A 1970s kitchen on a slab or crawlspace
1970s homes often sit on a slab or crawlspace, which shapes how the addition's foundation and plumbing connect. We plan that tie-in up front.
Serving Arlington Heights & nearby Mount Prospect, Palatine
Kitchen Additions in Arlington Heights, IL
Bump-outs and rear additions that give your Arlington Heights kitchen the room it's missing, from zoning check to finished cabinets.
- Kitchen remodels across Arlington Heights ZIP 60004, 60005
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
When a Arlington Heights kitchen needs more room, not just new cabinets
Sometimes no layout can fix a kitchen that is simply too small. A kitchen addition in Arlington Heights — a bump-out of a few feet or a full rear addition — adds floor space for an island, a table or a pantry, and we handle it from the zoning check and permit drawings to the foundation, roof and finished cabinets.
The addition has to match the house
From the yard, a good addition looks like it was always there. That means matched materials, aligned trim and a clean roof tie-in.
No room for a pantry
We often plan the new space so a full pantry wall or a small walk-in pantry fits, freeing the original cabinets for daily use.
Dark kitchen with one small window
A kitchen with one window over the sink stays dim all day. The new exterior wall of an addition is where we put the glass.
Zoning and setback questions
Setbacks, lot coverage and sometimes floor-area limits decide how far you can build out. We confirm them early with the village's zoning rules.
Worried about living through construction
Exterior work comes first, the connection to the old kitchen last, so daily life is disrupted for the shortest stretch we can manage.
A back door or deck in the way
The rear wall often has a door, steps or a deck. We plan the new entry, move or rebuild the steps and adjust the deck as part of the job.
Remodeling alone won't solve it
Sometimes the answer is cheaper than an addition: a wall removal or a new layout. We tell you honestly whether you need more square footage before drawing one.
Everything in a kitchen addition
- Feasibility and zoning checkWe review the lot, setbacks, coverage limits and existing structure before design starts.
- Permits and plan reviewPermit filing, any corrections the village asks for and inspections through final.
- Framing and roof tie-inFloor, walls and roof framed and tied into the existing structure, with flashing at every joint.
- Grading, gutters and drainageWe restore the yard around the addition and make sure rainwater drains away from it.
- Insulation and drywallEnergy-code insulation, air sealing and finished drywall in the new space.
- Opening the existing wallThe old exterior wall removed or opened with a beam sized by an engineer, usually near the end of the job.
- The new kitchenCabinets, counters, backsplash, flooring and lighting installed across the old and new space.
Materials and options
Windows and patio doorsGlass is often the reason to build out: windows on the new walls and a door to the yard.
Matching exterior materialsCladding and roofing chosen so the addition reads as part of the original home.
Bump-outA modest extension of the kitchen wall that adds depth without a full addition.
Banquettes and built-in seatingA banquette uses the bump-out's walls for seating and keeps the floor open.
Skylights and vaulted ceilingsThe new roof can allow a vaulted ceiling or roof windows that the old kitchen never had.
Kitchens like yours in Arlington Heights: before and after
Before
In progress
AfterAn Arlington Heights postwar bi-level: before and after
A postwar bi-level in Arlington Heights, a typical kitchen for Arlington Heights. What we started with: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls, speckled laminate and a fluorescent box light. The main complaint was a small, dark kitchen with no room for a table. After: the kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in two-tone with brass hardware, white quartz counters, light oak LVP floor through the old and new space and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. On site this meant feasibility and zoning check, framing and roof tie-in, plus the new kitchen.
Before
AfterKitchen Additions in a 1960s ranch, Mount Prospect
This one is a 1960s ranch in Mount Prospect. What we started with: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and a dome ceiling light. The reason for the call: no space to eat together and too little daylight. After: the kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in pale mint green with matte black pulls, black honed granite counters, hickory luxury vinyl plank flooring through the old and new space and two glass pendants and recessed lights. On site this meant permits and plan review, grading, gutters and drainage, plus opening the existing wall.
Kitchen Additions in Mount Prospect →
Before
AfterPalatine kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen additions
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial in Palatine. The kitchen as it was: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs, almond laminate with a backsplash lip and a fluorescent box light in the ceiling. The main complaint was a small, dark kitchen with no room for a table. Finished kitchen: the kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in light sand beige with unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls, warm walnut butcher block counters, light oak luxury vinyl plank flooring through the old and new space and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. Work included grading, gutters and drainage, insulation and drywall, plus opening the existing wall.
Kitchen Additions in Palatine →
Before
AfterAn Arlington Heights 1950s ranch: before and after
Finished: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers, black honed granite counters and two glass pendants and recessed lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Arlington Heights
Finished: 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 →The project, step by step
- Site visit and feasibilityWe look at the kitchen, the house and the lot, and check the zoning limits that apply.
- Design and estimatePlans, elevations and a line-item quote for the full project.
- Permit and plan reviewPermit application, review comments and approval before any digging.
- Building the shellWe build and close in the addition while your kitchen stays in use.
- Connecting and finishingThe final stretch: break-through, drywall, cabinets, counters and a walk-through with you.
Kitchen Additions questions from Arlington Heights homeowners
Will my furnace and air conditioner handle the extra space?
Sometimes. We check the system's capacity; if it can't take the added area, we add a separate heating and cooling solution for the addition.
How long does plan review take?
That depends on the village's workload and how complete the submission is. We plan the schedule with review time built in.
Is a bump-out enough, or do I need a full addition?
If you need room for an island, a nook or a pantry wall, a bump-out of a few feet is often enough. A new dining area plus more cabinets usually calls for a full addition.
Does a bump-out need a foundation?
Larger bump-outs need footings below frost depth. Short projections can sometimes cantilever off the existing floor; an engineer or the code tells us when.
How long does a kitchen addition take?
Expect months, not weeks. The exact timeline depends on size, foundation type and the village's review.
Arlington Heights building permit for kitchen addition: where do I apply?
Permits go through Building & Life Safety Department, phone (847) 368-5560. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do Arlington Heights condo associations need to approve kitchen addition?
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.
Arlington Heights plumbing code: who can do the plumbing for kitchen addition?
Plumbing permit application must include a Letter of Intent and an IDPH 055 license. Our plumbing connections are made by licensed plumbers.
Does Arlington Heights require a licensed electrician for kitchen addition?
Electrical permit application must include a copy of the electrical license. New circuits and wiring are done by licensed electricians.
Do I need a Arlington Heights-registered contractor for kitchen addition?
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 kitchen addition 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 Additions nearby
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Other kitchen services in Arlington Heights
Kitchen Design & Layout PlanningLayouts, 3D plans and material picks before work starts.
Accessible Kitchen RemodelingKitchens that work for every age and ability.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural AssessmentOpen the kitchen up with an engineered beam.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.