Closets, built-ins and stairs for Algonquin homes

The Fox River, Old Town and the new subdivisions

The Village of Algonquin was formed on February 25, 1890. The area was first called Cornish Ferry and Osceola; the name Algonquin came in 1847. The river drew Chicago families to summer homes; the village calls itself the "Gem of the Fox River Valley." From 1906 to 1913 the Algonquin Hill Climbs, one of the earliest organized auto races in the country, drew crowds of more than 25,000 to a village of about 600 people. Old Town, inside the borders of the 1890 village, holds about 300 structures and sites, with Victorian woodwork, clapboard siding and fishscale shingles. Then came the growth: the village went from 11,663 people in 1990 to 23,276 in 2000, in subdivisions such as Willoughby Farms, built in the 1990s. About 78 percent of the village is in McHenry County and the rest in Kane.

Old Town or a newer subdivision, the job starts there:

• In an Old Town house: painted or stained wood, trim matched to the house, and stair work on an older stair. We can make the old profiles again.
• In a house from the 1980s to the 2000s: replacing builder closets and cabinets, a built-in for the family room, or new treads and railing on the stair.

Do I need a permit in Algonquin, and does Old Town apply?

Algonquin's building permit page says a "building permit is required before you erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, or demolish" a building or structure. (Village of Algonquin, as read 2026-10-28; confirm for your address.) In Old Town, the village's preservation code requires a Certificate of Appropriateness for exterior changes, and exempts permits "not involving any alteration to the exterior features of a structure" (Old Town District Preservation Code, Section 10.06(B)(1)); its permit process sheet says historic-district permits need Historic Commission approval "except Roof and Interior permits." So inside work in Old Town should go straight to the building permit; confirm with the village. Ask Community Development about your plan. We file for a permit when one is required.

Algonquin stairs, closet and built-in, and work nearby

• In Algonquin: stairs, a closet and a built-in entertainment center.
• Crystal Lake: a home office with a waterfall desk, a slat wall and a floating shelf, in wood-look melamine.
• Barrington Hills: a kitchen, a butler's pantry, a dry bar and a wine cellar room with wood wine racks.
• McHenry: a white shaker kitchen, a closet and an entertainment center.
• Campton Hills: a modern flat-panel kitchen.

Stairs, closets and built-ins: planning an Algonquin project

• The stair. We do everything from new treads and a railing to a full rebuild. Tell us whether the stair squeaks, moves or just looks tired; that sets the scope. See finish carpentry.
• The closet. Measure what you hang and fold, long and short, and we lay out the rods, shelves and drawers to it.
• The entertainment center. Bring the size of the TV and the equipment that goes in it; we plan the openings and the wire paths. Any new wiring is a licensed electrician's.
• Old Town or newer. In an Old Town house we match the trim; in a newer house we can replace builder trim at the same time.
• Trim. Most jobs include it; we can replace builder trim while we are there.

Closets, built-ins and kitchens for Algonquin homes

Stairs, a closet and an entertainment center are our work on record in Algonquin. Other work we take on, in Old Town or a newer subdivision:

• Kitchens: European-style frameless flat-panel, our specialty, or painted and stained wood doors, framed or inset.
• Built-ins: bookcases, libraries, home offices and window benches.
• Vanities, mudrooms and laundry rooms.
• Bars, wine storage and garage cabinets.
• Mantels and crown molding.

Half an hour from the shop: an Algonquin project step by step

1. The visit. It starts with a visit. We measure, we listen, and we give you a straight number. If it works for you, we design it with you, and only then do we build. Algonquin is about half an hour from the shop. Your first visit and consultation are free.
2. Drawings. Drawings from your architect or builder, priced as drawn, or our design package, which ends with the final price after one major revision.
3. The permit, and in Old Town, the Historic Commission only if the outside changes.
4. The build. Roughly 6 to 8 weeks from signed drawings for an average kitchen; built-ins and closets usually 4 to 6.
5. Installation. A full kitchen usually goes in over 1 to 3 days; a single built-in takes less, and the stair is fitted on site.

Old Town, the subdivisions and nearby towns

The Fox River runs north to south through downtown Algonquin, about 40 miles northwest of the Loop. Old Town sits along Main Street, and the village's subdivisions spread east and west of the river. Lake in the Hills lies to the north, Cary to the northeast, Barrington Hills to the east, Carpentersville to the south and Huntley to the west. We serve all of Algonquin. Nearby, see our page for Campton Hills, or all the towns we serve. We also serve McHenry, Barrington Hills, Lake in the Hills, Cary, Crystal Lake and Huntley.

Algonquin questions

Do I need a permit to replace cabinets or a closet in Algonquin?

The village's general rule covers altering and improving a building. Ask Community Development about your plan; we pull a permit ourselves when one is required.

Does Old Town's historic review cover inside work?

The preservation code exempts permits that do not alter the outside of a structure, and the permit process sheet exempts interior permits from Historic Commission approval. Confirm with the village for your house.

Can you rebuild a stair?

Yes. In Algonquin we built stairs. We do everything from new treads and railing up to a full rebuild.

Do you build entertainment centers?

Yes. In Algonquin we built a built-in entertainment center. Bring the TV size and the equipment list to the visit.

Is Algonquin close to your shop?

About 21 miles, about half an hour from Spring Grove.