

Opening that wall can finally connect the space to the rest of the house. The engineer checks how the roof framing meets before sizing the beam.

Back patios and porch posts

Covered back patios with wood or steel posts are common on ranch homes with big yards. A post in the wrong place blocks the view and the furniture layout. Replacing two posts with one longer beam opens the patio while keeping the roof supported.

Updating to stay or to sell

Whether you’re staying for years or preparing to sell, an open kitchen and living area is one of the changes buyers and families notice most in an older home. A wall removed with an engineer’s plan, a closed permit and a transferable 12-year warranty is easy to explain at closing. Buyers’ inspectors look for permits on structural changes, and having the engineer’s plan and the closed permit on hand answers their questions before they’re asked.

What it costs in Duncanville

Every quote covers engineering, the permit, shoring, the beam and posts, and the drywall, ceiling and floor patch. Longer spans, foundation support under the posts, electrical updates and rerouted plumbing or gas lines add to the scope. You get a written price before any work starts.

How long it takes

Most walls come out in one day of work. Engineering and the city permit come first and set the overall timeline. We protect your floors, contain the dust and clean up every day.

Questions Duncanville homeowners ask us

Is the wall between my kitchen and den load bearing? In most ranch homes it is, because it supports the ceiling joists. Text us photos of the wall and the attic above it and we’ll tell you what we see.

Can I stay in the house? Yes. Most families do. We close off the work area and keep a clear path through the house.

What if there’s old wiring in the wall? We find it before we quote, and any changes are listed in your written price.

Book your estimate in Duncanville

Call or text (469) 436-5680 with photos of the wall and the attic above it, or book a free on-site estimate. We serve all of Duncanville, from Candlelight Estates to Green Hills and the streets near Armstrong Park, plus Cedar Hill, DeSoto and Grand Prairie.