Open Concept Kitchen Conversion Fort Lauderdale FL

Open Concept Kitchen Conversions
in Fort Lauderdale

Most Broward County homes built before 2000 were designed with enclosed kitchens separated from the living and dining areas by walls. Converting these closed kitchens to an open concept layout requires removing those walls — and when those walls are load-bearing, installing a structural beam to carry the load that the wall previously supported.

Vision Kitchen is a licensed Florida general contractor with in-house structural capability. We assess every wall before recommending removal, coordinate with a licensed structural engineer when required, pull all Broward County building permits, and manage every trade from demo through drywall, flooring, paint, and final kitchen installation. You get one contractor handling the entire scope — not a GC plus a separate kitchen company.

Opening the kitchen also creates opportunities to add a kitchen island in the newly freed space, extend your cabinet run along a new wall, and improve natural light flow throughout the main living area. We design the full post-conversion layout before any demo begins.

What's Involved in a Load-Bearing
Wall Removal

A load-bearing wall carries the weight of the structure above it — floor joists, roof framing, or another story. Removing one requires installing an LVL (laminated veneer lumber) or steel beam to carry that load to the nearest point-load supports. The beam size is determined by a licensed structural engineer and submitted for county approval.

In most Fort Lauderdale and Broward County ranch-style homes, the beam required is a 4x10 to 6x12 LVL beam spanning the wall opening. In two-story homes or homes with significant load above, a steel I-beam may be required. Vision Kitchen has installed both in dozens of Broward County open concept conversions.

• Structural engineer wall assessment & beam sizing
• Broward County building permit (structural)
• Temporary shoring during beam installation
• LVL or steel beam set with proper point-load support
• Electrical rerouting (circuits, outlets, switches)
• HVAC duct rerouting if needed
• Plumbing reroute if supply or drain lines run through wall
• Drywall, texture, paint, and flooring to match existing

Why Fort Lauderdale Homeowners
Choose Vision Kitchen

Open concept conversions fail when the GC and kitchen contractor don't coordinate. Vision Kitchen handles both scopes under one contract — structural work and kitchen renovation — so timelines stay tight and nothing falls between the cracks.

• Licensed Florida general contractor — can legally pull structural permits
• In-house structural assessment — no separate engineer visit to get started
• One contract, one point of contact — structural + kitchen, no middlemen
• Fixed-price contracts — your quote is your final price, no change orders
• All Broward County permits handled — we manage the county, you don't have to
• 5-year workmanship warranty on all work performed
• 0% financing available — 12 and 24-month interest-free plans