Soffit above the uppers
Removing a 1970s soffit can add a full row of storage. If something inside has to stay, we size the cabinets around it and trim it cleanly.
Serving Northbrook & nearby Glenview, Highland Park
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in Northbrook, IL
We tear out worn-out kitchen cabinets in Northbrook and install new ones level, square and anchored to the studs.
- Local crews working in Northbrook ZIP 60062
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Cabinet problems we replace and fix in Northbrook
When cabinet boxes are swollen, sagging or simply in the wrong places, paint and new doors only hide the problem. We remove the old cabinets in your Northbrook kitchen and install new ones level, square and fastened into the framing, so doors line up and counters sit flat.
Too many doors, not enough drawers
Lower cabinets with a single shelf waste space and hurt your back. Drawer bases with full-extension slides let you see and reach every pan.
Boxes are falling apart
Drawer bottoms that drop out, face frames pulling loose and hinges that won't hold a screw mean the boxes are finished. New cabinets with sturdier construction are the lasting fix.
New appliances don't fit the openings
If the new fridge sticks out past the counters or the range gap is an inch short, we rebuild the run around the appliance specs.
Cabinets that don't match after a patch job
When previous repairs left odd colors and different hardware, matching is no longer realistic. New cabinets give you a single, consistent look.
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.
Wasted space in the corner
Corners are where old kitchens lose the most room. We plan the replacement with a corner unit you can actually reach.
Layout that fights you every day
Painting can't move a sink base or widen a drawer stack. If the arrangement itself is wrong, we redraw it and install new cabinets in the right spots.
What's included
- Measuring and site checkWe measure walls, ceiling height and appliance openings and check floor level before anything is ordered.
- Protection and tear-outFloors and doorways covered, appliances pulled, old cabinets and counters removed and hauled away.
- Wall and floor prepStuds located and marked, high spots found, drywall patched where old cabinets came off.
- Base cabinets set levelBase cabinets shimmed level from the high spot, screwed together and fastened to the wall.
- Wall cabinets hung on studsWall cabinets hung plumb and anchored into the framing with cabinet screws.
- Doors, drawers and hardwareHinges and slides tuned so reveals are even, hardware mounted in straight lines.
- 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
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.
Door stylesShaker, slab, raised-panel or inset — the door style sets the look, and we install any of them.
Plywood vs. particleboard boxesParticleboard keeps the price down; plywood holds up longer near water. Many owners choose plywood at least for the sink base.
Soft-close hinges and dovetail drawersSoft-close hinges and full-extension slides are standard on most lines today; dovetail drawer boxes are a sign of solid construction.
Ready-to-assemble cabinetsFlat-pack cabinets can work well if they are assembled square and installed carefully; we do both.
What the work looks like in Northbrook homes
Before
In progress
AfterNorthbrook kitchen, 1950s ranch: kitchen cabinet installation & replacement
A 1950s ranch in Northbrook, a typical kitchen for Northbrook. The kitchen as it was: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls and laminate with an aluminum edge band. What bothered the owners most: worn-out cabinets that no longer closed properly. After: new cabinets in warm taupe with brushed nickel bar pulls, installed level and ready for charcoal concrete-look quartz counters. Work included protection and tear-out, wall cabinets hung on studs, plus doors, drawers and hardware.
Before
AfterBuffalo Grove kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen cabinet installation & replacement
A 1990s two-story colonial near Green Knolls, a typical kitchen for Buffalo Grove. Before: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above and white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam. What bothered the owners most: too little storage under an old soffit. Finished kitchen: new cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers with satin brass pulls, installed level and ready for charcoal concrete-look quartz counters. The job covered protection and tear-out, base cabinets set level, plus wall cabinets hung on studs.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterNorthbrook kitchen, 1950s ranch: custom kitchen cabinets
Finished: built-to-fit cabinetry to the ceiling in white uppers and deep green lowers with matte black pulls and light marble-look quartz counters.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets in Northbrook →
Before
AfterCountertop Fabrication & Installation in a postwar bi-level, Northbrook
White quartz with soft gray veining countertops with a tight seam, an undermount sink and a new faucet.
Countertop Fabrication & Installation in Northbrook →
Before
AfterNorthbrook kitchen, 1950s ranch: kitchen remodeling
Cabinets in forest green with matte black pulls, black honed granite 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 Northbrook →The project, step by step
- Visit and measurementsAn in-home visit to measure, check the floor and walls and hear what isn't working.
- Cabinet plan and written estimateYou get a cabinet plan and a written quote that lists every part of the job.
- Ordering and deliveryWe place the order and check the delivery against the plan so nothing is missing on install day.
- Tear-out and installationRemoval, prep, leveling, hanging and trim — usually a few days for a typical kitchen.
- Adjustment and walk-throughDoors and drawers adjusted, hardware on, and a walk-through before countertops are templated.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement questions from Northbrook homeowners
Do you remove and haul away the old cabinets?
Yes. Tear-out and disposal are part of the job, and we protect floors and walls while doing it.
Can I swap upper cabinets for open shelves?
Sure — a few open shelves can break up a long run. We install them on concealed supports tied into the framing.
How long does kitchen cabinet installation take?
Removing the old cabinets and installing a typical kitchen usually takes a few working days once the cabinets are on site. Countertops follow after templating.
Can you replace lower cabinets with drawers?
Yes. New drawer bases with full-extension slides usually hold more than door-and-shelf cabinets of the same width.
How much does it cost to replace kitchen cabinets?
It depends on how many cabinets you need, the line you choose, how much trim and fillers the room takes and whether counters come off too. We give a written, itemized estimate after the visit.
Does Northbrook require a licensed electrician for cabinet replacement?
Electrical contractor license $70; must submit a copy of a valid electrician's registration with the application. New circuits and wiring are done by licensed electricians.
Do I need a Northbrook-registered contractor for cabinet replacement?
Village contractor license required, good for one year: general contractors $100; electrical $70. We take care of that before work starts.
Does cabinet replacement need a Northbrook building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Development & Planning Services, phone 847-664-4050. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
What happens to the old appliance in Northbrook?
One bulk item per week at the curb free; white goods (stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers) handled separately, $30 each, scheduled with LRS at 844.633.3577. If you'd rather not deal with it, we haul old units and debris away.
Do I need a permit for cabinet replacement in Northbrook?
It depends on the scope. Northbrook's rule in short: Village lists separate permit types: Single Family Alterations - Interior, Electrical (new wiring/outlets), and Plumbing (new fixtures). We handle the permit when one is needed with Development & Planning Services.
Do you work in my part of Northbrook?
Yes. Our crews work across Northbrook, including Techny, Downtown Northbrook — ZIP 60062 — and nearby Glenview, Highland Park, Mount Prospect.
Working in Northbrook
- A lot of Northbrook kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Northbrook homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Development & Planning Services handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
TechnyDowntown Northbrook
ZIP 60062
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement nearby
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Other kitchen services in Northbrook
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.