Countertops in Des Plaines, IL
Templated, fabricated, and installed by our own crew — about 4-5 miles east of the shop via Oakton St or Touhy Ave.
What Des Plaines kitchens are working with
Countertop advice starts with the housing stock, so here is yours.
One of the oldest housing profiles of the twelve: median construction year 1966, with nearly half the stock (49.7%) built from the 1940s through the 1960s. It is a strongly owner-occupied city — 78.3% of 22,537 occupied units — and 58.4% detached single-family, mostly postwar Cape Cods, brick Georgians, and ranches on compact lots. Median property value was about $335,600 in 2024.
Postwar Capes and brick ranches mean small galley and L-shaped kitchens, frequently still near their original footprint with one or two prior budget remodels; countertop runs are shorter but demand is steady because the stock is uniformly 55-80 years old. Opening the kitchen wall and adding a small island or peninsula is the signature project in these floor plans.
The projects we see most in Des Plaines
- Straight swap: measuring the existing footprint and replacing an aging laminate or early-granite top with quartz — the bread-and-butter job for Des Plaines's housing stock.
- Open-up remodels: the countertop goes in after a wall or half-wall comes out. We template last, after the dust, so the new top fits the new room.
- Island and peninsula additions where the floor plan allows — we will tell you honestly if yours does not.
- Sink and faucet upgrades done in the same visit as the top, so there is one cutout, one seal, and one crew to call.
What countertops run in Des Plaines
Same shop, same crew, same price in every town we serve — distance is not a line item.
| Kitchen size | Engineered Quartz | Granite | Quartzite | Marble |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galley kitchens (30–45 sqft) | $3,600–$6,750 | $4,200–$7,650 | $4,500–$8,550 | $5,100–$9,000 |
| Small kitchens (45–60 sqft) | $5,400–$9,000 | $6,300–$10,200 | $6,750–$11,400 | $7,650–$12,000 |
| Medium kitchens (60–75 sqft) | $7,200–$11,250 | $8,400–$12,750 | $9,000–$14,250 | $10,200–$15,000 |
| Large kitchens (75–90 sqft) | $9,000–$13,500 | $10,500–$15,300 | $11,250–$17,100 | $12,750–$18,000 |
| Extra large kitchens (90–120 sqft) | $10,800–$18,000 | $12,600–$20,400 | $13,500–$22,800 | $15,300–$24,000 |
Installed project ranges as of 2026-07 — template, fabrication and standard installation included. A free in-home template turns the range into a firm number.
Permits in Des Plaines
The rule of thumb, and who actually decides.
Des Plaines lists 'kitchen non-structural remodel' as a specific residential permit type, and requires permits for extensive interior remodeling; the city's published material does not explicitly exempt countertop-only replacement. Verify countertop-swap scope with the Building Division before starting work.
Either way, it is not your problem to untangle: when a job needs a permit, we say so in the quote, and the City of Des Plaines Community and Economic Development — Building and Permits Division has the final word — not a contractor's website, including this one.
From our shop to Des Plaines
About 4-5 miles east of the shop via Oakton St or Touhy Ave; roughly 10-15 minutes.
- Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's franchise on Lee Street in 1955; the replica museum stood until 2018, when it was demolished after repeated Des Plaines River flooding
- Rivers Casino, Illinois' highest-grossing casino, opened in 2011 near the O'Hare edge of town
- The Des Plaines River runs through the city, and flood history is a real consideration for homes near it
Close enough that template, delivery, and install are all the same crew — and close enough to come back fast if anything ever needs attention.
Questions homeowners ask us
Can I keep my existing countertops if I replace the cabinets?
Usually not, and it is better to hear that early: granite and quartz tops rarely survive removal in reusable condition, because they are rigid, brittle, and adhered to the old boxes. Even when a slab comes off intact, new cabinets seldom match the old footprint within the tolerance stone requires. If the counters are the part you love, consider refacing or painting the existing cabinets instead of replacing the boxes.
Can I keep my existing countertops when the cabinets are replaced?
Plan on no. Old tops - especially stone - rarely survive tear-out in reusable condition, and new boxes almost never match the old footprint exactly, so even a surviving top will not fit. Budget countertops with the cabinets and sequence the project cabinets first, then template, then tops; expect 1-3 weeks on temporary plywood tops while the new counters are fabricated.
Can I paint my cabinets myself and get a result that looks professional?
You can get a good result, but almost never a factory-looking one, and the gap is not talent - it is equipment and product. Pros spray cabinet-grade coatings such as waterborne alkyds, urethane enamels, or shop-applied lacquers that level out and cure hard; DIY jobs done with wall paint and a brush tend to show brush marks and chip at the edges within a year or two. Budget a full week of evenings for degreasing, sanding, priming, and two topcoats, and use a bonding primer plus an enamel made for trim and cabinets, never ordinary wall latex. DIY makes the most sense on older cabinets you may replace anyway, or before a sale where the goal is fresh rather than flawless.
Can I put a farmhouse sink into my existing cabinets?
Usually yes, with real modification: the horizontal rail above the door opening comes out, the doors get shortened, and the cabinet gets a reinforced sub-frame because fireclay and cast iron apron sinks weigh 100-200 lb before water. Budget several hundred dollars for that cabinet work on top of the sink itself, and expect the whole farmhouse install to land in the $700-$2,200 range. As a sizing rule, a 33 in apron sink is the practical maximum for a standard 36 in sink base.
Ready for a real number in Des Plaines?
Free in-home template, honest quote, and the same crew from tape measure to install.
Ready for a real number?
Free in-home template and an honest quote — you keep your money until there's a countertop to trade it for.