Can you put a doorway in a structural wall?

• <div><p>Yes, you can put a doorway in a structural wall; in fact, most exterior doors are set into structural walls. The project is a little more challenging than installing a door in a non-load-bearing wall because you need a structural engineer to assess the wall and make sure it’s safe to create a wall opening. Your engineer’s report will include instructions for your contractor on how and where to install additional supports, like steel headers above the door, to distribute the weight above to the wall on either side of the door.</p></div>

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*The Angi rating for Structural Engineering companies in , is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Structural Engineering needs.

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Last update on December 21, 2025

Reviewed in September 2024
I hired David to inspect a home I was considering after the initial home inspection team noted some potential issues with the beams in the basement. David was easy to work with and came out on short notice to give a very thorough inspection of the home's foundation and made recommendations...
The Residential Engineer.com
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Reviewed in January 2023
Had Betts Structural Engineering come and look at the foundation of a house we were in contract on. Josh came out and was professional and informative. He informed us the foundation was failing and explained what needed to be done. He throughly explained everything and told us how we could do...
Betts Structural Engineering LLC
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Reviewed in January 2022
Did a great job. Very friendly and professional. Our patio door is working much better after Joe came over to fix it.
Joseph Posani
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Reviewed in June 2021
I am waiting on my lender to give final approval for the structural engineers report.
BG Engineering Group, LLC
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Reviewed in January 2021
We used Unique Hardwood Floor LLC three years ago to work on the floors of a 70 year old home that needed a great deal of work. Some floors needed repairs, some were replaced and others just needed to be refinished. It was a complicated job as they needed to blend the old and the new to create a...
Unique Hardwood Floor LLC
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Reviewed in September 2020
Parks Davis, Sr. was very nice and professional. He answered all our questions at the original visit and subsequently on the phone. We didn't hire his company as the proposed structure was more elaborate and expensive than we had anticipated.
AIS Renovations Ltd
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Reviewed in January 2020
Honest and upfront. The other company I had out tried to sell my items I didn t need. Thank you mark and stay dry
Stay Dry Waterproofing, LLC
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Reviewed in March 2019
This was my first home buying experience in Ohio. I was upfront with Merwyn and Gary and asked them to keep me in the loop and walk me through EVERYTHING. They were both fantastic. Merwyn would answer any question I had appropriately (meaning, he isn't a structural engineer so he would say he...
Home Inspection Services of Lancaster LLC
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Reviewed in May 2015
Jay did a great job, the team were very prompt and helpful and completed the job very thoroughly. Since the initial treatment we have had no problems at all in the house. When termites have been found in other areas of our yard, Jay has been very quick to come out and treat any small termite...
1st Response Pest Management
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Structural Engineering questions, answered by experts

Yes, ceiling joists are typically load-bearing. However, their primary function is to support the weight of the ceiling and loads applied to it, like lighting fixtures and ceiling fans. They can also help support the roof, especially if they’re part of truss systems. Remember, the load-bearing capacity of ceiling joists depends on the material, size, and space between them.

Proper licensing and experience in residential and commercial structural projects.

Yes, you can put a doorway in a structural wall; in fact, most exterior doors are set into structural walls. The project is a little more challenging than installing a door in a non-load-bearing wall because you need a structural engineer to assess the wall and make sure it’s safe to create a wall opening. Your engineer’s report will include instructions for your contractor on how and where to install additional supports, like steel headers above the door, to distribute the weight above to the wall on either side of the door.

The depth of any foundation style depends on your climate and how deep the frost line is, as building code requires that the footers of a foundation—which are built into a monolithic slab—sit at least a foot below the frost line. At the southern tip of Florida, for example, a monolithic slab foundation would only need to sit 12 inches under the soil at the widest parts. On some parts of the Canadian border, the frost line is 100 inches, which would mean a minimum of 112 inches, which is prohibitively deep for a monolithic slab.

A few hours for inspection, with a detailed report following in a week.

The Otisco, in homeowners’ guide to structural engineering services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

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