1970s openings sized for old appliances
Kitchens from that era often have a fridge nook and range gap that are too small now. Targeted cabinet work fixes the fit.
Serving Arlington Heights & nearby Mount Prospect, Palatine
Kitchen Cabinet Modification in Arlington Heights, IL
We cut, resize and rebuild the cabinets you already have in Arlington Heights so a new fridge, range or dishwasher fits and the kitchen works better.
- Serving Arlington Heights ZIP 60004, 60005
- Installed level, sealed and tested before we leave
- Clear price for the install before the visit
Cabinet changes Arlington Heights owners ask us for
We are cabinet carpenters who handle the small structural changes a kitchen needs between remodels. In Arlington Heights that usually means making room for a new appliance, adding a microwave shelf or swapping base doors for drawers, without disturbing the rest of the cabinets.
Condo kitchens with tight appliance spaces
Condo kitchens often have narrow openings and little room to move cabinets. Precise resizing is usually the only way to fit a newer appliance.
Removing an upper for open shelves
Taking out one or two wall cabinets for open shelving is a simple change. We patch the wall behind, mount solid shelves and finish the cabinet ends left exposed.
Wasted space at fillers and corners
Some fillers are there for door clearance and must stay. Others can be turned into narrow storage, and we tell you which is which.
Want a counter-depth or built-in look
A standard-depth fridge sticks out past the counters. We can add deep side panels and a deeper cabinet above so the unit looks set into the cabinetry.
Base cabinets with doors instead of drawers
Pulling pots from the back of a low shelf gets old. Turning a door cabinet into a drawer base puts everything within reach.
New refrigerator is too tall for the opening
Many newer fridges are taller than the cabinet above the old one allows. We raise or shorten that upper cabinet and reset it so the new unit slides in with proper air space.
Unfinished or damaged end panels
Exposed cabinet sides that are plain, scuffed or a mismatched color can be covered with new finished panels in the door style.
What we hook up and check
- Protecting the counters and floorCounters, floors and nearby cabinets are covered before we start cutting.
- Raising or shortening uppersUpper cabinets over the fridge or range are lifted or cut down and reattached to the wall framing.
- Panels, fillers and trimNew end panels, fillers, scribe and toe-kick are fitted where the cabinets were changed.
- Matching the finishWe color-match new wood to your cabinets and tell you up front if an exact match is not possible.
- Hardware and soft-close partsHinges, slides and pulls on changed cabinets are replaced or reset to match the rest.
- Coordinating other tradesIf an outlet, water line or gas line has to move, we schedule a licensed trade around our work.
- Appliance fit check and cleanupThe new unit is test-fitted, doors are adjusted and the dust leaves with us.
Options to choose from
Microwave and spice pull-out insertsShelf kits, pull-out spice racks and tray dividers that fit modified openings.
Drawer boxes and slidesWe fit sturdy drawer boxes with slides rated for heavy pots.
Moldings and fillersTrim pieces that cover cuts and gaps and tie modified cabinets into the rest.
Finished end and refrigerator panelsPanels come in paint-grade or stain-grade versions to suit your cabinets.
Cabinet-grade plywoodUsed for rebuilt sides, bottoms and shelves because it holds screws well and resists sagging.
Kitchen Cabinet Modification before and after — Arlington Heights homes
Before
Installed
DetailKitchen Cabinet Modification in a 1980s two-story, Arlington Heights
This one is a 1980s two-story in Arlington Heights. What we started with: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs and almond appliances. The reason for the call: a new refrigerator that would not fit the old opening. Finished kitchen: the opening widened and the upper cabinet raised, a panel added, a new refrigerator fitting flush. The job covered raising or shortening uppers, panels, fillers and trim, plus matching the finish.
Before
AfterA Mount Prospect 1980s condo: before and after
This one is a 1980s condo in Mount Prospect. The kitchen as it was: white raised-panel thermofoil cabinets and white appliances. What bothered the owners most: a new refrigerator that would not fit the old opening. Finished kitchen: the opening widened and the upper cabinet raised, a panel added, a new refrigerator fitting flush. On site this meant matching the finish, hardware and soft-close parts, plus coordinating other trades.
Kitchen Cabinet Modification in Mount Prospect →
Before
AfterA Palatine 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
A 1990s two-story colonial in Palatine, a typical kitchen for Palatine. Before: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above and black appliances. What bothered the owners most: cabinets built around appliances that no longer exist. Finished kitchen: the opening widened and the upper cabinet raised, a panel added, a new refrigerator fitting flush. Work included protecting the counters and floor, panels, fillers and trim, plus appliance fit check and cleanup.
Kitchen Cabinet Modification in Palatine →
Before
AfterAccessible Kitchen Remodeling in a 1960s ranch, Arlington Heights
A lowered black honed granite counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in deep burgundy with polished nickel pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar Cape Cod in Arlington Heights
What changed: cabinets in dark teal with brushed nickel bar pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, a white 2x8 tile in a vertical stack backsplash, hickory luxury vinyl plank flooring and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Remodeling in Arlington Heights →From the old unit to the new one
- Visit and measureWe look at the cabinets, the new appliance specs and what you want to change.
- Plan and estimateWe explain the approach, any limits on finish matching and the price in writing.
- Parts preparedPanels, fronts and drawer boxes are made or ordered to size.
- On-site workCutting, rebuilding and fitting usually take a day or two, depending on the change.
- Fit checkThe appliance goes in, we adjust everything and walk through it with you.
Kitchen Cabinet Modification questions from Arlington Heights homeowners
Can you modify existing kitchen cabinets?
Usually. The condition of the boxes and how they were built decide what can be changed and how cleanly.
Will the new parts match my cabinets?
Painted cabinets match well. With older stained cabinets we test the finish on a sample piece first.
Can you add a microwave shelf to my cabinets?
Usually. The microwave model, its ventilation needs and the nearest outlet decide where the shelf can go.
Can you modify cabinets for a dishwasher?
We can. A base cabinet near the sink becomes the dishwasher opening, with the counter supported above it.
Can my cabinets be cut for a bigger fridge?
Usually. The upper cabinet is the most common change, and width can come from fillers or a side cabinet.
Do Arlington Heights condo associations need to approve cabinet modification?
Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.
Do I need a Arlington Heights-registered contractor for cabinet modification?
The Village of Arlington Heights contractor license number must be listed on permit applications; homeowners doing their own work file a Homeowner as General Contractor form. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for cabinet modification in Arlington Heights?
It depends on the scope. Arlington Heights's rule in short: Remodel permit applications (shown here via a basement remodel checklist dated 2020) require a building permit application, plans and a contractor proposal; plumbing and electrical permit applications are added if applicable. We handle the permit when one is needed with Building & Life Safety Department.
Do you work in my part of Arlington Heights?
Yes. Our crews work across Arlington Heights — ZIP 60004, 60005 — and nearby Mount Prospect, Palatine, Buffalo Grove.
Working in Arlington Heights
- A lot of Arlington Heights kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- We know how Building & Life Safety Department handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60004ZIP 60005
Kitchen Cabinet Modification nearby
Other kitchen services in Arlington Heights
Kitchen Cabinet & Drawer RepairHinges, drawer slides and water-damaged sink bases fixed.
Pull-Out Shelves & Cabinet OrganizersRoll-out shelves and organizers built to fit your existing cabinets.
Accessible Kitchen RemodelingKitchens that work for every age and ability.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.