Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Evanston, IL

What makes a Evanston kitchen hard to use, and how we fix it

An accessible kitchen remodel in Evanston starts with the person who will use it: how they reach, stand, sit and move. We plan counter heights, knee space, clear floor area, storage and appliances around those measurements, using universal design guidance rather than a one-size checklist.

Older homes with narrow doorways and steps

Many older Evanston houses have narrow kitchen doorways and a step down to the back door. We look at widening openings and leveling transitions as part of the plan.

Condo kitchens with tight footprints

Small condo kitchens leave little room to turn. We open the plan where the building allows and choose compact appliances that keep the floor clear.

Deep base cabinets you have to kneel into

Pots at the back of a dark cabinet might as well be in the basement. Drawers that open fully put them within one easy reach.

Counters too high to work at seated

A standard counter is too high for prep from a wheelchair. We add a lowered section with open knee space, so at least one work area fits a seated cook.

Dim light and low contrast

If it's hard to see where the counter ends, add contrast. A light counter on dark cabinets, or a contrasting edge, plus strong under-cabinet light helps.

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.

Reaching over hot burners

If you lean over a hot burner to turn a knob, the layout is wrong. We choose front-control appliances and keep a heat-safe surface right beside them.

Light switches and outlets out of reach

We move switches lower, add outlets at the front edge or in the cabinet face and use rocker switches anyone can press.

See your problem here?Call us (708) 400-7049 Request a callback

Everything in a accessible kitchen remodel

Demolition and protectionOld cabinets and counters removed with dust barriers, and a path kept clear for the household.
Doorways and floor transitionsFlush transitions and wider doorways so wheels and walkers pass easily.
Electrical and lightingOutlets and switches at reachable heights, rocker controls and bright task lighting.
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 installationWe set and connect the appliances where the user can reach their controls and doors.
Flooring and finishingSlip-resistant flooring, paint and final adjustment of every door, drawer and pull-down.

Choices you'll make

Side-opening wall ovensDoors that swing to the side let you reach in without leaning over a hot door.

Lever and touch faucetsSingle-lever or touch-activated faucets that work without gripping or twisting.

Pull-down shelvingShelf units that lower out of upper cabinets to counter level with one pull.

D-shaped pulls and rocker switchesLoop handles and wide rocker switches that work with a closed hand.

Slip-resistant flooringMatte porcelain, luxury vinyl plank or sheet flooring with good traction and smooth rolling.

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling before and after — Evanston homes

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in a prewar house — before — Evanston kitchen, brick bungalow from the 1920s: accessible kitchen remodeling

The site: a brick bungalow from the 1920s in Evanston. What we started with: dark stained 1970s oak cabinets with heavy frames, white laminate with a wood edge and a white range and a white refrigerator. What bothered the owners most: bending to a low oven and reaching over hot burners. Finished kitchen: 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. The job covered demolition and protection, multi-height countertops, plus flooring and finishing.

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in a prewar house — after — Evanston kitchen, brick bungalow from the 1920s: accessible kitchen remodeling

The site: a brick bungalow from the 1920s in Evanston. What we started with: dark stained 1970s oak cabinets with heavy frames, white laminate with a wood edge and a white range and a white refrigerator. What bothered the owners most: bending to a low oven and reaching over hot burners. Finished kitchen: 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. The job covered demolition and protection, multi-height countertops, plus flooring and finishing.

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling project in Skokie, before — Before and after: a 1950s ranch in Skokie

A 1950s ranch in Skokie, a typical kitchen for Skokie. Before: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and white appliances. The reason for the call: a kitchen that was getting harder to use every year. The result: a lowered charcoal concrete-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in pale sage uppers and light gray 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 a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. On site this meant doorways and floor transitions, electrical and lighting, plus flooring and finishing.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Skokie →

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling project in Skokie, after — Before and after: a 1950s ranch in Skokie

A 1950s ranch in Skokie, a typical kitchen for Skokie. Before: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and white appliances. The reason for the call: a kitchen that was getting harder to use every year. The result: a lowered charcoal concrete-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in pale sage uppers and light gray 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 a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. On site this meant doorways and floor transitions, electrical and lighting, plus flooring and finishing.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Skokie →

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling project in Glenview, before — Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in a postwar bi-level, Glenview

A postwar bi-level near The Park, a typical kitchen for Glenview. Before: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls, laminate with an aluminum edge band and an older white range and a white refrigerator. The main complaint was bending to a low oven and reaching over hot burners. The result: a lowered black honed granite counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in deep burgundy with polished nickel pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. The job covered electrical and lighting, appliance installation, plus flooring and finishing.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Glenview →

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling project in Glenview, after — Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in a postwar bi-level, Glenview

A postwar bi-level near The Park, a typical kitchen for Glenview. Before: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls, laminate with an aluminum edge band and an older white range and a white refrigerator. The main complaint was bending to a low oven and reaching over hot burners. The result: a lowered black honed granite counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in deep burgundy with polished nickel pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. The job covered electrical and lighting, appliance installation, plus flooring and finishing.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Glenview →

Kitchen Design & Layout Planning project near Evanston, before — An Evanston prewar foursquare: before and after

What changed: 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 Evanston →

Kitchen Design & Layout Planning project near Evanston, after — An Evanston prewar foursquare: before and after

What changed: 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 Evanston →

Kitchen Additions project near Evanston, before — Kitchen Additions in a brick bungalow from the 1920s, Evanston

What changed: 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.
Kitchen Additions in Evanston →

Kitchen Additions project near Evanston, after — Kitchen Additions in a brick bungalow from the 1920s, Evanston

What changed: 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.
Kitchen Additions in Evanston →

The project, step by step

Assessment visitWe meet the people who will use the kitchen, measure reach and seated height and look at the room.
Design and estimateAccessible layout drawings, appliance choices and a written, itemized estimate.
Ordering and permitsWe order materials and handle any permit the work needs.
ConstructionRough-ins, inspections, then cabinets, multi-height counters, flooring and fixtures.
Walk-through with the userWe test every drawer, shelf and control with the person who will use them and adjust.

Book an estimate (708) 400-7049 Request a callback

Accessible Kitchen Remodeling questions from Evanston homeowners

Can a condo kitchen be made accessible?

Yes, in most cases. Compact appliances, drawer storage and a knee-space work area fit many condo footprints.

What does an accessible kitchen remodel cost?

Scope drives price. A few pull-downs and a new faucet cost far less than a full re-layout. After the assessment we send a line-item quote.

Can you make only part of the kitchen accessible?

Yes. Many projects add one lowered work area, a knee-space sink, pull-down storage and a wall oven while keeping the rest of the kitchen as it is.

Do I need a permit?

It depends on the work. We pull the permit for plumbing, electrical or structural changes and schedule the inspections.

Do residential kitchens have to meet ADA requirements?

No. The ADA standards apply to public and commercial spaces, not private homes. We use them, along with universal design guidance, as a reference and adjust to the person who lives there.

Evanston building permit for accessible kitchen remodel: where do I apply?

Permits go through Community Development Department, Building & Development Services (Building & Inspection Services), phone (847) 448-4311. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.

Can you do accessible kitchen remodel in an Evanston condo?

Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.

Evanston contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?

All contractors working in city limits must register with the City; annual fee General Contractor $150, Trade Contractor $125. We take care of that before work starts.

Do I need a permit for accessible kitchen remodel in Evanston?

It depends on the scope. Evanston's rule in short: Residential permit applications go through the Citizen Portal; City worksheets signed by the contractors are required for any electrical, plumbing or HVAC work. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department, Building & Development Services (Building & Inspection Services).

Do you work in my part of Evanston?

Yes. Our crews work across Evanston — ZIP 60201, 60202, 60208 — and nearby Skokie, Glenview, Park Ridge.

Working in Evanston

Most Evanston homes are prewar. We work around plaster walls, radiators and out-of-square rooms every week.
Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
Live in a historic district? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.

ZIP 60201ZIP 60202ZIP 60208