How Long Does Load Bearing Wall Removal Take?

Initial Call & Ballpark Estimate

Your first contact with us is a phone call or web inquiry. We'll ask about your home, the wall you're looking at, and the scope of what you're hoping to achieve. Based on your description, we'll give you a same-day ballpark price range — not a final quote, but a realistic range to help you budget. We schedule your free on-site visit from here.

Free On-Site Assessment

Our in-house Licensed Professional Engineer (or a field rep working directly with our PE) visits your home to conduct a structural assessment. We trace the load path from the roof or upper floors through the wall you want to remove, evaluating the foundation below and the framing above. This is where we confirm whether the wall is load bearing, what the replacement beam needs to accomplish, and what complicating factors (utilities, multi-story load, post-tension slab, etc.) exist. We also provide your firm project quote at this visit.

Engineering & PE-Stamped Drawings

After the on-site assessment, our in-house PE designs the replacement beam, specifies post sizes and connection details, and produces PE-stamped structural drawings. This typically takes 3–7 business days from the site visit. Because our PE is in-house — not a third-party firm we're waiting on — this phase moves faster than it does with contractors who outsource their engineering. Our drawings are designed specifically to meet your city's building department requirements and include all the structural detail needed for permit approval.

Permit Application & City Review

Once you receive the PE-stamped drawings, you (or a general contractor) submit the permit application to your city's building department. The permit fee is paid at this stage as well. City plan review times vary significantly across Texas municipalities:

• Dallas: typically 3–5 business days (One Stop Shop program)
• Fort Worth: typically 5–10 business days
• Houston: typically 5–15 business days
• Austin: typically 5–15 business days (online permitting)
• San Antonio: typically 5–10 business days
• Plano, Frisco, McKinney: typically 5–10 business days

This is the largest time variable in the process. If your city has a backlog, review can take longer. Some cities offer expedited review for an additional fee. Note: LBWP does not pull permits — the permit is the homeowner's responsibility under Texas state law.

Scheduling the Job

Once your permit is issued, we schedule your project. Lead time depends on our current project queue — typically 1–2 weeks in normal conditions, occasionally less if there's availability. We'll confirm your project date, give you pre-construction prep instructions (clearing the area, protecting adjacent furniture, etc.), and confirm any utility concerns that need to be addressed before we arrive.

The Actual Wall Removal & Beam Installation

This is where the transformation happens. Our crew arrives, sets up containment and dust control systems, installs temporary shoring walls on both sides of the load bearing wall, removes the wall framing, installs the engineered beam (steel wide-flange or LVL depending on the spec), sets the posts and bearing plates, and removes the temporary shoring. For a standard 10–14 foot opening in a single-story home, this is typically a full day's work. Two-story projects, larger openings, or utility rerouting may extend this to two or three days.

City Inspection

After the beam is installed, a city building inspector visits the job site to verify the work matches the approved PE-stamped drawings. Inspection is typically scheduled 1–3 business days out. The inspection itself takes 30–60 minutes. After passing, the permit is formally closed — giving you full documentation that the structural modification was done correctly, code-compliantly, and with proper engineering oversight.

Finish Work (Not LBWP's Scope)

After the structural work is done and inspected, what remains is finish work: drywall patching, texture matching, painting, flooring repairs, trim installation. This is not part of Load Bearing Wall Pros' scope — we're structural specialists. You'll coordinate finish trades separately. Timeline for finish work depends on what you're doing, who you're hiring, and how quickly you want to move.