Home Remodeling and Additions in Chicago and the North Shore

Home remodeling and additions give you more of what you already love about where you live: more space, better function, and a home that fits how your family actually operates. Orren Pickell’s luxury remodeling and additions services bring every phase in-house, with architects, designers, and builders working under one contract from the first sketch through the final walkthrough.

Why Chicago and North Shore Homeowners Remodel Instead of Moving

 

 

For families across Lake Forest, Glencoe, Hinsdale, and the North Shore, relocating is often not the right answer. Building the space you need into the home you already own typically costs less than buying larger in the same neighborhood, and you keep the school district, the commute, and the community.

The situations Orren Pickell sees most often: a growing family that needs a real bedroom addition instead of a converted bonus room; aging parents who need an in-law suite with genuine privacy; a remote work setup that requires actual quiet; and a kitchen or great room that no longer fits how the family lives.

What Home Remodeling and Additions Projects Include

Project scope varies widely based on goals, lot, and budget. The most common work Orren Pickell handles across Chicago and the North Shore covers:

• Whole house remodeling: Complete transformation of an existing home, inside and out
• Room additions: Primary suite additions, bedroom wings, and second-floor expansions
• Kitchen remodeling: Custom layouts and cabinetry designed around how you actually cook
• Bathroom remodeling: Primary suites, spa-inspired retreats, and well-finished guest baths
• Lower level finishing: Basements converted into livable, well-designed square footage

The custom home carpentry fabricated in-house by Orren Pickell’s team makes a measurable difference in kitchen and bath projects. When the same firm builds and installs your cabinets, the fit is precise in a way outsourced fabrication rarely matches.

Why the Design/Build Approach Protects Your Investment

Home remodeling and additions go off course most often at the handoff point: the gap between what a designer drew and what a contractor built. Two separate contracts create two separate sets of priorities. The homeowner ends up in the middle, trying to sort out who is responsible for the mismatch.

The design/build model eliminates that problem. Orren Pickell’s award-winning architectural design team works alongside the builders from day one. The person drawing the plans is on the same team as the person framing the walls, which means the finished space reflects the design rather than an interpretation of it.

That integrated approach has earned Orren Pickell more than 350 design and innovation awards, including 9 Crystal Key Awards, the highest honor from the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago.

Planning Your Budget and Understanding Your ROI

Budgeting is where most remodeling projects break down before a shovel hits the ground. Vague estimates, undisclosed markups, and allowances that balloon in the back half of construction are how straightforward projects end up over budget.

Orren Pickell’s Open Book Pricing shows clients exactly where every dollar goes. No mystery line items, no markups buried in contingency, and no numbers that shift between the estimate and the final invoice. The full budget is built collaboratively during the design phase, before any construction commitment.

For homeowners benchmarking costs, the Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report provides useful industry data by project type and market. On the North Shore, where buyers expect luxury finishes, the quality of execution has a direct and measurable impact on resale value.

What to Expect from Start to Finish

The process starts with a no-cost in-home consultation. Orren Pickell’s team walks through the spaces you want to change, takes precise measurements with laser tape and iPad scanning tools, and gathers enough information to develop a real design and a real budget.

You review and refine the concept until every detail is right. In-house architects then prepare permit-ready blueprints. A dedicated project manager handles all permits and serves as your single point of contact throughout construction. Before you take possession, the Orren Pickell punch list team conducts a thorough walkthrough and closes out any remaining items.

The completed project portfolio across Chicago and the North Shore reflects the range this team handles, from full-floor additions in Highland Park to whole-house remodels in Glencoe.

Every project includes a one-year comprehensive warranty. An extended home maintenance program is available afterward, providing ongoing care from the same team that built your home.

Begin Your Home Remodeling and Additions Project in Wilmette

FAQs About Home Remodeling and Additions

How long does a home addition typically take? 

A single-room addition generally runs 3 to 5 months from permit approval to completion. Larger multi-room additions or full-floor expansions can take 4 to 9 months depending on scope, finishes, and local permitting.

Should I remodel or build an addition? 

The right answer depends on your available lot, local zoning, budget, and long-term goals. The free in-home consultation is built around evaluating exactly those variables and delivering a clear recommendation for your specific situation.

FAQs About Orren Pickell Building Group

How long has Orren Pickell been in business? 

Founded in 1976, Orren Pickell Building Group has been family-owned and operated for nearly 50 years. Lisa Pickell, daughter of the founder, now serves as President.