Living Room Remodel in Bel Aire, KS

Project Overview

A Bel Aire homeowner came to TC Carpentry & Construction with a common problem in older homes in the area: a living room, kitchen, and dining area that were technically all in the same part of the house, but felt like three separate, closed-off rooms. A load-bearing dividing wall was cutting off natural light and making it hard for anyone in the kitchen to be part of what was happening in the living room.

This wasn't a cosmetic update. Opening up the space meant dealing with the roof structure above it, since the wall being removed was helping carry weight from the trusses overhead. We modified the existing roof trusses and installed a heavy-duty engineered LVL beam to safely transfer that load, which let us remove the wall entirely without compromising the roof. It's the kind of structural coordination work that separates a real renovation from a surface-level update.

The Client's Vision

The homeowners wanted to open up a cramped, segmented layout to maximize natural light, improve the flow between the kitchen and living area, and create a warmer, more connected space for family gatherings. They didn't want a room that just looked bigger on paper. They wanted a layout where people in the kitchen, dining room, and living room could actually see and talk to each other.

Scope of Work

• Demolished the load-bearing dividing wall to create an open-concept flow between the living room, kitchen, and dining spaces
• Structurally modified the existing roof trusses and installed a heavy-duty engineered beam to open up the floor space without sacrificing roof support
• Reframed the primary opening into the dining room with doubled 2x12 headers for reinforced doorway framing
• Rerouted main electrical wiring through the attic space to accommodate the new open layout
• Completed subfloor repairs using premium 3/4" AdvanTech tongue-and-groove subflooring for a flat, quiet, moisture-resistant base
• Installed and finished new drywall throughout, taped and smoothed to a paint-ready finish as part of the finish carpentry phase of the project

The Challenge

Removing the central dividing wall meant more than knocking down drywall. The wall was tied into the load path of the roof trusses above it, and it also had electrical routed through it. Getting this right meant rerouting that wiring through the attic space and making precise truss adjustments so the new LVL beam could pick up the load cleanly, all without disturbing the ceilings in the surrounding rooms. That combination of structural and electrical work in a tight attic space was the most technically demanding part of the project.

How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Wall and Open Up a Floor Plan?

Removing a non-load-bearing wall typically costs $500 to $2,500, while removing a load-bearing or structurally tied wall with a new beam typically costs $3,000 to $10,000. This project came in at $5,000 to $8,000.

Wall removal and open-concept conversion projects vary widely in cost depending on whether the wall is load-bearing, how long the opening is, and how much electrical or plumbing has to move. Based on 2026 national industry data, here's a general sense of where these projects tend to land:

These are general national industry ranges, not a quote for any specific project. This particular project came in at $5,000–$8,000 over 3 days, which reflects its own wall length, single-story structure, and scope, not a fixed price for every wall removal. Your actual cost depends on whether the wall is load-bearing, how much electrical or plumbing needs to move, and the size of beam required. We'll give you a real, itemized number during your consultation. For more detail, see our guide to removing a wall.