Bucktown Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling

We have remodeled kitchens in Bucktown's frame cottages, two-flats, gut rehabs, and new builds, and the first move is reading which kind of home we are in. A cottage or two-flat was built with a small kitchen at the back, so the project is usually about opening it to the living space without losing a load-bearing wall or fighting an old plumbing stack. A newer build gives more freedom but its own systems to work within. We read the home first, before any finishes are chosen.

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From there we handle cabinet selection and install, quartz or natural stone countertops, tile and stone backsplashes, and integrated appliance packages sized to the room. Bucktown leans contemporary, so many of our kitchens here run clean and modern, though we are just as comfortable keeping a vintage cottage feeling like itself. We help you choose rather than defaulting to one look.

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Kitchen remodeling in Bucktown typically ranges from $15,000 to $80,000+ depending on the scope, finishes, and any structural modifications. Cosmetic kitchen updates with cabinet refacing or painting, new countertops, and backsplash usually fall in the $15,000 to $22,000 range. Mid-range remodels with new cabinetry, appliances, and finishes typically run $22,000 to $50,000+. Complete kitchen transformations that include layout changes, high-end appliances, and custom cabinetry typically run $50,000 to $80,000+.

Bucktown bathrooms come down to the age of the home. In the frame cottages and two-flats we routinely find galvanized supply lines, cast-iron drains, and plaster over uneven framing behind the tile, and a remodel that ignores them does not last. We open carefully, bring the plumbing and substrate up to current standards, and build the new bathroom on a foundation that holds. In newer construction the work is cleaner, but tying into existing rough-in still takes a careful read.

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Waterproofing is non-negotiable, especially in two-flats and condos with living space below. We follow best practices for shower pan construction and proper membrane application so a new bathroom protects the rooms beneath it. Our primary bathroom remodels include curbless showers, soaking tubs, double vanities where the layout allows, heated floors for Chicago winters, and proper ventilation. Powder and guest baths get the same care in a smaller footprint.

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Bathroom remodels in Bucktown typically range from $12,000 for small bathroom updates to $55,000+ for luxury primary bathroom renovations. Powder room and half bath updates usually fall in the $12,000 to $20,000 range. Mid-range full bathroom remodels with new fixtures, tile, and vanities typically run $20,000 to $32,000+. Luxury primary bathroom renovations with custom tile, premium fixtures, heated floors, and layout changes typically run $32,000 to $55,000+.

Some of our most rewarding Bucktown work is the full renovation, where we update the kitchen, every bathroom, flooring, lighting, and layout across a whole cottage, two-flat, or single-family home. Projects often include opening a cramped cottage floor plan, adding a rear or upper addition, or converting a two-flat into a single-family home, which is a common Bucktown move. Most whole-home Bucktown renovations run 10 to 16 weeks depending on size and structural scope.

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A whole home renovation here pairs naturally with custom carpentry and built-ins, whether that means matching cottage trim or building clean, modern millwork into a new layout. Many cottages and two-flats have lower levels we can convert with basement finishing, and for the neighborhood's condos and loft conversions we handle full condo renovation as well. If you are weighing a phased remodel against a single full renovation, we will lay out the trade-offs at your consultation.

Renovating in Bucktown depends on what you own. A single-family cottage, two-flat, or new build mostly comes down to Chicago permits, while a condo or shared two-flat can add an association sign-off. We tell you up front which applies so the approval timeline is part of the plan, not a surprise once demolition starts.

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We handle that side for you. We know what the city looks for on both a vintage-cottage permit and a new-construction project, and how to document a remodel so review moves quickly. In the older homes we plan for what we will find once walls are open, the knob-and-tube, the undersized electrical service, the additions layered on over the years, so the scope and budget account for it from the start. Chicago building permits are required for most kitchen and bathroom remodels that involve plumbing, electrical, or structural changes. We advise you on when a permit is needed for your specific project and coordinate permit pull-through, along with any association approvals, when the scope calls for it.