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.
Serving Elgin & nearby St. Charles, Bartlett
Kitchen Additions in Elgin, IL
Bump-outs and rear additions that give your Elgin kitchen the room it's missing, from zoning check to finished cabinets.
- Kitchen remodels across Elgin ZIP 60123, 60124, 60120, 60140
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
When a Elgin kitchen needs more room, not just new cabinets
If you have already tried every layout on paper and the room is still too small, an addition may be the answer. We check what your Elgin lot and zoning allow, design the new space with the kitchen, and build both as one project.
A pre-1940 kitchen on a slab or crawlspace
pre-1940 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.
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
An addition is a bigger project than a remodel. We compare both options on your floor plan so the decision is clear.
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.
Heating and cooling the new space
We plan heating and cooling for the added space from the start, including floor or duct options when the existing system can't reach.
No spot for a mudroom or drop zone
Coats, shoes and backpacks pile up on kitchen chairs when the back door opens straight into the cooking area. A rear addition can put a bench, hooks and lockers between the yard and the kitchen.
Zoning and setback questions
Not every lot can take an addition. We look at the setbacks and coverage rules for your property first, so you know what's possible.
What's included
- Design and permit drawingsDrawings for the addition and the new kitchen, prepared for plan review and construction.
- Permits and plan reviewPermit filing, any corrections the village asks for and inspections through final.
- Excavation and foundationDigging, footings and foundation walls or a slab, depending on how the existing house is built.
- Plumbing, electrical and HVACSupply and drain lines, new circuits and ductwork extended into the addition.
- 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 kitchenFlooring run continuously from the old kitchen into the addition, then cabinets, counters and fixtures.
Materials and options
Full foundation vs. slab vs. piersWe match the foundation type to the house and the size of the addition, always below frost depth.
Bump-outA small addition of a few feet along one wall, often enough for an island, a nook or a pantry.
Matching exterior materialsBrick, siding and trim sourced to match the house as closely as possible.
Cantilevered bump-outA short extension supported by the floor framing instead of a new foundation, when the joists and codes allow it.
Banquettes and built-in seatingBuilt-in benches along the new windows make a compact eating nook with storage underneath.
Kitchens like yours in Elgin: before and after
Before
In progress
AfterKitchen Additions in a 1990s two-story colonial, Elgin
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial in Elgin. 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 cramped kitchen with one small window. The result: 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. On site this meant design and permit drawings, excavation and foundation, plus plumbing, electrical and HVAC.
Before
AfterA St. Charles 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
This one is a 1990s two-story colonial in St. Charles. Before: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim, white ceramic tile with dark stained grout lines and a brass chandelier over the nook. The reason for the call: a kitchen too small for the family to eat in. 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, black-and-white checkerboard tile flooring through the old and new space and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. Work included design and permit drawings, permits and plan review, plus opening the existing wall.
Kitchen Additions in St. Charles →
Before
AfterA Hoffman Estates 1970s tract home: before and after
This one is a 1970s tract home in Hoffman Estates. Before: 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, excavation and foundation, plus the new kitchen.
Kitchen Additions in Hoffman Estates →
Before
AfterElgin kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen design & layout planning
What changed: a new layout with an island, cabinets in white uppers and dusty blue lowers, warm walnut butcher block counters and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Elgin →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Elgin
Finished: 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.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Elgin →How your kitchen addition goes
- Site visit and feasibilityA visit to measure the house and lot and confirm an addition is possible.
- Design and estimatePlans, elevations and a line-item quote for the full project.
- 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 finishingThe final stretch: break-through, drywall, cabinets, counters and a walk-through with you.
Kitchen Additions questions from Elgin homeowners
How long does plan review take?
Often several weeks, sometimes longer. We file complete drawings to avoid avoidable back-and-forth.
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.
What does a kitchen addition cost?
There's no honest number without seeing the house and lot. We send a detailed estimate that separates the addition from the kitchen work.
Is a bump-out enough, or do I need a full addition?
A bump-out solves a depth problem; a full addition solves a size problem. We'll show you which one your kitchen has.
Are bump-out kitchen additions allowed in Elgin?
In most cases, as long as the bump-out stays within the setbacks and lot coverage limits. We check your property against the zoning code before designing.
Elgin contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
City requires a notarized letter of intent from all licensed contractors; general contractors submit one for each licensed subcontractor. We take care of that before work starts.
What is the Elgin building department phone number?
Permits go through Community Development Department (Building permits), City of Elgin, 150 Dexter Court, phone 847-931-6001. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
What does Elgin ask for on electrical work?
Electrical service upgrades must be done by a licensed electrician; electrical contractors need a license from an Illinois municipality that gives a written exam, plus notarized letter of intent. New circuits and wiring are done by licensed electricians.
Do I need historic review for kitchen addition in Elgin?
Elgin has locally reviewed areas, including Spring-Douglas Historic District and Elgin Heritage Commission. Exterior changes there can need review; interior-only work usually does not. We check before anything changes on the outside.
Does Elgin require a licensed plumber for kitchen addition?
Plumbing contractors need a current Illinois 055 license and notarized letter of intent; plumber must be present at inspection with 058 license. Our plumbing connections are made by licensed plumbers.
Do I need a permit for kitchen addition in Elgin?
It depends on the scope. Elgin's rule in short: No kitchen-specific rule; interior remodeling (including kitchens) uses the general Remodeling Permit Application. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department (Building permits), City of Elgin, 150 Dexter Court.
Do you work in my part of Elgin?
Yes. Our crews work across Elgin, including Gifford Park, West Side, Downtown — ZIP 60123, 60124, 60120, 60140 — and nearby St. Charles, Bartlett, Hoffman Estates.
Working in Elgin
- A lot of Elgin kitchens date from the pre-1940. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Elgin homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in the Spring-Douglas Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
Gifford ParkWest SideDowntown
ZIP 60123ZIP 60124ZIP 60120ZIP 60140
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Other kitchen services in Elgin
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.