Single-family homes with yard to spare
Where the yard allows, we look at combining the kitchen expansion with a mudroom, laundry or family room in one addition.
Serving Lake Zurich & nearby Palatine, Buffalo Grove
Kitchen Additions in Lake Zurich, IL
Bump-outs and rear additions that give your Lake Zurich kitchen the room it's missing, from zoning check to finished cabinets.
- Local crews working in Lake Zurich ZIP 60047
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
When a Lake Zurich kitchen needs more room, not just new cabinets
Sometimes no layout can fix a kitchen that is simply too small. A kitchen addition in Lake Zurich — a bump-out of a few feet or a full rear addition — adds floor space for an island, a table or a pantry, and we handle it from the zoning check and permit drawings to the foundation, roof and finished cabinets.
A 1980s kitchen on a slab or crawlspace
1980s 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
A kitchen with one window over the sink stays dim all day. The new exterior wall of an addition is where we put the glass.
Remodeling alone won't solve it
Sometimes the answer is cheaper than an addition: a wall removal or a new layout. We tell you honestly whether you need more square footage before drawing one.
No room for a pantry
We often plan the new space so a full pantry wall or a small walk-in pantry fits, freeing the original cabinets for daily use.
Second cook, second sink, no space
A bigger island with a prep sink, a beverage area or a second dishwasher all need floor space the original room lacks. An addition supplies it.
Zoning and setback questions
Every village sets limits on how close you can build to lot lines and how much of the lot can be covered. We check those limits before you invest in design.
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.
What's included
- Design and permit drawingsFloor plans, elevations and structural details, sealed by a licensed architect or engineer when the village requires it.
- Excavation and foundationUtilities located, footings dug below frost depth and a foundation poured or built to match the house.
- Framing and roof tie-inNew framing connected to the house, a roof that ties into the existing one and a weather-tight shell.
- Plumbing, electrical and HVACSupply and drain lines, new circuits and ductwork extended into the addition.
- Grading, gutters and drainageWe restore the yard around the addition and make sure rainwater drains away from it.
- Opening the existing wallWe break through to the existing kitchen late, with a properly supported opening.
- The new kitchenCabinets, counters, backsplash, flooring and lighting installed across the old and new space.
Choices you'll make
Rear kitchen additionA larger addition behind the house that can hold the kitchen, a dining area or a family room.
Cantilevered bump-outA short extension supported by the floor framing instead of a new foundation, when the joists and codes allow it.
Full foundation vs. slab vs. piersWe match the foundation type to the house and the size of the addition, always below frost depth.
Matching exterior materialsBrick, siding and trim sourced to match the house as closely as possible.
Bump-outA small addition of a few feet along one wall, often enough for an island, a nook or a pantry.
Kitchen Additions before and after — Lake Zurich homes
Before
In progress
AfterA Lake Zurich two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Lake Zurich. The kitchen as it was: 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: no room for a table, an island or more cabinets. Finished kitchen: 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. The job covered framing and roof tie-in, plumbing, electrical and HVAC, plus grading, gutters and drainage.
Before
AfterA Palatine two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
This one is a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Palatine. 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. What bothered the owners most: 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 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. Work included framing and roof tie-in, grading, gutters and drainage, plus the new kitchen.
Kitchen Additions in Palatine →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Buffalo Grove
This one is a 1980s two-story near Windfield. The kitchen as it was: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above, white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam and two hanging glass pendants. What bothered the owners most: a kitchen too small for the family to eat in. After: the kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in light gray uppers and dusty rose lowers with brushed nickel bar pulls, dark soapstone-look quartz counters, gray wood-look porcelain plank flooring through the old and new space and two glass pendants and recessed lights. Work included design and permit drawings, grading, gutters and drainage, plus opening the existing wall.
Kitchen Additions in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterKitchen Design & Layout Planning in a two-story colonial from the 1990s, Lake Zurich
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 Lake Zurich →
Before
AfterA Lake Zurich 1980s two-story: before and after
A lowered charcoal concrete-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in deep burgundy 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 Lake Zurich →The project, step by step
- Site visit and feasibilityWe look at the kitchen, the house and the lot, and check the zoning limits that apply.
- Design and estimateDrawings for the addition and kitchen, plus a written, itemized estimate.
- Permit and plan reviewPermit application, review comments and approval before any digging.
- Building the shellWe build and close in the addition while your kitchen stays in use.
- Connecting and finishingWe open the old wall, finish the mechanical work and install the new kitchen.
Kitchen Additions questions from Lake Zurich homeowners
How long does plan review take?
Often several weeks, sometimes longer. We file complete drawings to avoid avoidable back-and-forth.
Do you work with an architect?
When the village requires sealed drawings or the design calls for it, an architect or structural engineer prepares and stamps them as part of our project.
Will the addition match the rest of the house?
Yes, as closely as materials allow. Where an exact match isn't available, we choose a deliberate, complementary finish.
How long does a kitchen addition take?
It's a bigger project than a remodel: weeks of planning and permits, then usually a few months of construction.
Will the addition change my property taxes?
Added square footage is often reflected in your assessment. Your township assessor can explain how improvements are handled.
Lake Zurich building permit for kitchen addition: where do I apply?
Permits go through Building and Zoning Division (Community Services Department), phone 847-540-1696. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a Lake Zurich-registered contractor for kitchen addition?
All contractors and subcontractors must register with the Village before work: form, $120 annual fee (Illinois-licensed plumbers exempt), signed $10,000 surety bond. Village pages show differing fee amounts ($110/$120/$125). We take care of that before work starts.
Does Lake Zurich require a licensed electrician for kitchen addition?
Electrical contractors must submit a copy of an electrical license when registering with the Village. New circuits and wiring are done by licensed electricians.
Lake Zurich plumbing code: who can do the plumbing for kitchen addition?
Plumbing contractors submit state registrations (055 & 058) and a letter of intent with each permit application. Our plumbing connections are made by licensed plumbers.
Which Lake Zurich homes do you most often see for kitchen addition?
In Lake Zurich we see Housing development began in the 1950s. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do I need a permit for kitchen addition in Lake Zurich?
It depends on the scope. Lake Zurich's rule in short: Permit required for remodeling (kitchen, bath, basement). We handle the permit when one is needed with Building and Zoning Division (Community Services Department).
Do you work in my part of Lake Zurich?
Yes. Our crews work across Lake Zurich — ZIP 60047 — and nearby Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights.
Working in Lake Zurich
- A lot of Lake Zurich kitchens date from the 1980s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Lake Zurich homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Building and Zoning Division (Community Services Department) handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60047
Kitchen Additions nearby
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- All kitchen services in Lake ZurichRemodels, cabinets, counters, plumbing, appliances and repairs
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Other kitchen services in Lake Zurich
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.