Kitchen Additions in Berwyn, IL

When a Berwyn kitchen needs more room, not just new cabinets

Sometimes no layout can fix a kitchen that is simply too small. A kitchen addition in Berwyn — 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.

Older homes on narrow lots

Narrow prewar lots usually mean building back, not out to the side. We check the rear setback and garage location first.

Single-family homes with yard to spare

If your lot has room behind the house, a rear kitchen addition with a family room or mudroom can solve several problems at once.

Dark kitchen with one small window

Adding space lets us add daylight too, with windows on two sides of the new section or a patio door that opens the kitchen to the backyard.

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.

Heating and cooling the new space

A cold bump-out is a common complaint. We check the furnace and AC capacity and extend supply and return so the new area stays comfortable.

The addition has to match the house

An addition that looks tacked on hurts the house. We match rooflines, siding or brick, window styles and trim so it looks original.

No spot for a mudroom or drop zone

If the side door dumps everyone into the kitchen, the new space can include a small entry with storage, keeping boots and bags out of the work zone.

Nowhere to eat together

We plan dining space into the addition so the table sits next to the cooking, not across the house.

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What the project covers

Design and permit drawingsDrawings for the addition and the new kitchen, prepared for plan review and construction.
Permits and plan reviewWe submit the permit application, answer the plan reviewer's comments and schedule inspections.
Framing and roof tie-inFloor, walls and roof framed and tied into the existing structure, with flashing at every joint.
Windows, doors and exterior finishNew windows and doors installed, and siding, brick or trim matched to the house.
Insulation and drywallEnergy-code insulation, air sealing and finished drywall in the new space.
Opening the existing wallWe break through to the existing kitchen late, with a properly supported opening.
The new kitchenCabinets, counters, backsplash, flooring and lighting installed across the old and new space.

Materials and options

Skylights and vaulted ceilingsA sloped ceiling or skylights in the addition add height and light over the new table or island.

Banquettes and built-in seatingBuilt-in benches along the new windows make a compact eating nook with storage underneath.

Cantilevered bump-outA short extension supported by the floor framing instead of a new foundation, when the joists and codes allow it.

Full foundation vs. slab vs. piersFoundation choice depends on the existing house and whether you want basement space under the addition.

Rear kitchen additionA full room added at the back, giving the kitchen space to grow and room for more.

Before and after: kitchens near Berwyn

Kitchen Additions in a prewar house — before — Kitchen Additions in a 1920s bungalow, Berwyn

This one is a 1920s bungalow near LaVergne. What we started with: 1960s birch cabinets painted cream over the years, chipped door edges, old brass hardware, worn beige laminate with a metal edge strip and a single glass ceiling fixture. 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 deep olive with polished nickel pulls, dark soapstone-look quartz counters, black-and-white checkerboard tile flooring through the old and new space and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. The job covered design and permit drawings, permits and plan review, plus framing and roof tie-in.

Kitchen Additions in a prewar house — in progress — Kitchen Additions in a 1920s bungalow, Berwyn

This one is a 1920s bungalow near LaVergne. What we started with: 1960s birch cabinets painted cream over the years, chipped door edges, old brass hardware, worn beige laminate with a metal edge strip and a single glass ceiling fixture. 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 deep olive with polished nickel pulls, dark soapstone-look quartz counters, black-and-white checkerboard tile flooring through the old and new space and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. The job covered design and permit drawings, permits and plan review, plus framing and roof tie-in.

Kitchen Additions project in Oak Brook, before — Kitchen Additions in a 1970s split-level, Oak Brook

This one is a 1970s split-level in Oak Brook. The kitchen as it was: dark stained oak cabinets with wide face frames and a scalloped wood valance over the sink, harvest-gold laminate and a large fluorescent light box. The reason for the call: a small, dark kitchen with no room for a table. The result: 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, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters, large-format light stone-look porcelain tile flooring through the old and new space and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. The job covered design and permit drawings, insulation and drywall, plus opening the existing wall.
Kitchen Additions in Oak Brook →

Kitchen Additions project in Oak Brook, after — Kitchen Additions in a 1970s split-level, Oak Brook

This one is a 1970s split-level in Oak Brook. The kitchen as it was: dark stained oak cabinets with wide face frames and a scalloped wood valance over the sink, harvest-gold laminate and a large fluorescent light box. The reason for the call: a small, dark kitchen with no room for a table. The result: 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, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters, large-format light stone-look porcelain tile flooring through the old and new space and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. The job covered design and permit drawings, insulation and drywall, plus opening the existing wall.
Kitchen Additions in Oak Brook →

Kitchen Additions project in Elmhurst, before — Elmhurst kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: kitchen additions

A postwar Cape Cod in Elmhurst, a typical kitchen for Elmhurst. Before: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls, laminate with an aluminum edge band and a round fluorescent ceiling ring. What bothered the owners most: a small, dark kitchen with no room for a table. The result: the kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in deep olive with polished nickel pulls, warm walnut butcher block counters, light oak hardwood flooring through the old and new space and two glass pendants and recessed lights. On site this meant permits and plan review, insulation and drywall, plus the new kitchen.
Kitchen Additions in Elmhurst →

Kitchen Additions project in Elmhurst, after — Elmhurst kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: kitchen additions

A postwar Cape Cod in Elmhurst, a typical kitchen for Elmhurst. Before: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls, laminate with an aluminum edge band and a round fluorescent ceiling ring. What bothered the owners most: a small, dark kitchen with no room for a table. The result: the kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in deep olive with polished nickel pulls, warm walnut butcher block counters, light oak hardwood flooring through the old and new space and two glass pendants and recessed lights. On site this meant permits and plan review, insulation and drywall, plus the new kitchen.
Kitchen Additions in Elmhurst →

Kitchen Design & Layout Planning project near Berwyn, before — A Berwyn prewar brick bungalow: before and after

Finished: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters and two glass pendants and recessed lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Berwyn →

Kitchen Design & Layout Planning project near Berwyn, after — A Berwyn prewar brick bungalow: before and after

Finished: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters and two glass pendants and recessed lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Berwyn →

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling project near Berwyn, before — Before and after: a prewar brick bungalow in Berwyn

A lowered dark soapstone-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in cream uppers and walnut-stained lowers with satin brass 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.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Berwyn →

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling project near Berwyn, after — Before and after: a prewar brick bungalow in Berwyn

A lowered dark soapstone-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in cream uppers and walnut-stained lowers with satin brass 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.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Berwyn →

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 estimateDrawings for the addition and kitchen, plus a written, itemized estimate.
Permit and plan reviewWe submit to the village and respond to plan review until the permit is issued.
Building the shellWe build and close in the addition while your kitchen stays in use.
Connecting and finishingWe open the old wall, finish the mechanical work and install the new kitchen.

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Kitchen Additions questions from Berwyn homeowners

What if my home is in a historic district?

If your house is in a designated district, expect an extra review step. We plan for it in the schedule.

How long does plan review take?

It varies by village and by season. Simple bump-outs can move faster; larger additions may get comments that need a revised set. We submit early and respond quickly.

What does a kitchen addition cost?

Square footage, foundation, exterior materials and the cabinet line drive the price. We price it after measuring and checking the lot.

How long does a kitchen addition take?

Design and permitting often take a couple of months, and construction usually several more. We give you a written schedule after the design.

Do you work with an architect?

When the village requires sealed drawings or the design calls for it, an architect or structural engineer prepares and stamps them as part of our project.

Do I need historic review for kitchen addition in Berwyn?

Berwyn has locally reviewed areas, including Central Berwyn Bungalow Historic District. Exterior changes there can need review; interior-only work usually does not. We check before anything changes on the outside.

What is the Berwyn building department phone number?

Permits go through Building Department, City of Berwyn, phone 708-788-2660. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.

Do I need a Berwyn-registered contractor for kitchen addition?

Contractors must be licensed and bonded with Berwyn; $10,000 surety bond and liability insurance naming the City per license (per licensing form. We take care of that before work starts.

What kind of Berwyn homes do you work in?

In Berwyn we see Chicago-style brick bungalows, Duplexes and three-unit buildings and Larger homes on south side. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.

Do I need a permit for kitchen addition in Berwyn?

It depends on the scope. Berwyn's rule in short: City permit list includes any kitchen and bathroom remodeling, all electrical work, and plumbing/sewer work (faucet or toilet replacement excluded). We handle the permit when one is needed with Building Department, City of Berwyn.

Do you work in my part of Berwyn?

Yes. Our crews work across Berwyn, including South Berwyn, South Oak Park area, Depot District, LaVergne — ZIP 60402 — and nearby Oak Park, Chicago, Oak Brook.

Working in Berwyn

Most Berwyn homes are prewar. We work around plaster walls, radiators and out-of-square rooms every week.
Most Berwyn homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
Live in the Central Berwyn Bungalow Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.

South BerwynSouth Oak Park areaDepot DistrictLaVergneOgden Avenue

ZIP 60402