If you’re remodeling in Des Plaines, it helps to have one team drawing the plans and building them. Design First Builders is a design-build company based in Itasca that has been updating kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and additions across Chicagoland since 2006. Our first step is a visit to your home, so we can see how the rooms work for your daily routine.

What should Des Plaines homeowners know about their houses?

The Des Plaines History Center says settlers began farming along the Des Plaines River in the 1830s, and the town was first called Rand, after the pioneer Socrates Rand. When the Chicago and North Western Railway built a station at the river in the 1850s, the station was named Des Plaines, and the community incorporated under that name in 1869. The railroad brought visitors and business, and local greenhouses earned the town the nickname “City of Roses.” After World War II, houses replaced farms and the population grew.

What do Des Plaines homeowners usually want to change?

The most common requests are a kitchen that feels closed off from the family room, a bathroom with little storage or a cramped shower, and a basement that could hold an office, a guest room, or a place for the kids. Others simply need more room and look at a bump-out, a primary suite, or a second story. If your home is older, start with Remodeling an Older Home: What to Know Before You Start.

Remodeling services in Des Plaines

Kitchens

Layout comes first, built around how you cook, with cabinets sized to the room. See our Kitchen Remodeling in Chicago page, read Kitchen Remodel Cost in Chicago (2026), and compare layouts in Kitchen Layout Types: Which Shape Fits Your Home?

Bathrooms

Whether it’s a hall bath or a full primary suite, we start with a plan for tile, fixtures, lighting, and storage. See our Bathroom Remodeling page, read How Long Does a Bathroom Remodel Take in Chicago?, and see Small Bathroom Remodel Ideas in Chicago and the Suburbs.

Basements

We check how a lower level handles moisture before finishing it, then lay out the rooms around how you’ll use them. See our Basement Remodeling in Chicago page.

Home additions

If the rooms you have no longer fit your household, an addition adds space without a move. See our Home Additions in Chicago page, read Kitchen Bump-Out Addition: 5 Times It Makes Sense, and Second Story Addition: Full vs. Partial (How to Choose).

Custom cabinets for Des Plaines homes

Cabinets can come from our AnnTucker Cabinetry shop in Itasca or from Arbor Mills, a custom cabinet maker in Lockport, Illinois. Custom Cabinets: AnnTucker vs. Arbor Mills in Chicago shows how they differ.

How does design-build work for a Des Plaines remodel?

Before construction begins, you see a floor plan, 3D concepts, and a cost breakdown. Once you’ve chosen materials and the drawings are reviewed one last time, a project manager and crew lead build what you approved. Read Design-Build vs General Contractor in Chicagoland, then see Our Home Remodeling Process.

How long does a Des Plaines remodel take?

From our own projects, a kitchen or primary bathroom commonly takes 8 to 12 weeks and a guest bathroom 4 to 6 weeks. An addition runs 4 to 6 months, and a second story 8 to 10 months. Your project manager gives you a firm schedule when the design is complete.

What does a Des Plaines remodel cost?

Costs vary from house to house. As a general reference, full design-build kitchens with us in the Chicago area often average $100,000 to $120,000. That’s an average, not a quote. Your layout, cabinet choices, and finishes shape the total, and so do changes made along the way. An itemized estimate comes with your final design.

Des Plaines remodeling questions

Do you remodel homes in Des Plaines?

Yes. Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and additions are all projects we handle for Des Plaines homeowners, and the first meeting happens at your house.

Can you work with an older house?

Yes. We inspect the house before the design is final, and we recommend setting aside a cushion for anything found behind the walls.

Where is your office?

Our showroom is at 1201 Norwood Avenue in Itasca.

How do I choose a contractor?

Put the same questions to every contractor and compare what they say. See Know Your Contractor and Remodeling Contractor Questions to Ask (With Good Answers).

Remodeling near Des Plaines

We also serve Park Ridge, Arlington Heights, Elk Grove Village, Glenview, and Skokie. See all service areas.

Ready to plan your Des Plaines remodel?

Tell us what you’d like to change, and we’ll help you figure out the first step.