📍 Plano TX | Houston | Austin
📞 214.624.5200 (DFW)
📞 713.322.3908 (Houston)
📞 512.641.9555 (Austin)
✉ info@loadbearingwall.com
Steel W-flange. Engineered LVL. Flush or dropped. Every beam sized, stamped, permitted, and installed by the team that's done it longer than anyone in Texas.
When you remove a load-bearing wall, something structural has to take its place. That something is a beam — and the type, size, and installation method matter enormously for both structural safety and the finished look of your home.
Load Bearing Wall Pros installs all major beam types in Texas homes. Our in-house PE, Mateo Galvez, sizes every beam from first principles using your home's actual load conditions — not rules of thumb, not guesses, not span tables applied without engineering judgment.
The strongest option per inch of depth. Ideal for long spans (14–30+ feet), two-story loads, and situations where minimizing beam depth is critical.
Common sizes LBWP installs:
Laminated Veneer Lumber — engineered wood with consistent strength, no knots, and a clean appearance. Great for spans up to 20 feet where a wood finish is desired.
Common configurations:
Glue-laminated timber (Glulam) and Parallel Strand Lumber (PSL) offer excellent span capacity and an aesthetically pleasing exposed wood appearance for vaulted ceilings and timber-frame looks.
Best for:
Most wall removal companies either skip engineering entirely (dangerous and illegal) or refer you to a third-party structural engineer — which means weeks of delays, separate invoices, and coordination headaches between the engineer and the contractor.
LBWP is different. Mateo Galvez, our licensed Professional Engineer, is part of our team. He performs the structural analysis, sizes the beam, and stamps the drawings — all as part of your project, not as a separate engagement.
We trace every load from the roof to the foundation — point loads, distributed loads, tributary areas — to ensure the beam handles everything the removed wall was carrying, plus a safety factor.
Span, tributary width, dead load, live load, snow load (rare in Texas), and deflection limits all factor in. We calculate for strength and for stiffness — a beam that's strong but bouncy fails the test.
The beam ends have to land somewhere — and that somewhere has to handle the concentrated load. We engineer the beam pocket, king stud assembly, and post (if needed) to transfer load safely to the foundation.
Every project includes PE-stamped structural drawings that go to the city with your permit application. No city in Texas will approve a structural modification without them.
Before any wall comes down, we install temporary shoring — walls or posts that carry the load during the transition. This is non-negotiable structural safety, not optional.
We carefully demolish the wall, protecting floors and adjacent areas. Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC within the wall are rerouted per code before the beam goes in.
The end walls receive engineered beam pockets — recesses sized to accept the beam ends with correct bearing length per the PE calculations. King studs and trimmers are installed.
For lighter LVL beams, our crew lifts and sets by hand. For heavy steel W-flange beams, we use a beam hoist to safely position the beam without damage to floors or walls. The beam is set level and connections made per the structural drawings.
Long-span beams may require intermediate posts. Posts transfer beam reactions to the floor and ultimately to the foundation — slab or pier-and-beam. We engineer these connections to match your foundation type.
We schedule and pass the city structural inspection before any drywall or finishes go in. Once the city signs off, the permit is closed and you have a properly engineered, PE-stamped structural modification on record with the city — an asset for resale.
Pricing varies by span, beam type, ceiling height, foundation type, and local permit fees. These ranges reflect actual LBWP project data across Texas.
| Scenario | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Single-story, LVL beam, 8–12 ft span, slab | $4,500 – $7,500 |
| Single-story, steel W-beam, 12–16 ft span | $6,500 – $10,000 |
| Two-story, steel W-beam, full load | $8,000 – $14,000 |
| Pier-and-beam foundation (added complexity) | +$500 – $2,000 |
| High-ceiling home (10–11 ft ceilings) | +$300 – $800 |
All pricing includes PE engineering, engineering documentation, structural work, and cleanup. Drywall finishing, paint, and flooring are separate. Check out ballpark pricing.
Steel W-flange beams can span longer distances with shallower depth than wood alternatives. LVL beams are engineered wood products — great for spans under 14 feet where wood finishes are desired. LBWP's PE selects the right beam type based on your home's actual structural requirements, not preference.
Beam sizing is a full engineering calculation: span, tributary load area, floor and roof dead loads, live loads, and deflection limits. Mateo Galvez, our in-house PE, performs these calculations and stamps the plans. Never accept a beam size from someone who hasn't done the math.
Most residential beam installations take one to two days for the structural work. Permit acquisition adds two to four weeks before work begins. Total timeline from first call to finished open space: three to six weeks, primarily driven by the permit review queue.
Yes. Virtually every Texas municipality requires a structural permit for load-bearing beam installation. LBWP handles the entire permit process — PE-stamped drawings, application, review — the permit process is the homeowner's responsibility.
Typically $4,500–$14,000 depending on span, beam type, story count, foundation type, and permit fees. LBWP offers ballpark pricing and free on-site consultations.
Both options are possible and depend on ceiling height, beam depth, and your preference. A "flush beam" or "dropped beam" can be framed into the ceiling plane. An exposed beam — especially a beautiful glulam — can become a design feature. We discuss both options during your free estimate.
LBWP serves 45 cities across Texas from three regional offices. Select your city for local pricing, engineering details, and neighborhood-specific details.
PE-engineered. PE-engineered. Lifetime structural warranty. Same-day ballpark estimate.
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