Expert Structural Remodeling Contractor Near You
Structural remodeling is the work behind the finishes: removing bearing walls, adding beams, reframing roofs and correcting what earlier owners did wrong. H&A My Design is a licensed design-build general contractor with over 20 years of family-run experience. Serving Southern California and the surrounding areas.
Licensed & bonded California general contractor — CSLB #999603. Engineered, permitted and inspected.
What Counts As Structural Remodeling
Structural work is anything that changes how loads travel from the roof to the ground. It is the part of a remodel that cannot be improvised on site, and the part that keeps a house safe for the next fifty years.
The Common Triggers
Most homeowners do not set out to do structural work. They want a bigger opening, a taller ceiling or a different roofline, and the structure is what stands in the way.
- Removing or shortening a load-bearing wall
- Installing beams, posts and new footings
- Raising ceilings or opening up to the rafters
- Reframing a roof or changing its pitch
- Enlarging window and door openings
- Adding a floor above an existing house
Why It Needs An Engineer
Once a wall carries load, replacing it is a calculation, not a guess. A structural engineer sizes the beam, specifies the connections and confirms the path down to the foundation.
Load Path
A beam is only as good as the posts and footings under it. Missing that chain is the most common defect we find in unpermitted work.
Lateral Bracing
Walls also resist earthquakes. Removing them without replacing that bracing quietly weakens the whole house.
Structural Remodeling Services
Engineering, permits and construction handled by one licensed team.
Bearing Wall Removal
Walls opened up with engineered beams, posts and footings sized for the load.
Ceiling Raises
Flat ceilings opened to vaulted or raised heights where the roof structure allows.
Roof Reframing
New rooflines, dormers and pitch changes framed and tied into the existing house.
Second Storey Support
Foundations and framing strengthened to carry an added floor above.
Repairs & Corrections
Rot, termite damage, sagging floors and previous unpermitted work put right.
Permit Legalisation
Existing unpermitted structural changes engineered, filed and inspected.
How A Structural Project Runs
Six stages, with engineering and inspections built into the schedule.
Survey
We open up where needed to see how the house is actually framed, not how the plans say.
Engineering
A structural engineer produces calculations and details for the change.
Permit
Plans and calculations submitted to the building department and corrections answered.
Shoring
Temporary support installed so the house is carried safely before anything is removed.
Structural Work
Beams, posts, footings and framing installed to the approved details.
Inspection & Close
Framing inspection signed off, then finishes go back over the new structure.
What Safe Structural Work Requires
These are the items we will not compromise on, regardless of budget pressure.
Stamped engineering
Calculations by a licensed structural engineer before anything load-bearing is touched.
A permit and inspections
Structural work is inspected work. Unpermitted changes surface at resale and at claim time.
Temporary shoring
The house is supported before the wall comes out, not after cracks appear.
A complete load path
Beam, posts, and footing sized together so load reaches the ground properly.
Honest reporting
If we open a wall and find rot or damage, you see photos and a written option list.
Opening Up A House Safely
Most structural remodeling in Southern California exists to serve one goal: fewer walls, more light, better flow. Getting there is a sequence, not a single day of demolition.
Finding The Bearing Walls
Bearing walls usually run perpendicular to joists and sit above a beam or footing. We confirm by inspection rather than assumption, because remodelled houses rarely match their original drawings.
Choosing The Beam
Flush beams hide inside the ceiling for a clean line; dropped beams are cheaper and faster. The engineer sizes both options and you choose with the cost difference in front of you.
What Lives Inside Walls
Removing a wall means relocating whatever runs through it: plumbing stacks, ducting, electrical and sometimes gas. This is often the real cost driver, not the beam.
Planning The Result
An open plan needs deliberate zoning to work. See open-concept remodeling for how we lay out the space the structure makes possible.
Structural Remodeling In Older SoCal Homes
Much of the region’s housing stock predates current codes. Remodeling one is partly construction and partly correction.
Seismic Considerations
Older houses frequently lack proper anchor bolts, shear panels and hold-downs. A remodel is the cheapest opportunity you will ever have to add them, because the walls are already open. The California Building Standards Commission publishes the code these upgrades follow.
Foundations
Raised foundations, cripple walls and old slabs each have typical weaknesses. We inspect and report before design, so the budget reflects reality.
Settlement
Sloping floors are not always a crisis, but they should be understood and documented before new work sits on top of them.
Previous Unpermitted Work
Converted garages, enclosed patios and removed walls are common. We can usually legalise them with engineering and a permit rather than tearing them out.
Hidden Damage
Termite damage and dry rot show up once finishes come off. Handling it properly during a remodel is far cheaper than an emergency repair later.
Structural Work In Progress
Framing and structural stages from the West Hills full-house renovation and addition.
Find Out If That Wall Can Come Out
Tell us what you want to open up. We will look at how the house is framed and explain what the change really involves before you commit to anything.
Structural Remodeling Questions
How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
Usually it runs perpendicular to the joists and sits above a beam or footing, but remodelled houses often surprise. We verify by inspection before advising.
Do I always need an engineer?
For load-bearing changes, yes. Building departments require stamped calculations, and the engineering is what keeps the work safe.
Can a beam be hidden in the ceiling?
Often yes, with a flush beam. It costs more than a dropped beam but gives a clean, continuous ceiling line.
How long does removing a bearing wall take?
The structural work itself is usually days. Engineering and permitting beforehand take longer, and you receive a schedule that shows both.
Can you legalise work a previous owner did?
In most cases. We document the existing condition, have it engineered and file for a permit to bring it onto the record.
Where do you work?
Throughout Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Calabasas, Westlake, Pasadena, Glendale, Culver City, the South Bay, Santa Clarita Valley, Ventura County, Thousand Oaks, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Malibu, Agoura Hills, Simi Valley, Burbank, Granada Hills, Canoga Park, Reseda and the surrounding areas.
Related Pages
What Drives Structural Remodeling Cost
Structural remodeling is priced from what is actually there, which is why a fixed number before inspection is rarely worth much.
Span And Load
A short opening in a single-storey wall is a modest job. A long span carrying a floor and a roof above needs a larger beam, bigger posts and new footings, and the cost rises accordingly.
Flush Versus Dropped
Hiding the beam inside the ceiling adds labour and sometimes steel. It is usually worth it visually, but you should choose it knowingly.
What Has To Move
Plumbing stacks, ducts, panels and gas lines inside a wall being removed all need new routes. On many projects this relocation work costs more than the structural element itself.
Access
Getting a long beam into a finished house sometimes means removing a window or part of a wall. Difficult access adds time and cost.
Findings
Rot, termite damage and previous unpermitted framing appear once walls are opened. We carry a written allowance for the unknown rather than pretending it will not happen.
Homeowner Experiences
Hear directly from Southern California clients who trusted H&A My Design with their custom homes, ADUs, and additions.
Walk the finished home — navy kitchen with brass fittings, an open living space and a new double-vanity bathroom.
“We’re extremely happy with the results. Without a shadow of doubt, we’ve already recommended them to other neighbors.”
“Everybody was phenomenal to work with, a pleasure to have. Totally fair and wonderful company and great family.”
“H&A made the entire process transparent. Having one GC manage blueprints, city permits, and the build was night and day.”
“Their Canoga Park showroom made selecting our cabinets, quartz, and fixtures so easy. Finished right on schedule.”
“Converted our garage into a 2-bedroom rental. Flawless craftsmanship and leased immediately after final inspection.”
See the full before and after — the original kitchen, the opened-up living space and the finished bathrooms.
“From 3D plans to final city sign-off, H&A handled everything. No surprise change orders, no stress.”
“Built a modern ADU for my parents. The accessibility and aesthetic details exceeded all our expectations.”
Serving Southern California
Licensed throughout Los Angeles & Ventura Counties. HQ Showroom at 6723 Variel Ave, Canoga Park, CA.
MORE SPACE.
MORE VALUE.
Design, permits, showroom selections, and master construction—managed by one accountable team.