Project diary: opening up a main floor without losing the ceiling line

The ask was simple to say and harder to build: remove the wall between the kitchen and living room and keep a flat, unbroken ceiling.

We temporarily supported the joists, dropped in the beam, and flush-framed it so no bulkhead was needed across the span. The stairwell was rebuilt at the same time to square up the opening.

Boarding followed straight after inspection, with back-blocking at the beam line so the future crack you always see there never shows up.

Taped, sanded and handed over paint-ready — one crew, one schedule.