Basement bar in a Buffalo Grove house
In a basement, the location of the main stack and floor drain usually decides where a wet bar can go.
Serving Buffalo Grove & nearby Arlington Heights, Palatine
Home Bars & Coffee Stations in Buffalo Grove, IL
Built-in wet bars, dry bars and coffee stations for Buffalo Grove kitchens, dining rooms and basements.
- Local crews working in Buffalo Grove ZIP 60089
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Home bar and coffee station problems we solve in Buffalo Grove
We design and build coffee stations and home bars in Buffalo Grove: cabinetry, countertops, open shelves and lighting, plus the plumbing and electrical that a sink, plumbed espresso machine or ice maker requires. You get one crew managing the whole build.
Dark corner with no lighting
Under-cabinet lights, shelf lighting and a pendant make a bar or coffee station usable and inviting.
Plumbed espresso machine and filtered water
If you want to stop refilling the tank, we can run filtered water to the coffee station with an accessible shutoff valve.
Unused dining room or hallway wall
A shallow wall in a dining room or hallway can hold a dry bar or coffee station with uppers or shelves above.
Wet bar or dry bar?
We help you choose based on where the bar goes and how close the water and drain lines are.
Adding a sink where there is no plumbing
If the nearest drain is far away, we explain the options: a different location, a drain pump or a dry bar.
Glassware and bottles with no home
We plan storage around what you actually keep: stemware, bottles, mixers, mugs or tea.
Beverage fridge overheating or failing
We size the cabinet opening to the fridge's installation instructions so it can breathe.
What's included
- Visit and planningA site visit confirms the space and the nearest utility lines.
- Design and appliance selectionYou choose the style and appliances, and we plan cut-outs and clearances.
- Permits where requiredWe pull the permits the village requires for new lines or circuits.
- Cabinet installationBase and wall cabinets or open shelves are installed level and secured.
- Countertop and sinkThe counter is templated and installed, with the bar sink and faucet set.
- Appliances and finishingFridges, ice makers and coffee machines are connected, and trim and hardware go on.
- Test and handoverEvery connection is checked before we show you around.
Materials and options
Quartz, stone and wood topsQuartz and granite resist spills; butcher block adds warmth on a dry bar or coffee station.
Cabinet styles to matchWe match the cabinet look to the room, from modern slab to traditional paneled.
Beverage fridges and wine coolersBuilt-in rated under-counter units with front ventilation for cabinet installs.
Bar sinks and faucetsCompact stainless or composite bar sinks with a faucet sized to the basin.
Under-counter ice makersNeed a water line and usually a drain or pump, planned before the cabinets.
What the work looks like in Buffalo Grove homes
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Buffalo Grove
This one is a 1980s two-story near Windfield. The reason for the call: coffee gear crowding the kitchen counter. The result: a built-in wet bar with base cabinets, a beverage fridge, open shelves and a small bar sink. The job covered visit and planning, cabinet installation, plus appliances and finishing.
Before
AfterArlington Heights kitchen, postwar bi-level: home bars & coffee stations
This one is a postwar bi-level in Arlington Heights. The main complaint was coffee gear crowding the kitchen counter. After: a built-in wet bar with base cabinets, a beverage fridge, open shelves and a small bar sink. On site this meant permits where required, cabinet installation, plus appliances and finishing.
Home Bars & Coffee Stations in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterPalatine kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: home bars & coffee stations
A 1990s two-story colonial in Palatine, a typical kitchen for Palatine. The main complaint was nowhere to keep glassware and drinks. Finished kitchen: a built-in wet bar with base cabinets, a beverage fridge, open shelves and a small bar sink. Work included cabinet installation, appliances and finishing, plus test and handover.
Home Bars & Coffee Stations in Palatine →
Before
AfterA Buffalo Grove 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
Finished: cabinets in pale sage with unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, a terracotta-look square tile backsplash, light oak hardwood flooring and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights.
Kitchen Remodeling in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterA Buffalo Grove two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
What changed: the same doors sprayed in creamy white uppers and navy lowers, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Buffalo Grove →How your home bar or coffee station goes
- Tell us what you wantA few pictures and your must-haves help us plan the visit.
- Visit and designOn site we confirm what fits and where water and power come from.
- Written estimateWe put everything in writing before work starts.
- Build and connectWe build it, connect it and test everything.
Home Bars & Coffee Stations questions from Buffalo Grove homeowners
What is the difference between a wet bar and a dry bar?
A wet bar has a sink with running water and a drain. A dry bar has no sink; it is cabinets, counter and storage, sometimes with a fridge.
How much does a home bar cost?
It depends on size, cabinets, countertop, appliances and whether plumbing is needed. We give a written, itemized estimate after the visit.
Does a beverage fridge need ventilation?
Every fridge needs airflow. We pick built-in models or leave the required gaps.
Do coffee stations need a dedicated circuit?
Often, yes. It keeps breakers from tripping when several appliances are on.
Does an ice maker need a drain?
Many under-counter ice makers do, and some need a drain pump. We check the model's requirements first.
Does home bar or coffee station need a Buffalo Grove building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services (BS&A Online), phone 847-459-2530. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Buffalo Grove plumbing code: who can do the plumbing for home bar or coffee station?
Plumbing permit requires a letter of intent from the licensed plumber; contractors provide State of Illinois plumbing license and 055 contractor registration. Our plumbing connections are made by licensed plumbers.
Does Buffalo Grove require a licensed electrician for home bar or coffee station?
Electrical contractors provide a copy of current electrical registration/license; Village honors registrations from Illinois municipalities that require a written exam. New circuits and wiring are done by licensed electricians.
Buffalo Grove contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
All contractors working in the Village must register annually; $75 per trade, no fee for state-licensed contractors. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for home bar or coffee station in Buffalo Grove?
It depends on the scope. Buffalo Grove's rule in short: Permit required to replace or modify a kitchen, including replacing cabinetry; replacing a sink or faucet needs a plumbing permit even in the same location; electrical must meet the 2017 NEC. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services.
Do you work in my part of Buffalo Grove?
Yes. Our crews work across Buffalo Grove, including The Highlands, Green Knolls, Windfield, Didier Farms — ZIP 60089 — and nearby Arlington Heights, Palatine, Lake Zurich.
Working in Buffalo Grove
- A lot of Buffalo Grove kitchens date from the 1980s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Buffalo Grove homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
The HighlandsGreen KnollsWindfieldDidier Farms
ZIP 60089
Home Bars & Coffee Stations nearby
Other kitchen services in Buffalo Grove
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.
Kitchen Backsplash InstallationTile backsplashes with clean lines and flush outlets.