On this page
That's why structural work is designed before it's built. An engineer sizes the new members, the municipality issues a permit based on those drawings, and the contractor holds the structure up with temporary shoring while the old support comes out. None of it is do-it-yourself work, and a contractor who offers to take out a bearing wall without drawings is a warning sign.
This page covers the main kinds of structural change, beam options for an open layout, sealed drawings and permits, how shoring and beam installation work, the extra care row houses and semi-detached homes need, and the warning signs to watch for. To find and hire the engineer, see the structural engineers page.
Types of structural renovations: load-bearing walls, beams, posts, openings and underpinning
- Load-bearing wall removal: the wall is replaced by a beam, below the ceiling or flush with the joists, with posts at each end carrying the load down.
- Beam and post replacement: an undersized, cracked or rotted beam, or a basement column that is in the way, is replaced by a member designed for its loads.
- Floor reinforcement: joists that sag, bounce or were cut for old plumbing are doubled, blocked or supported by a new beam.
- Openings in exterior walls: a wider patio door or larger window needs a new header and new supports under each end.
- Foundation openings: cutting a concrete or block foundation for a walkout, a door or a bigger basement window, with a lintel and reinforcement designed for the wall above.
- Underpinning: deepening the foundation to lower a basement floor, done in short sequenced sections so the house is never left unsupported.
Beams for an open-concept renovation: dropped or flush, wood, engineered wood or steel
The engineer chooses the beam, but you decide how it looks, so raise it early in design. A dropped beam hangs below the ceiling and is usually the simpler install. A flush beam sits within the depth of the floor joists for an uninterrupted ceiling, but the joists must be cut and hung from it, which takes more work and can mean opening the floor above. The material follows the span and the load.
- Built-up lumber: several boards fastened together, suited to shorter spans and easy to carry into a finished house in pieces.
- Engineered wood such as laminated veneer lumber: straighter and stronger than sawn lumber of the same size, common for medium spans.
- Steel: the slimmest choice for long spans or heavy loads, but heavy to handle and dependent on carefully specified connections.
- Posts and footings: whatever the beam, each end needs a post and a solid bearing path to the foundation, often with a new footing in the basement.
Engineer-sealed drawings and building permits for structural changes
Municipalities commonly require engineered or otherwise code-compliant drawings before they issue a permit for structural work. Professional Engineers Ontario explains that a sealed drawing is final for its intended purpose and that a licensed engineer takes responsibility for it, while the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec requires engineers to authenticate the engineering documents they prepare or supervise. Both regulators publish directories where you can check a name before hiring.
The permit comes with inspections, and the beam, its connections and any new footings must be seen before ceilings and floors are closed. Ask the engineer to review the work at the same stage and send a letter for the permit file. Any change on site, such as a post that has to move around a duct, goes back to the engineer before it is built. In Quebec, the contractor also needs an RBQ licence with the subclasses the work requires.
How a load-bearing wall comes out: shoring, beam installation and load transfer
Order matters more than speed. A careful crew follows the drawings step by step and never removes a support before its replacement or temporary shoring is in place.
- Opening up: finishes come off to expose the framing above and below and any wiring, plumbing or ducts, which the licensed trades reroute.
- Temporary shoring: temporary stud walls or adjustable posts go up on one or both sides, bearing on something solid enough to carry the load down.
- Footings and posts: new or reinforced footings are poured where the drawings show them, so the load path is continuous to the soil.
- Removal and installation: the wall comes down, the beam is set on its posts, and hangers, bolts and connections go in exactly as specified.
- Load transfer: shoring is released gradually once the beam is fully supported, while the crew watches for movement.
- Inspection and close-in: the inspector, and ideally the engineer, sees the work before ceilings and walls are finished.
Row houses and semi-detached homes: structural work next to a shared party wall
In a row house or semi-detached home, one wall and often the footing under it are shared with the neighbour. Beams frequently bear on that wall, joists may be pocketed into it, and in older brick rows it can be solid masonry carrying both houses. Cutting pockets for a new beam, removing a chimney breast or underpinning beside a shared footing can affect the house next door as much as yours.
Bring the neighbour in early. Share the drawings and the schedule, and have a condition survey done before work starts, with photos of existing cracks on both sides, so any later claim is settled on evidence. The engineer should look at the neighbour's side before designing underpinning or new bearing points, and the contractor may need access to the neighbouring property. Rules on shared walls vary by province and by property title, so get legal advice if the work depends on the neighbour's consent.
Warning signs during and after structural work: cracks, sticking doors and dips
Fine cracks in paint or plaster can appear as a house settles onto new supports. Cracks that keep growing, or any of the signs below, call for the contractor and the engineer before more finishes go on.
- New cracks above doors or at ceiling corners near the work that lengthen or widen over the following weeks.
- Doors that begin to stick, rub or swing on their own.
- A floor or ceiling that dips along the new beam or around the posts.
- Cracks or gaps reported by the neighbour on their side of a party wall.
- Water in the basement after a foundation opening or underpinning, pointing to a failed seal or drainage detail.
Structural Renovations: frequently asked questions
Can a load-bearing wall be removed completely?
Usually, if a beam and posts can carry the load down to adequate footings. Sometimes a post has to stay in the room or the beam must drop below the ceiling; the engineer's design tells you which.
Do I need an engineer for a structural renovation?
In practice, yes, for load-bearing walls, beams, foundation openings and underpinning. Municipalities commonly ask for engineered or otherwise code-compliant drawings, and the contractor needs them to build the right thing.
What is shoring, and why does it matter?
Shoring is temporary support, usually posts or temporary walls, that holds up the floors and roof while a wall or beam is replaced. Poor shoring is how structural jobs go wrong, so ask the contractor to explain their plan before work starts.
Is a flush beam worth it over a dropped beam?
A flush beam gives a clean ceiling but means cutting and hanging joists, sometimes from the floor above. A dropped beam is simpler. The engineer can tell you whether a flush beam is practical for your span and load.
Do I need my neighbour's permission to work near a party wall?
The legal answer depends on your province and property documents, but in practice you need the neighbour's cooperation for access, surveys and scheduling. Talk to them early, and to a lawyer if the work depends on their consent.
Sources
Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides