Riverside Home Remodeling

Riverside homeowners can work with one company that plans the project and builds it. Design First Builders is a design-build remodeler based in Itasca, and we’ve been updating kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and additions across Chicagoland since 2006. Our first step is a visit to your home, where a designer sees how each room fits your routine.

What should Riverside homeowners know about their houses?

The Village of Riverside says the Riverside Improvement Company was incorporated in 1869 with the goal of developing “a perfect village in a perfect setting,” and chose Frederick Law Olmsted to plan it. The Village was organized in 1875 and has been a National Historic Landmark since 1970. It says many original elements of Olmsted’s plan, including expansive green parkways, gas-lit street lanterns, and curvilinear streets, are still intact. The Village’s Historical Museum also points to private residences designed by significant architects.

A village planned in 1869 has many older homes, often with winding streets, mature trees, and rooms that were laid out long before open-concept living. Older houses often have smaller kitchens and baths, closed-off rooms, and more surprises behind the walls. We look at your house first, and Remodeling an Older Home: What to Know Before You Start explains what to check.

What do Riverside homeowners usually want to change?

Common goals include a kitchen that opens to the family room, a primary bath with a better shower and more storage, a finished lower level, and more room on the main floor. Some of those call for an addition, and others are about rearranging space that’s already there.

Remodeling services in Riverside

Kitchens

We shape the layout around how your household cooks and entertains, then fit custom cabinets to the room. See our Kitchen Remodeling in Chicago page, Kitchen Remodel Cost in Chicago (2026), and Kitchen Layout Types: Which Shape Fits Your Home?

Bathrooms

From a hall bath update to a full primary suite, one plan covers layout, tile, fixtures, lighting, and ventilation. See our Bathroom Remodeling page, Tub or Shower in a Bathroom Remodel: How to Decide, and Small Bathroom Remodel Ideas in Chicago and the Suburbs.

Basements

A basement can become a family room, a guest suite, an office, or a gym. We check moisture, insulation, ceiling height, and egress before planning it. See our Basement Remodeling in Chicago page.

Home additions

If the house needs more room, a bump-out, a rear addition, or a second story can provide it. See our Home Additions in Chicago page, Home Addition Mistakes to Avoid, and Second Story Addition: Full vs. Partial (How to Choose).

Custom cabinets for Riverside homes

Our cabinets come from the AnnTucker Cabinetry shop in Itasca and from Arbor Mills, a custom cabinet maker in Lockport, Illinois. Custom Cabinets: AnnTucker vs. Arbor Mills in Chicago compares them.

Why choose design-build for a Riverside remodel?

The people who design the project also build it, which keeps questions in one conversation. You first review a floor plan, 3D concepts, and a cost breakdown. After you select materials and the drawings are checked once more, 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 Riverside remodel take?

On our own projects, kitchens and primary bathrooms have taken about 8 to 12 weeks, and guest bathrooms 4 to 6 weeks. Additions run 4 to 6 months, or 8 to 10 months with a second story. Your project manager sets the final schedule when the design is complete. See How Long Does a Bathroom Remodel Take in Chicago? for more on bathrooms.

What does a Riverside remodel cost?

Every project is different. As a general reference, our full design-build kitchens in the Chicago area often average $100,000 to $120,000, which is an average and not a quote. Layout, cabinets, and finishes shape the total, and changes along the way can move it. You receive an itemized estimate with your final design.

Riverside remodeling questions

Do you remodel homes in Riverside?

Yes. We take on kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and additions for Riverside homeowners, and the first meeting is at your home.

Can you work with an older Riverside house?

Yes. We inspect the house before the design is final, and we suggest setting aside a reserve 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?

Ask every company the same questions and compare the answers. See Know Your Contractor and Remodeling Contractor Questions to Ask (With Good Answers).

Remodeling near Riverside

We also serve Brookfield, La Grange, Oak Park, Elmhurst, and Hinsdale. See all service areas or browse our projects.

Ready to plan your Riverside remodel?

Tell us what you’d like to change, and we’ll help you decide where to begin.