Wicker Park Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling

We have remodeled kitchens across Wicker Park's range of homes, and in the vintage flats and cottages the design starts with the bones. These houses were built with small kitchens tucked at the back, so the project is usually about opening that space to the rest of the floor without losing a load-bearing wall or fighting a plumbing stack that runs the height of the building. In lofts and newer condos the constraints shift to fixed risers and building rules. 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. Wicker Park homeowners often want the new kitchen to keep talking to the old house, so we match trim, play off exposed brick, and keep original hardwood where it can be saved, or we take it fully modern if that is the goal.

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Kitchen remodeling in Wicker Park 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+.

Wicker Park's older flats and cottages hide their surprises in the bathroom. Behind the tile we routinely find galvanized supply lines, cast-iron drains, and plaster over uneven framing, and a remodel that skips them looks good briefly and then fails. We open carefully, see what is there, and bring the plumbing and substrate up to current standards as part of the job rather than tiling over the problem.

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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, freestanding or soaking tubs, double vanities where the layout allows, heated floors for Chicago winters, and the ventilation these older homes were never built with. Powder and guest baths get the same care in a smaller footprint.

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Bathroom remodels in Wicker Park 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 Wicker Park work is the full renovation, where we update the kitchen, every bathroom, flooring, lighting, and layout across a whole vintage flat, cottage, or two-flat while protecting the ornate detail that gives these homes their character. Projects often include opening a chopped-up Victorian floor plan, reworking a rear addition, or turning a two-flat into a single-family home. Most whole-home Wicker Park 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, since matching original millwork and trim is often what makes a vintage remodel feel right. Many flats and cottages have lower levels we can convert with basement finishing, and for the neighborhood's lofts and newer buildings 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 Wicker Park depends on what you own. A single-family flat or cottage mostly comes down to Chicago permits, while a loft, condo, or two-flat can add an association or board 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 a vintage-home permit, what the neighborhood's condo and loft associations tend to ask for, and how to document a project so review moves quickly. In the older homes we also plan for what we will find once walls are open, the knob-and-tube, the plaster, the additions layered on over a century, so the scope and budget hold. 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. City permits typically take 2 to 4 weeks, and we build that window into your timeline from the start.