Load-Bearing Wall Removal Engineering in South Florida
Want to open up your floor plan, combine rooms, or create that seamless kitchen-to-living space? If a load-bearing wall is in the way, you need a licensed structural engineer before anyone picks up a sledgehammer. Hoyos Engineering designs the structural solution — properly sized headers, beams, columns, and connections — and delivers sealed, permit-ready drawings so your contractor can build with confidence and your permit gets approved the first time.
Who This Is For
Homeowners opening up floor plans, combining kitchen and living spaces, or removing walls for renovation projects
General contractors who need a structural engineer to design the beam and produce sealed drawings for permitting
Architects and designers coordinating open-concept residential designs that require load-bearing wall removal
Property investors renovating homes for resale and want permitted, code-compliant structural modifications
Insurance restoration contractors replacing load-bearing elements damaged by fire, water, or impact
If your wall is not load-bearing, you likely do not need structural engineering. Not sure? A quick call to our team will clarify.
Why You Cannot Just Remove a Wall
Not every wall in your home is cosmetic. Load-bearing walls carry the weight of the roof, upper floors, and everything in between down to the foundation. Remove one without proper engineering and you risk:
Structural failure — sagging ceilings, cracked drywall, and compromised roof framing that worsens over time
Failed inspections — Florida building departments require sealed engineering drawings for any load-bearing modification. No drawings, no permit. No permit, no passing inspection.
Safety hazards — an improperly supported structure can collapse during construction or years later under wind load during a hurricane
Insurance and resale problems — unpermitted structural work is a red flag during home sales, insurance claims, and 4-point inspections
The cost of doing it right is a fraction of the cost of fixing it after it has been done wrong.
request a consult
call us now
Our Load-Bearing Wall Removal Process
Step 1: Project Review
Send us your plans, photos, or a quick description of the wall you want removed. If you have a survey, architectural drawings, or contractor sketches, share those too. We review the scope and confirm whether structural engineering is needed.
Step 2: Existing Conditions Evaluation
We evaluate your home's current structural system — framing type, foundation, roof structure, load paths, and span distances. This tells us exactly what the wall is carrying and what the new support system needs to handle.
Step 3: Beam and Header Design
This is the core of the work. We size the replacement beam (steel, LVL, or glulam depending on span and load), design the column supports and their connections, verify the foundation can handle the concentrated point loads, and specify all connection hardware. Everything is designed to current Florida Building Code — including High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) requirements where applicable.
Step 4: Sealed Permit-Ready Drawings
You receive sealed structural engineering drawings that include beam sizing, column locations, connection details, and load calculations — everything the building department needs to approve your permit. If the reviewer has questions or requests revisions, we handle the response directly.
Step 5: Contractor Coordination
We stay available during construction to answer your contractor's field questions — beam placement, temporary shoring, connection sequencing, or anything else that comes up during installation.
What Your Engineering Package Includes
Sealed structural engineering drawings by a licensed Florida PE
Load analysis and beam sizing calculations
Steel, LVL, or glulam beam specification based on your project's requirements
Column design with connection details and base plate sizing
Foundation verification for new point loads (existing footing adequacy check)
Temporary shoring notes for safe construction sequencing
Wind load and lateral design compliance (including HVHZ where applicable)
Permit coordination and building department response
Direct communication with your contractor throughout construction
Ready to open up your floor plan?
Schedule Your Consultation
Stop wondering whether that wall can come down. Contact Hoyos Engineering today and get a clear answer, a solid engineering design, and permit-ready drawings — so your renovation moves forward without structural guesswork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions Answered by our experts
Answers to the Most Common Questions For Property Owners, Contractors, and Condo Boards
Do I need a permit to remove a load-bearing wall in Florida?
Yes. Any modification to a load-bearing element requires a building permit, and that permit requires sealed structural engineering drawings by a licensed PE. Removing a load-bearing wall without a permit is a code violation and can create serious problems during resale, insurance claims, and future inspections.
How much does it cost to engineer a load-bearing wall removal?
Costs depend on the span, number of walls being removed, floor levels affected, and complexity of the support system. A single-wall removal on a single-story home is priced differently than a multi-wall open-concept conversion below a second floor. We provide a clear proposal after reviewing your project.
How long does it take to get my drawings?
Most load-bearing wall removal engineering packages are completed within one to two weeks from the time we have all necessary project information. Rush turnaround is available for time-sensitive projects.
What type of beam will you specify?
That depends on the span, load, and your design preferences. Options include steel W-flange beams (strongest for long spans), laminated veneer lumber (LVL), and glulam beams. We specify the most efficient and cost-effective solution for your project. If you want the beam concealed within the ceiling, we design for that.
Can I remove a load-bearing wall myself?
The physical demolition and framing work must be performed by a licensed contractor. The structural engineering — beam design, calculations, sealed drawings — must be performed by a licensed PE. This is not a DIY project. Improper wall removal can cause roof sag, floor deflection, and in extreme cases, partial collapse.
Hoyos Engineering
Free initial consultation. No obligation. We typically respond within 24 hours.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (754) 354-8475
Address: 12068 NW 83rd Pl, Parkland, FL 33076
Business hours
monday: 8am - 5pm
tuesday: 8am - 5pm
wednesday: 8am - 5pm
thursday: 8am - 5pm
friday: 8am - 5pm
Copyright 2026. Hoyos Engineering. All rights reserved.
