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.
Serving 49 Chicago-area suburbs
Kitchen Additions in Chicago & the Suburbs
Bump-outs and rear additions that give your Chicagoland kitchen the room it's missing, from zoning check to finished cabinets.
- Local crews working in the Chicago suburbs, from Naperville to Evanston
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
When a Chicagoland kitchen needs more room, not just new cabinets
We build kitchen additions and bump-outs for Chicagoland homes where the kitchen has run out of room. One contractor coordinates the drawings, permit, excavation, framing, roofing, mechanical work and the new kitchen inside it.
Second cook, second sink, no space
When every wall already holds a cabinet or appliance, extra stations like a coffee bar or a prep sink have nowhere to go until the room grows.
Zoning and setback questions
Setbacks, lot coverage and sometimes floor-area limits decide how far you can build out. We confirm them early with the village's zoning rules.
No room for a pantry
If groceries live on the dining table, the kitchen needs more storage than its walls can hold. An addition gives the pantry a home.
Kitchen too small for an island or table
If you eat standing at the counter because there's no space for chairs, adding floor area is the honest fix, and a bump-out is often enough.
No spot for a mudroom or drop zone
If the side door dumps everyone into the kitchen, the new space can include a small entry with storage, keeping boots and bags out of the work zone.
Nowhere to eat together
If the family eats in shifts, an addition can add a breakfast nook, a banquette or a dining area right off the kitchen.
Worried about living through construction
Most of an addition is built outside the existing wall, so the old kitchen can often stay in use until we open the wall near the end.
What's included
- Feasibility and zoning checkA first look at what the property and the village's zoning allow, so the design starts within limits.
- Design and permit drawingsDrawings for the addition and the new kitchen, prepared for plan review and construction.
- Excavation and foundationDigging, footings and foundation walls or a slab, depending on how the existing house is built.
- Grading, gutters and drainageSoil regraded away from the new walls, gutters and downspouts extended so water stays clear of the foundation.
- Insulation and drywallWalls and ceiling insulated to current energy code, then drywall, tape and finish.
- Opening the existing wallThe old exterior wall removed or opened with a beam sized by an engineer, usually near the end of the job.
- The new kitchenFlooring run continuously from the old kitchen into the addition, then cabinets, counters and fixtures.
Materials and options
Windows and patio doorsA row of windows, a sliding or hinged patio door, or a skylight brings daylight into the new space.
Banquettes and built-in seatingA banquette uses the bump-out's walls for seating and keeps the floor open.
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.
Cantilevered bump-outA short extension supported by the floor framing instead of a new foundation, when the joists and codes allow it.
Kitchen Additions across Chicagoland
The same job looks different in a 1920s bungalow, a 1970s split-level and a new subdivision. Here is what we plan for in different parts of the region.
Prewar towns
Older homes on narrow lots
On a tight older lot, every foot counts. We design the addition to the setback limits and match the original brick or siding.
Postwar suburbs
A 1970s kitchen on a slab or crawlspace
1970s 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.
Warrenville, Lisle, Geneva, Buffalo Grove, Itasca, Carol Stream
Kitchen Additions before and after in Chicago-area homes
Before
AfterKitchen Additions in a brick bungalow from the 1920s, Berwyn
The site: a brick bungalow from the 1920s near Depot District. The kitchen as it was: 1960s birch cabinets painted cream over the years, chipped door edges, old brass hardware, worn beige laminate with a metal edge strip and a single glass ceiling fixture. The main complaint was no space to eat together and too little daylight. 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, 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. Work included design and permit drawings, opening the existing wall, plus the new kitchen.
Kitchen Additions in Berwyn →
Before
AfterBolingbrook kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen additions
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial near Westbury. 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: a kitchen that had run out of space. 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. Work included design and permit drawings, opening the existing wall, plus the new kitchen.
Kitchen Additions in Bolingbrook →
Before
AfterA Downers Grove 1950s ranch: before and after
This one is a 1950s ranch near Denburn Woods. The kitchen as it was: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and a dome ceiling light. The reason for the call: a small, dark kitchen with no room for a table. After: 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, black honed granite counters, hickory luxury vinyl plank flooring through the old and new space and two glass pendants and recessed lights. Work included design and permit drawings, insulation and drywall, plus opening the existing wall.
Kitchen Additions in Downers Grove →From first visit to final walk-through
- Site visit and feasibilityA visit to measure the house and lot and confirm an addition is possible.
- 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 shellFoundation, framing, roof, windows and exterior, with inspections at each stage.
- Connecting and finishingThe final stretch: break-through, drywall, cabinets, counters and a walk-through with you.
Questions about kitchen addition
What does a kitchen addition cost?
It depends on the size, the foundation type, the roof tie-in, the mechanical work and the kitchen inside it. We give a written, itemized estimate after the visit.
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.
Can I stay in the house during construction?
In most cases, yes. We schedule the messy break-through as late as possible and seal it off with dust walls.
Will my furnace and air conditioner handle the extra space?
Sometimes. We check the system's capacity; if it can't take the added area, we add a separate heating and cooling solution for the addition.
Is a bump-out enough, or do I need a full addition?
It comes down to what you're missing. We sketch both on your floor plan so you can see what each one fits.
Which towns do you serve?
Chicago and 49 suburbs, from Naperville and Aurora to Evanston, Schaumburg and Orland Park. Pick your town below for local details and ZIP codes.
Kitchen Additions near you
Pick your town for local details, ZIP codes and nearby projects.
DuPage County
Cook County
Kane County
Lake County
Will County
McHenry County
Helpful guides
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Costs and budgetingKitchen Remodel Cost in Chicago: Budget Breakdown, Cost per Square Foot and LaborKitchen remodel cost is driven by scope more than size. National cost guides put a typical project between about $14,600 and $41,600, with an average…3 min read
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Running the projectKitchen Remodel Timeline & Checklist: How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take?How long does a kitchen remodel take? For a same-layout kitchen, construction usually runs about four to eight weeks once cabinets and materials are…3 min read
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Running the projectKitchen Remodel Permits: Do I Need a Permit to Remodel My Kitchen?Usually yes. Kitchen work that touches plumbing, electrical wiring, gas lines, ventilation or the structure almost always needs a permit and…3 min read