Swollen cabinet bottoms and toe kicks
Swollen edges on cabinet bottoms or side panels mean the material has absorbed water. Some can be dried and kept; swollen particleboard is usually replaced.
Serving Des Plaines & nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge
Kitchen Water Damage Restoration in Des Plaines, IL
Dishwasher, sink or pipe leak in your Des Plaines kitchen? We stop the water, dry the structure and put the kitchen back together.
- Crews covering Des Plaines ZIP 60016, 60018
- We stop the cause first, then dry, clean and rebuild
- Photos and notes you can share with your insurer
Kitchen water damage we handle in Des Plaines
A burst supply line or a dishwasher that flooded overnight needs fast, careful drying, not just mopping. Our Des Plaines crew extracts standing water, opens toe kicks and wet drywall, sets air movers and dehumidifiers and checks with meters until the wood and walls are dry.
Stain on the ceiling below the kitchen
A brown ring on the basement or downstairs ceiling often means the kitchen floor has been leaking through. We check from both sides and dry the cavity between them.
Dishwasher leaked across the floor
Dishwasher floods are among the most common kitchen water losses we see. The unit comes out, the leak is diagnosed and the floor and cabinet bottoms are dried and checked with a meter.
Flooring lifting, buckling or cupping
Laminate and wood floors swell and cup when water gets underneath. We dry the subfloor first, then tell you which boards can stay and which have to come up.
Musty smell after a leak
Lingering mustiness often comes from wet cabinet bottoms, insulation or subfloor. We locate the wet material and dry or remove it.
Water damage found during a remodel
Old leak damage behind cabinets is common. We fix it properly so the new kitchen isn't built over it.
Burst or split supply line
Supply line failures soak everything nearby fast. Extraction and drying equipment matter more than speed with a mop, and we set both up once the line is repaired.
Water under the kitchen sink
Wet cabinet floors under the sink usually come from a supply line, shutoff valve, drain slip joint or garbage disposal. We find the leak, fix it and dry or replace the swollen cabinet bottom.
What we handle after the damage
- Stopping the waterWe confirm the supply is shut off and fix or cap the leaking line, valve or appliance connection.
- Water extractionWe pull up the pooled water first so drying equipment works on damp material, not a puddle.
- Removing toe kicks and wet materialsMaterials that won't dry in place are removed so the structure behind them can.
- Drying equipmentWe set fans and dehumidifiers and adjust them as the materials dry.
- Subfloor and framing checkWe confirm the wood under the floor is sound before new flooring goes down.
- Documentation for insuranceWe document the loss and can walk the job with your insurance adjuster.
- RebuildWe restore the kitchen once everything is dry: walls, cabinets, floor and fixtures.
Tools of the job
DehumidifiersEquipment that keeps room humidity low enough for drying to continue.
Moisture meters and thermal imagingPin and pinless meters plus an infrared camera to find wet areas you can't see.
Cavity dryingSmall openings or removed toe kicks that let air into wall and cabinet cavities.
Replacement cabinet panels and toe kicksPanel replacement for swollen parts when the rest of the cabinet is sound.
Air moversHigh-velocity fans that move air across wet floors, walls and cabinet bases.
Before and after: kitchens near Des Plaines
Problem
Fixed
DetailA Des Plaines two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
A two-story colonial from the 1990s in Des Plaines, a typical kitchen for Des Plaines. Before: 12-inch beige ceramic tile and golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above. The main complaint was boards that cupped after a dishwasher leak. After: the kitchen dried out with meters confirming it, new flooring laid and new toe kicks and cabinet bottoms fitted. The job covered water extraction, removing toe kicks and wet materials, plus subfloor and framing check.
Before
AfterKitchen Water Damage Restoration in a 1980s two-story, Elk Grove Village
A 1980s two-story in Elk Grove Village, a typical kitchen for Elk Grove Village. The kitchen as it was: oak parquet and white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim. The reason for the call: a wood floor that lifted near the sink. After: the kitchen dried out with meters confirming it, new flooring laid and new toe kicks and cabinet bottoms fitted. On site this meant removing toe kicks and wet materials, documentation for insurance, plus rebuild.
Kitchen Water Damage Restoration in Elk Grove Village →
Before
AfterA Des Plaines 1950s ranch: before and after
Cabinets in light butter yellow with satin brass pulls, creamy quartzite-look quartz counters, a green zellige-look tile backsplash, warm oak luxury vinyl plank flooring and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights.
Kitchen Remodeling in Des Plaines →
Before
AfterDes Plaines kitchen, 1950s ranch: kitchen cabinet painting
The same doors sprayed in pale sage, new polished nickel pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Des Plaines →What happens after you call
- Call and shut off the waterClose the fixture or main shutoff, call us and we'll tell you how fast we can be there.
- Assess and extractWe find the source, map the moisture and remove standing water.
- Dry and monitorEquipment runs while we check readings until materials reach normal levels, often several days.
- Repair and rebuildDamaged drywall, cabinet parts and flooring are replaced and the kitchen is put back together.
Kitchen Water Damage Restoration questions from Des Plaines homeowners
Do you replace the flooring too?
We do. Whether it's a section or the whole room depends on the material and what's still available.
What should I do first after a dishwasher leak?
Stop the water, cut power to the unit, mop up the puddle and take photos. Then call so we can check under the cabinets and flooring.
How long does kitchen water damage restoration take?
Drying often takes several days, depending on how much water and which materials got wet. Repairs follow once readings are normal.
What affects the cost of water damage restoration?
The size of the wet area, drying days, removal and the rebuild drive the price. You get a line-item estimate.
When should I call a water damage company?
When water has gone under cabinets or flooring, through a wall or ceiling, or more than a small puddle was involved. Those spots don't dry by themselves.
Des Plaines building permit for kitchen water damage restoration: where do I apply?
Permits go through Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division, phone 847-391-5380. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a permit for kitchen water damage restoration in Des Plaines?
It depends on the scope. Des Plaines's rule in short: A building permit is required for any residential kitchen remodel; non-structural work uses the Kitchen/Bath Non-Structural permit ($150 fee, rough and final inspections). We handle the permit when one is needed with Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division.
Do you work in my part of Des Plaines?
Yes. Our crews work across Des Plaines — ZIP 60016, 60018 — and nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Elk Grove Village.
Working in Des Plaines
- A lot of Des Plaines kitchens date from the 1960s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Des Plaines homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60016ZIP 60018
Kitchen Water Damage Restoration nearby
Other kitchen services in Des Plaines
Kitchen Mold RemediationMoisture source fixed, mold contained and removed, kitchen rebuilt.
Kitchen Subfloor RepairSoft spots, rot and squeaks fixed at the structure under the floor.
Kitchen Cabinet & Drawer RepairHinges, drawer slides and water-damaged sink bases fixed.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.