Soffit above the uppers
A soffit steals the top of the wall. Before ordering, we open it up to see if it hides a duct or pipe, then plan taller wall cabinets or a neat finished box.
Serving Highland Park & nearby Northbrook, Glenview
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in Highland Park, IL
We tear out worn-out kitchen cabinets in Highland Park and install new ones level, square and anchored to the studs.
- Local crews working in Highland Park ZIP 60035
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Cabinet problems we replace and fix in Highland Park
Replacing kitchen cabinets is mostly about what you don't see: a straight base line, wall cabinets screwed into studs, fillers scribed to crooked walls. Our Highland Park crew handles the tear-out, the install and the trim work, and leaves the kitchen ready for countertops.
Wasted space in the corner
That dark corner cabinet nobody opens can become usable storage with a swing-out or carousel unit in the new layout.
Boxes are falling apart
Once particleboard crumbles around the hinge screws and the frames separate, no amount of tightening keeps the doors straight. We replace the boxes themselves.
New appliances don't fit the openings
A wider range, a counter-depth fridge or a second oven usually needs openings the old cabinets don't have. New cabinets are sized around the appliances you actually own.
Cabinets that don't match after a patch job
One replaced door here, a mismatched base there — after years of patches the kitchen looks pieced together. A full replacement brings everything back to one finish and one style.
Wall cabinets pulling off the wall
Upper cabinets loaded with dishes are heavy. If yours are tilting forward or the screws are showing, we re-hang or replace them with screws driven into studs.
Peeling thermofoil or failing edges
Peeling vinyl fronts are a common reason for calls. We check the boxes; if they are still sound we may suggest refacing, if not we install new cabinets.
Too many doors, not enough drawers
Kneeling to dig pots out of a deep base is no fun. We swap door-and-shelf bases for deep drawer stacks that bring everything up to you.
What the project covers
- Measuring and site checkWe measure walls, ceiling height and appliance openings and check floor level before anything is ordered.
- Wall and floor prepWe mark framing, find the floor's high point and fix damaged wall sections before the first box goes in.
- Base cabinets set levelLower boxes leveled, clamped and joined into one straight run, then secured to the framing.
- Fillers, panels and scribingFillers and end panels cut and scribed to uneven walls so doors clear walls and appliances.
- Trim and toe kicksFinish trim at the top and bottom of the run, matched to the cabinet color.
- Doors, drawers and hardwareEvery door and drawer adjusted for even gaps, with knobs and pulls drilled from a jig.
- Ready for countertopsWe hand off a flat, rigid base line for templating and reconnect what we can once the tops are in.
Finishes and options
Soft-close hinges and dovetail drawersLook for soft-close hardware and dovetail or dowel-joined drawers — they last far longer than stapled ones.
Stock, semi-custom and custom linesStock cabinets come in set sizes and ship fastest; semi-custom adds sizes and finishes; custom is built to your room and usually takes longest.
Ready-to-assemble cabinetsWe assemble and install RTA cabinets you bought yourself and check every box for damage first.
Plywood vs. particleboard boxesPlywood boxes hold screws better and handle moisture better than particleboard, which matters most at the sink.
Framed and frameless cabinetsFramed cabinets have a face frame around the opening; frameless boxes give slightly wider openings and a cleaner modern look.
Before and after: kitchens near Highland Park
Before
In progress
AfterBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Highland Park
A 1960s ranch in Highland Park, a typical kitchen for Highland Park. What we started with: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls and laminate with an aluminum edge band. The reason for the call: worn-out cabinets that no longer closed properly. Finished kitchen: new cabinets in warm taupe with brushed nickel bar pulls, installed level and ready for charcoal concrete-look quartz counters. On site this meant wall and floor prep, fillers, panels and scribing, plus ready for countertops.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Buffalo Grove
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s near Windfield. The kitchen as it was: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above and white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam. The main complaint was too little storage under an old soffit. After: new cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers with satin brass pulls, installed level and ready for charcoal concrete-look quartz counters. Work included wall and floor prep, base cabinets set level, plus doors, drawers and hardware.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterHighland Park kitchen, postwar bi-level: custom kitchen cabinets
What changed: built-to-fit cabinetry to the ceiling in white uppers and deep green lowers with satin brass pulls and warm walnut butcher block counters.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets in Highland Park →
Before
AfterHighland Park kitchen, 1950s ranch: countertop fabrication & installation
Finished: warm walnut butcher block countertops with a tight seam, an undermount sink and a new faucet.
Countertop Fabrication & Installation in Highland Park →
Before
AfterKitchen Remodeling in a postwar bi-level, Highland Park
What changed: cabinets in white uppers and dusty blue lowers with matte black pulls, bright white quartz counters, a terracotta-look square tile backsplash, black-and-white checkerboard tile flooring and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Remodeling in Highland Park →How your cabinet replacement goes
- Visit and measurementsWe look at the old cabinets, measure the room and talk through what you want to change.
- Cabinet plan and written estimateYou get a cabinet plan and a written quote that lists every part of the job.
- Ordering and deliveryCabinets are ordered; lead time depends on the line, and we inspect every box when it arrives.
- Tear-out and installationOld cabinets out, walls prepped, new boxes set level, hung on studs and trimmed.
- Adjustment and walk-throughWe fine-tune every door, clean up and walk the kitchen with you.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement questions from Highland Park homeowners
Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets?
Usually only when plumbing or electrical work is involved. We confirm the Highland Park requirements during the estimate and pull the permit if needed.
How much does it cost to replace kitchen cabinets?
Cabinet quality, run length and the work around them — removal, trim, counters — set the price. We measure first and then put a detailed estimate in writing.
Will my kitchen be usable during the work?
For a few days the kitchen is a work zone. Many owners set up a coffee station elsewhere; we keep the time without a sink as short as we can.
Do you remove and haul away the old cabinets?
We do. The old cabinets and counters leave with us, and the room is swept before installation starts.
How long does kitchen cabinet installation take?
Most installs take several days on site. The longer wait is often the cabinet lead time before that, which depends on the line you choose.
Highland Park contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
The City publishes contractor requirements on its Building Division page (new building codes effective March 1, 2026). We take care of that before work starts.
What kind of Highland Park homes do you work in?
In Highland Park we see Ravinia District retains early artists' colony character and architecture. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do you work in my part of Highland Park?
Yes. Our crews work across Highland Park, including Ravinia District, Downtown Highland Park, Port Clinton, St. John's — ZIP 60035 — and nearby Northbrook, Glenview, Buffalo Grove.
Working in Highland Park
- A lot of Highland Park kitchens date from the pre-1940. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Highland Park homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Older paint is treated with lead-safe practices: containment, HEPA cleanup and a clean hand-over.
Ravinia DistrictDowntown Highland ParkPort ClintonSt. John's
ZIP 60035
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement nearby
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Other kitchen services in Highland Park
Custom Kitchen CabinetsBuilt-to-fit cabinetry up to the ceiling.
Kitchen Cabinet ModificationCabinets resized for new appliances, panels and fillers.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.