How Much Does It Cost to Install an LVL Beam? [2026 Data]

In 2026, the national average cost to install an LVL beam is $2,500, with most homeowners spending between $1,500 and $4,000. Your final cost depends on the size and thickness of the beam, where it's being installed in your home, and local labor rates. Projects can reach as high as $6,000 for larger or more complex spans.

LVL Beam Cost by Span: What to Expect?

Beam size is the single biggest driver of LVL beam installation costs, with prices ranging from $500 to $6,000, depending on the span you need. Most homeowners choose LVL over traditional lumber specifically to open up their living space, and the longer the desired span, the thicker the beam required. 

Residential LVL beams can span up to 30 feet without vertical supports, making them well suited for open floor plans that standard lumber cannot achieve. Costs vary significantly by span and beam dimensions, as the breakdown below shows.

Structural Engineer Costs: What Do Homeowners Pay?

Because LVL beams are structural components, you'll need to hire a structural engineer to design the beam and confirm it will safely support the load above it, with the cost of a structural engineer averaging around $550 for this type of project. Fees typically range from $350 to $800, depending on the beam's size and whether additional structural changes are needed to support it.

General Contractor Costs: What Do Homeowners Pay?

A local general contractor handles the actual LVL beam installation and typically charges $40 to $190 per linear foot, which accounts for 80% to 95% of your total project cost. Most homeowners pay around $2,500 combined for materials and labor, though your final price will shift based on the beam's length, the amount of demolition needed to access the installation area, and how much build-back work is required once the job is done.

Additional Pros to Consider Hiring: What Pros Should I Budget For?

When LVL beam installation requires removing load-bearing walls, you may also need to reroute electrical wiring and plumbing, which means budgeting for the cost of an electrician and a plumber in addition to your general contractor. Electricians charge $50 to $130 per hour, or an average of $350 to relocate electrical boxes and switches on the wall being removed. Hiring a plumber costs $45 to $200 per hour, or roughly $400 total, to move supply and drain lines out of the affected wall.

LVL Beam Costs by State: Where Do Prices Run Highest?

Labor makes up the majority of LVL beam installation costs, and because labor rates scale with local cost of living, beam installation costs vary meaningfully by state and tend to run highest near major metropolitan areas. The table below shows how costs differ across key states.

LVL Beam Additional Costs: What Else to Budget For

Some costs related to LVL beam installation may not be included in your contractor's initial estimate, so confirm with your structural engineer and general contractor exactly what their pricing covers before work begins.

Permits

Building permits are required in every municipality for structural work like LVL beam installation, and typically cost $100 to $500 for this type of project. If the beam is part of a larger new construction project, total permit costs will be higher, though only a portion of that total is attributable to the LVL beam itself.

Build-back

Build-back after LVL beam installation covers tasks like patching drywall and finishing flooring where a load-bearing wall or vertical support was removed, and not every contractor includes this in their estimate. If you hire out the work, expect to pay $400 to $2,000 depending on the beam's length, though confident DIYers can handle these finishing tasks themselves to reduce costs.

Foundation Reinforcement

LVL beam installation shifts how your home's load is distributed, and in some cases the foundation will need reinforcement to handle the added stress. This typically involves installing supportive piers beneath the affected areas at a cost of $1,000 to $3,000 per pier, and your structural engineer may need to conduct a foundation inspection to determine how many piers are necessary.

Why You Should Hire a Structural Engineer or Contractor

Nearly 95% of the cost to install an LVL beam is the labor, but you should never skip hiring a local structural engineer and general contractor for this type of work. It is essential for the structural integrity of your home.

Here’s why it’s ideal to hire a structural engineer and general contractor

Under no circumstances should homeowners attempt to design an LVL beam, remove load-bearing walls and vertical supports, and install the LVL beam. Here’s why you need to work with a contractor:

• Load-bearing walls, vertical beams, and LVL beams are all crucial to the structural integrity of your home. Removing one without the proper support or installing one incorrectly could quite literally result in parts of your home collapsing.

• In many municipalities, local building code requires that LVL beams be designed by certified structural engineers and installed by certified general contractors.

• Removing load-bearing walls often involves additional work, like rerouting plumbing and electrical. These are tasks also best left to professionals.

• There is an opportunity for errors at every stage of this project; inexperienced homeowners risk damage to their home and harm to themselves by tackling the work themselves.

• Structural engineers and general contractors carry liability insurance, which covers them (and thus you) in the event of an expensive error.

LVL Beam Replacement vs. Repair

If you already have an LVL beam installed and find that it’s damaged or cracked, you’ll have to decide between a replacement or repair. Replacing the beam will cost between $50 and $200 per linear foot, while repairing or reinforcing will cost significantly less, depending on the extent of the damage. The most affordable option could be to frame a new wall underneath the existing beam for added support, but this will change the floor plan of your home.

While repairing or reinforcing will save you money, it’s often better to replace instead of repair when it comes to structural components that are relatively easy to access, like LVL beams. Replacing will give you greater peace of mind and should provide more value, as the replacement beam will last longer than a repair. Just be sure to address the underlying issue that caused the damage to avoid repeat issues.

How to Save Money on LVL Beam Installation

LVL beam installation can reach up to around $6,000, making it an expensive project. There are a few things you can do to help keep costs down.

• DIY the build-back. While you should always leave the design and installation of your LVL beam to the pros, you can save some money on labor by patching drywall and finishing flooring around the vertical supports or load-bearing walls you’re removing.

• See if your structural engineer will do the construction work. Some structural engineers can both design and install your new LVL, and you may get a small discount on the installation labor if you have your engineer do both.

• Consider LVL alternatives. You can consider more affordable options, like solid lumber with vertical supports of glulam beams instead of LVL. These don’t cost as much, but they also can’t span as large of a distance without vertical supports.

Do LVL Beams Increase Home Value?

In most cases, yes, installing LVL beams will increase your home value because they allow for wider gaps in your living space without vertical supports. Most homebuyers now prefer open floor plans, and LVL beams are more suited for these than solid lumber and other LVL beam alternatives that can’t provide the same open spans. In most cases, you can expect to see between an 80% and 90% return on investment (ROI) when installing LVL beams to open up your living space.

If you’re looking to maximize the bump in your home value, you could opt instead for a steel I-beam over a wooden beam. This is a more expensive option, but you can span much greater distances for an even more open floor plan that will appeal to buyers.

How Angi Gets Its Cost Data

Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects. 

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