Load bearing wall removal in Hamilton typically runs $8,000 to $25,000, depending on the span, beam type, and how many posts the opening needs. That range is wide on paper - but it narrows fast once a project manager actually walks your house and looks at the wall in question. Here's exactly what the free assessment covers, and why it's worth booking before you compare quotes anywhere else, especially if you're not even certain yet whether the wall you're eyeing is actually load bearing. If you want the fuller picture first, our load bearing wall removal service page and open-concept renovation guide both cover the engineering and permit process this estimate is based on.
What the Free Assessment Actually Covers
A project manager comes to your home, inspects the wall you want removed along with the framing above and below it, and confirms whether it's actually load bearing - not by guessing, but by checking joist direction, looking for posts or beams in the basement, and reviewing any original drawings if they're available. That visit tells us the realistic span, the load involved, and which beam type fits your ceiling depth, along with a quick look at whether the existing foundation footings can carry the new post loads or need reinforcement. A written fixed-price proposal follows within 48 hours, at no charge and no obligation, and you're free to take it and compare it against any other quote you're considering.
Fixed-price means fixed. No ranges in your final contract, and nothing new on the invoice once it's signed - only pre-approved change orders if something unexpected turns up once the wall is actually opened.
What Actually Moves the Price
Span & Beam Type
A short 12-foot opening with an LVL beam costs far less than a 20-foot-plus span needing a steel I-beam and multiple posts - span length is the single biggest driver of price.
Foundation Reinforcement
If posts land somewhere the existing footings can't support the new load, foundation reinforcement adds roughly $3,000 to $8,000 - priced only once the assessment confirms it's actually needed.
From Approved Estimate to Finished Opening
Once you approve the proposal, our structural engineer of record produces stamped drawings and we file the complete City of Hamilton permit package on your behalf - that stage typically runs 2 to 6 weeks. Every city comment gets tracked and answered by us, not you. Once the permit is issued, temporary support goes in, the wall comes out, the beam and posts go in, and a City framing inspection confirms everything before any drywall closes the opening back up. Physical work usually wraps up in 2 to 5 days once that permit clears.
Why Book the Assessment Before You Compare Quotes
Mistakes This Assessment Catches Before They Happen
Homeowners occasionally come to us after getting a rough estimate from a contractor who never actually confirmed the wall was load bearing, or who quoted an LVL beam before checking whether the ceiling depth could accommodate it. Both of those are exactly what the free assessment is built to catch. We'd rather tell you upfront that your project needs a steel beam and a 20-foot span at $22,000, than have you plan a kitchen renovation around an $8,000 number that turns out to be wrong once the wall actually opens up.
The same applies to permit timelines. A quote that doesn't mention the City of Hamilton's 2 to 6 week permit window can look faster and cheaper on paper than a fixed-price BaseWorks proposal that includes it - until that homeowner discovers the missing weeks the hard way, mid-renovation, with a kitchen already torn apart and no legal path to close the wall back up. The free assessment sets realistic expectations on both price and timeline from day one, which is worth more than a lowball number that doesn't survive contact with the permit office. Our Flamborough case study shows how that timeline played out on a real project, permit approval included.
How This Differs From a General Renovation Quote
A general contractor quoting a kitchen renovation will often fold wall removal into a single line item without separating out the structural scope - engineering, permit, beam, and post installation - from the finish work that comes after it. That makes it hard to know what you're actually paying for the structural piece specifically, and harder still to confirm it was engineered and permitted at all. BaseWorks treats the structural scope as its own fixed-price contract, separate from any finish trades, specifically so homeowners can see exactly what's covered: engineering, permits, demolition, beam installation, post installation, and structural drywall closure, with nothing folded in or left ambiguous.
What If the Wall Isn't Actually Load Bearing?
It happens more often than you'd think - a wall that looks structural turns out to be a simple partition once the framing is inspected. If that's the case for your wall, we'll tell you directly during the assessment. Removing a non-load-bearing wall is a far simpler job with no engineering, no permit, and no beam involved, and we'll quote that scope honestly rather than treating every wall removal as a structural project by default. Either way, you walk away from the free assessment knowing exactly what you're dealing with before spending a single dollar on design, cabinetry, or demolition planning.
A Real Example of How Pricing Breaks Down
To make the range concrete: a typical Hamilton kitchen-to-dining-room opening in the 12 to 16 foot range, using an LVL beam with one post at each end and no foundation reinforcement needed, usually lands between $10,000 and $16,000 once engineering and permits are included. Push that same opening past 20 feet, or add a second floor's worth of load bearing down through it, and a steel beam with additional posts moves the number into the $20,000 to $30,000 range. The free assessment is what tells you which scenario actually applies to your house - guessing from a general price range online almost always lands somewhere the wrong side of what the real project costs.
Foundation condition is the variable that surprises homeowners most often. Two houses on the same Hamilton street, with nearly identical wall openings, can land $5,000 to $8,000 apart in price purely because one has footings adequate to carry the new post loads as-is, and the other needs reinforcement poured in first. There's no way to know which situation applies to your house without someone actually looking at the foundation on-site - which is exactly why the assessment exists before any number gets written down, rather than after a contract is already signed.
Questions Homeowners Ask Before Booking
Ready when you are: call (647) 692-2131 or request your free assessment online - most homeowners hear back within one business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. A project manager inspects the wall and surrounding framing, confirms load bearing status, and provides a written fixed-price proposal - at no cost and no obligation to book.
Span length, beam type (LVL versus steel), number of posts required, and whether the foundation needs reinforcement for new footings are the main variables. The free assessment identifies exactly which factors apply to your house.
After you approve the fixed-price proposal, our structural engineer produces stamped drawings and we file the City of Hamilton permit package - that stage typically takes 2 to 6 weeks. Physical work follows once the permit is issued.
No. Confirming load bearing status is part of what the assessment covers. Many homeowners call us specifically because they're unsure, and figuring that out safely is the first thing we do on-site.