Kitchen Structural Work in Bloomington, Hennepin County

Kitchen Structural Work in Bloomington homes

Bloomington was incorporated in 1858 and expanded rapidly in the postwar decades, so neighborhoods such as Heritage Hills and Normandale Hills are dominated by homes from the 1950s through the 1970s. Kitchens of that vintage commonly have the original layout, limited electrical capacity and dated finishes.^[1]

Structural work comes up when a kitchen remodel changes the building’s framing — most often removing a load-bearing wall to open the kitchen to a dining or living area, but also correcting sagging floor joists or a deteriorated sill plate found during demolition.

Garrett Kitchen Remodeling has carried out this work across Bloomington neighborhoods including Heritage Hills, Normandale Hills, Bush Lake, Hyland Park and South Loop. It is often done alongside kitchen design and kitchen cabinetry as part of a larger kitchen update.

What the work includes

The work begins with an assessment of the framing from the basement or crawlspace to identify which walls carry load, how the joists span, and the condition of the members involved. For a wall removal or a new opening, the beam that will carry the transferred load — engineered LVL, glulam or a steel section — is sized by a licensed structural engineer, and the size, the posts and the bearing points are documented for the permit. Before the wall comes down, temporary shoring walls are built on each side to carry the load above while the work proceeds. The crew then removes the wall, sets the beam and its posts onto solid bearing that runs down to the foundation, and frames the finished opening. Where the job is joist repair rather than a wall removal, damaged joists are sistered or reinforced per the approved plan. The framing is then inspected and signed off before the kitchen is closed back up. This is the work that must be right before any cabinet or counter goes in, because everything above depends on it.

The full scope, materials and process are described on the kitchen structural work service page, which applies to every city Garrett Kitchen Remodeling serves; this page focuses on how the work applies to Bloomington.

Permits and inspection in Bloomington

Kitchen work in Bloomington is permitted and inspected by the City of Bloomington building department under the Minnesota State Building Code^[3]. Because kitchen structural work changes the building's framing, it requires a permit and one or more inspections. Garrett Kitchen Remodeling pulls the required permits, schedules each inspection, and carries Minnesota contractor license #BC785223 and general liability insurance.

Cost factors

The price of kitchen structural work in Bloomington depends mainly on the following, and a written quote itemizes each one rather than using a single allowance:

• The span of the opening and the size of beam it requires
• Beam material — engineered lumber versus steel
• Whether new bearing and footings are needed down to the foundation
• Engineering and permit requirements for the structural change

Common questions

Do I need an engineer to remove a wall in Bloomington?

For a load-bearing wall, yes. A licensed structural engineer sizes the beam and bearing, and those stamped details are submitted with the Bloomington permit application.

How is the ceiling held up while the wall is removed?

Temporary shoring walls are built on each side of the wall to carry the load above while the permanent beam and posts are installed.

See also

• Other kitchen services in Bloomington: Kitchen Design, Kitchen Cabinetry, Kitchen Countertops, Full Kitchen Remodel, Kitchen Flooring
• Kitchen Structural Work (all service areas) and the Bloomington kitchen remodeling hub

References

1. Bloomington, Minnesota — Wikipedia
2. Load-bearing wall — Wikipedia
3. Minnesota State Building Code — Department of Labor and Industry