Oak Park, IL · Design-Build Since 2006

Oak Park Home Remodeling

◆ What We Build

04 Specialties

Kitchens

We specialize in kitchens, bathrooms, home additions, basements, and custom homes.

↳ See all projects
Design First Builders Park Ridge luxury bathroom with navy blue cabinets, brass fixtures, round mirrors, dramatic wallpaper, and white quartz countertops

Bathrooms

A bright and elegant family room addition featuring built-in white shelving, a central fireplace with a mounted TV above, a brown leather armchair, two modern gray chairs, a round wooden coffee table, and a large Eiffel Tower wall art piece, designed in a clean, contemporary style in the Chicagoland area.

Additions

Open-concept basement with oak bar island, sectional sofa and plaid carpet after a Roselle, IL remodel

Basements

◆ About Design First Builders

We are a design-build home remodeling company.

↳ Who we are

2006

Founded in Itasca, IL

20+

Years of experience

2,000+

Projects completed

5-Year

Build-quality warranty

New Design First Custom Home

Custom Homes

A home designed around your lifestyle. Built to last.

Experienced craftsmen and an in-house design team take your custom home from first sketch to final walkthrough, with a 5-year guarantee on build quality.

Explore Custom Homes

◆ Client stories

Google reviews

In their words.

★

4.8 on Google

Read all reviews →
Karen Lisook★★★★★

We loved working with Francesca (designer) and Matt (project manager) on our hall bath remodel. They were extremely responsive and worked within our specific budget and time frame with no issues. We would definitely work with them again.

Christine Cox★★★★★

We loved working with Design first! We are very happy with our kitchen project and enjoyed working with Matt. He was very easy to communicate with and we felt we were guided through the process well and kept up to date with plans. Will use design first again for future projects.

Steve Christ★★★★★

After interviewing a number of contractors, we engaged with Design First Builders on a home remodel project. Every phase of the project has been very pleasant starting with the initial sales visit in our home. Ryan was very knowledgeable and helped us develop a plan to move forward. This meeting was followed by a visit to their showroom in Itasca that is very impressive and helps give you all kinds of ideas. Once the project started, they were very professional to deal with and have a software program that tracks every aspect of things being done. The construction foreman, Matt, that was assigned to our project was amazing. He really knows his stuff, communicated exceptionally well and kept things moving along every day. The actual people doing the work were also great and it was a pleasure having them in my house. I plan to use Design First Builders for any other projects in the future.

Sonny Manzo★★★★★

Design First Builders did an amazing job fixing our cabinet. Definitely will call them again to do work in the future.

Rikit Patel★★★★★

I wanted to share the positive experience of working with Noah and Brian on my complete kitchen remodel project. They provided me a design which no other design firm was able to provide due to the complex layout of the current kitchen. Unfortunately due to personal commitments, I could not move forward with the project but I highly recommend them and their team for renovation projects.

Robert Holbrook★★★★★

The Design First Builders Team did a high quality and very professional job remodeling out attic to include a large office space. All of them were skilled and helpful from beginning to end. The contracted workers were efficient, polite, and hard workers. We would easily recommend Design First Builders. We plan to work with them in the future. Bob Holbtook Marinda Stopforth

Aila Keeley★★★★★

One of the ways that i rate a company is how they back up their work. Ive used Design First twice and spent a lot of money with them. They are worth every dollar spent. They fixed my problem immediately. Special shout out to Asia and Adam for helping a senior. Thanks for your help!

Kristen Wallrab★★★★★

My project with D1 recently ended and I couldn’t be happier with the entire experience. Everyone I worked with Brian, Mabel, Wendy, Linda and Peter were extremely helpful with the design process, easy to work with, and patient with me. The Builder Trend site makes it so easy to do everything and communicate with the team. I did a first floor remodel and after interviewing many firms, I chose Design First because they thought out of the box and reconfigured my kitchen in a space I never before considered while also taking into consideration design elements I wanted to incorporate. I credit the wonderful experience I had to my project manager Peter. He is first class. Not only was this my first remodel but I’m also a first time homeowner and Peter answered every question I had, was patient when I changed my mind on windows or wanted to see other options for range hoods, and he provided great recommendations for tuck pointing that were out of the scope of our assigned project. During the demo and construction stages I was out of the country twice and Peter was always available to talk, he sent me photos and messages of the work in process to make sure I knew and was happy with what was going on. It was a relief to have this constant communication because I was able to change the shape of am arched doorway while abroad which I love. When problems or hiccups arose, as they will, Peter was straightforward, responsive, and got things done. When my range hood was blemished, Peter and Keith were the first to say it’s need to be redone and were just as unhappy as I was. Knowing that they expected the same outcome I did showed me they cared about the quality of the finished project as much as I did. Peter also took care of minor cosmetic touches and walked me through some system maintenance issues. Peter is great to work with because he is responsive, direct, friendly and easy to work with. I trust Peter and have already recommended him to a good friend. When I decide to tackle other projects I will contact D1 and Peter. Thanks so much!

Francis Jhira★★★★★

This review is from Mira Amal .I worked with design first for bathroom remodel with Matt and Francesca …they are prompt with my questions and clarifications I need with the work of kitchen which is very important to me ..I am satisfied with the services they provide .

Abraham Baza★★★★★

Excellent work, I'm very happy with the results, thank you for the friendly service and the quality of the work.

◆ Awards & memberships

08 Recognitions

  • Better Business Bureau A+ accredited business
  • NARI, National Association of the Remodeling Industry member
  • Best of Houzz Service award 2023
  • Angi Super Service Award
  • NKBA Remodeling Specialist badge
  • HomeAdvisor Elite Service award
  • Best of Houzz award
  • HomeAdvisor Screened and Approved badge

Overview

Oak Park Home Remodeling: Kitchens, Baths, Basements & Additions

Design First Builders is a design-build company providing Oak Park home remodeling for kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and additions. In a village known for its architecture, we plan every project around two things: the character of your house and the way your family lives. We’ve been remodeling homes across Chicago’s western and northern suburbs since 2006, and we come to your Oak Park home for the first meeting.

About Oak Park

What makes Oak Park home remodeling special?

Oak Park is a village where the houses themselves are part of the story. According to the Village of Oak Park, it’s known as the home of Frank Lloyd Wright from 1889 to 1909 and holds the largest concentration of Prairie School architecture in America. The village has three historic districts: Ridgeland/Oak Park, Frank Lloyd Wright-Prairie School of Architecture, and Gunderson. The Frank Lloyd Wright Trust describes the area as home to the largest collection of Wright’s buildings.

For a homeowner, that history matters. Because so many houses here have strong design, a remodel works best when it respects what’s already there. If your home is in one of the historic districts, ask early what that could mean for exterior changes.

The Design First difference

How do we approach Oak Park home remodeling?

We start by listening to the house. Before we draw anything, we walk through your home, learn what you love, and look closely at what’s behind the walls. Then we design around what we find.

01

Keep what’s special

Original woodwork, built-ins, windows, and room proportions can become the starting point of a design, not something to remove.

02

Update what isn’t working

However, even beautiful houses can have kitchens that feel closed off, bathrooms that feel cramped, and storage that doesn’t keep up. Those are usually the best places to start.

03

Plan for surprises

Because older homes can hide issues, we suggest setting aside an extra 10–15% for the unexpected.

What we build in Oak Park

Oak Park home remodeling services

01

Kitchen remodeling in Oak Park

A kitchen should serve the way you cook and gather. For example, we can rework a layout, improve storage, or build custom cabinetry that suits the style of your home. See our kitchen remodeling projects and our guide to open vs. closed kitchen layouts.

02

Bathroom remodeling in Oak Park

The goal is a bathroom that feels comfortable and works hard: good light, smart storage, and a shower or tub you’ll enjoy. We can refresh a hall bath or redesign a primary suite. See our bathroom remodeling page.

03

Basement remodeling in Oak Park

A basement is space you already own. We can turn it into a family room, a guest suite, an office, or a play area. See our basement remodeling page.

04

Home additions in Oak Park

If your family has outgrown the house but you love the street, an addition can give you more room, whether that’s a bump-out, a family room, or a second story. We plan how the new space connects so it feels like it belongs. See our home additions page and our guide to home addition mistakes.

05

Custom cabinets for Oak Park homes

Custom cabinets are made to your measurements and your style, which makes them a natural fit for homes with character. Compare our two lines in AnnTucker vs. Arbor Mills custom cabinets.

Why design-build

Why choose a design-build team for Oak Park home remodeling?

With design-build, one team handles your plans and your construction, so the design you approve is the one that gets built. According to the Design-Build Institute of America, “the single contract for both design and construction is the fundamental difference” between design-build and other approaches. For you, that means one point of contact and a project manager who keeps things moving. See how it compares in design-build vs. general contractor and read about our process.

Timeline

How long does Oak Park home remodeling take?

A typical Oak Park home remodeling kitchen takes about eight to twelve weeks, and additions run several months. Your design and material lead times shape the schedule, so we give you a clear timeline before you commit.

Budgeting

What does Oak Park home remodeling cost?

For budgeting, a full design-build kitchen with us in the Chicago area often falls around $100,000–$120,000. That’s a rough planning range, not a quote, because your layout and finishes set the real number. See our kitchen remodel cost guide.

Straight answers

Oak Park home remodeling questions

Do you offer Oak Park home remodeling?

Yes. We work with Oak Park homeowners on kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and additions, and our team comes to your home for the first meeting.

Can you remodel an older or historic Oak Park home?

Yes. Homes with character need extra care, so we look closely at the house first and design around what’s there.

Where is your office?

We’re based at 1201 Norwood Avenue in Itasca, and we serve Oak Park and the Chicago area.

What’s the first step for a remodel?

Start with a short list: what bothers you, what you love, and what you’d change. A free consultation can turn that list into a plan.

How do I choose a remodeling contractor?

Look for a team that explains what’s included in the quote, tells you who runs the project day to day, and has a clear plan for changes. See how to vet a contractor.

Service area

Remodeling near Oak Park

We also serve nearby Chicago, Elmhurst, Hinsdale, and Downers Grove. See all service areas.

Ready To Get Started?

Ready to start your Oak Park home remodeling project?

Your first meeting is a conversation at your home about what you want, how you live, and what’s possible. No rush, no pressure to decide on the spot.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Schedule a Free Consultation

Consultation

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