Ranch homes ready for aging in place
If your 1990s ranch is where you plan to stay, the kitchen is the room to rethink first: drawers, wall oven, knee space and better light.
Serving Bartlett & nearby Hanover Park, Carol Stream
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Bartlett, IL
Kitchens in Bartlett planned for wheelchairs, walkers and aging in place: reachable storage, knee space and safer appliances.
- Kitchen remodels across Bartlett ZIP 60103, 60120
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
What makes a Bartlett kitchen hard to use, and how we fix it
We rebuild kitchens so they keep working as needs change: for a wheelchair or walker user, for a parent moving in, or for Bartlett homeowners planning to stay put for decades. Lower work surfaces, drawers instead of deep base shelves and appliances you can use without bending or reaching over heat.
Deep base cabinets you have to kneel into
Bending down and digging to the back of a low shelf is hard on knees and backs. Full-extension drawers bring everything forward and up into view.
Not enough room to turn around
We check every approach: sink, cooktop, fridge, oven and table. Each needs clear floor space, and the room as a whole needs somewhere to turn.
Wall cabinets out of reach
Reaching over a counter to a high shelf is hard from a wheelchair and risky on a ladder. Pull-down shelf systems and lower-mounted cabinets bring that storage back into range.
An oven door you have to bend under
A wall oven set where the user's hands naturally rest, with a counter or pull-out right next to it, takes the bending and reaching out of baking.
No knee space at the sink
We convert the sink area to a knee-space design: a shallow sink, a rear drain, insulated or enclosed pipes and an open front.
Counters too high to work at seated
Chopping at shoulder height wears you out. A work surface at seated height, or a counter at two heights, lets each cook work comfortably.
Dim light and low contrast
Shadows on the counter and same-color surfaces make cooking harder for low vision. Task lighting and contrasting finishes fix both.
What's included
- Accessible layoutA floor plan with clear floor space at each appliance, wider aisles and room to turn where it fits.
- Demolition and protectionWe tear out carefully and keep a safe route through the house during the work.
- Doorways and floor transitionsFlush transitions and wider doorways so wheels and walkers pass easily.
- Plumbing for a knee-space sinkShallow sink, rear drain, offset supplies and protected pipes behind a removable panel.
- Cabinets and pull-down storageDrawer-heavy base cabinets, pull-down shelving, roll-outs and pantry pull-outs installed and adjusted.
- Multi-height countertopsCounters at more than one height, including a seated work surface with open knee space.
- Appliance installationWall oven, cooktop, drawer microwave, raised dishwasher or drawer models fitted at usable heights.
Materials and options
Slip-resistant flooringFlooring chosen for grip underfoot, easy rolling for wheels and flush transitions.
Induction cooktopsQuick, precise heat with front controls and a surface that cools faster than gas or radiant.
Lever and touch faucetsSingle-lever or touch-activated faucets that work without gripping or twisting.
Side-opening wall ovensDoors that swing to the side let you reach in without leaning over a hot door.
D-shaped pulls and rocker switchesLoop handles and wide rocker switches that work with a closed hand.
What the work looks like in Bartlett homes
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Bartlett
This one is a 1990s two-story colonial in Bartlett. The kitchen as it was: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above, white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam and black appliances. The main complaint was wall cabinets nobody could reach anymore. Finished kitchen: a lowered charcoal concrete-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in light greige with brushed nickel bar pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. The job covered doorways and floor transitions, plumbing for a knee-space sink, plus appliance installation.
Before
AfterAccessible Kitchen Remodeling in a raised ranch, Hanover Park
The site: a raised ranch near Ontarioville. What we started with: medium-brown stained oak cabinets with wide frames, harvest-gold laminate and harvest-gold appliances. What bothered the owners most: no place to sit and work at the counter. After: a lowered bright white quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in cream uppers and walnut-stained lowers with matte black pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. On site this meant plumbing for a knee-space sink, cabinets and pull-down storage, plus multi-height countertops.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Hanover Park →
Before
AfterA Carol Stream two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Carol Stream. Before: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs, almond laminate with a backsplash lip and almond appliances. The reason for the call: a kitchen that was getting harder to use every year. After: a lowered warm walnut butcher block counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in pale mint green with brushed nickel bar pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and two glass pendants and recessed lights. Work included demolition and protection, plumbing for a knee-space sink, plus cabinets and pull-down storage.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Carol Stream →
Before
AfterBartlett kitchen, 1980s two-story: kitchen design & layout planning
Finished: a new layout with an island, cabinets in terracotta, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Bartlett →
Before
AfterA Bartlett two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
What changed: 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.
Kitchen Additions in Bartlett →How your accessible kitchen remodel goes
- Assessment visitAn in-home visit to measure the room and the user, and to talk through current and future needs.
- Design and estimateA drawn plan with heights and clearances, plus a line-item quote.
- Ordering and permitsCabinets, pull-downs and appliances ordered; permits filed when plumbing or wiring changes.
- ConstructionRough-ins, inspections, then cabinets, multi-height counters, flooring and fixtures.
- Walk-through with the userA final check from the user's chair or standing position, with adjustments on the spot.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling questions from Bartlett homeowners
Can you make only part of the kitchen accessible?
Yes. We can phase it, starting with storage, the sink or the oven, as long as the plan leaves room for later changes.
How do you make a kitchen wheelchair accessible?
By planning around the chair: aisles wide enough to turn, knee space at the sink and a prep counter, storage within reach and appliances set at usable heights.
Do I need a permit?
It depends on the work. We pull the permit for plumbing, electrical or structural changes and schedule the inspections.
How long does an accessible kitchen remodel take?
Usually similar to a standard remodel of the same size, a few weeks of construction after ordering. Partial updates are faster.
Do residential kitchens have to meet ADA requirements?
The ADA doesn't govern single-family kitchens, but its measurements are a sensible starting point. A home kitchen can be fitted more precisely to its user.
Bartlett contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
All contractors must be licensed by the Village of Bartlett (per trade); licensing questions via Main Office 630-837-0800. We take care of that before work starts.
Does accessible kitchen remodel need a Bartlett building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Building Division (Planning & Development Services), phone 630-540-5920. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a permit for accessible kitchen remodel in Bartlett?
It depends on the scope. Bartlett's rule in short: Building permits are required for all construction and home improvement projects, whether done by homeowner or contractor; Remodel is a listed permit type. We handle the permit when one is needed with Building Division (Planning & Development Services).
Do you work in my part of Bartlett?
Yes. Our crews work across Bartlett — ZIP 60103, 60120 — and nearby Hanover Park, Carol Stream, Bloomingdale.
Working in Bartlett
- A lot of Bartlett kitchens date from the 1990s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Bartlett homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Building Division (Planning & Development Services) handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60103ZIP 60120
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling nearby
Other kitchen services in Bartlett
Kitchen Design & Layout PlanningLayouts, 3D plans and material picks before work starts.
Kitchen AdditionsBump-outs that add room for an island or dining area.
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.