By Abdullah M. Ghabayen, founder and president of AMG Proline, engineer, licensed general contractor and interior designer, building kitchens in Chicagoland since 1996. Updated September 18, 2026.
Planning a kitchen now? Bring your appliance list to our Crestwood showroom and we’ll check every opening against your layout before anything is ordered.
📞 (708) 979-3298 · 💻 Request a free in-home estimate · 📍 4711 W 135th St, Crestwood, IL
Standard Appliance Sizes and Cabinet Openings
These are the sizes most kitchens are built around. Always confirm against the manufacturer’s specification sheet, because one model can differ by an inch or more from another with the same advertised width.
| Appliance | Common widths | Typical depth | Notes for the cabinet opening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freestanding refrigerator | 30″, 33″, 36″ | 30–36″ with doors | Add clearance per the spec sheet; doors and handles project past the box |
| Counter-depth refrigerator | 30″, 33″, 36″ | ~24–28″ body | Sits closer to flush with 24″ base cabinets |
| Built-in / panel-ready refrigerator | 30″, 36″, 42″, 48″ | ~24″ | Opening, panels and hardware must be designed together |
| Range (freestanding or slide-in) | 30″, 36″, 48″ | ~25–27″ | Slide-in models need a finished counter cut, not a plain gap |
| Cooktop | 30″, 36″ | ~21″ | Cutout differs from overall size; base cabinet drawer may need modifying |
| Wall oven | 24″, 27″, 30″ | ~24″ | Cutout height and electrical location drive the oven cabinet |
| Dishwasher | 18″, 24″ | ~24″ | Needs a 24″ opening, water, drain and a dedicated circuit |
| Microwave drawer | 24″, 30″ | ~23″ | Consumes a base cabinet; needs an outlet inside |
| Range hood / insert | 30″, 36″, 48″ | ~20–24″ | Size to the cooking appliance or wider, never narrower |
| Beverage or wine refrigerator | 15″, 24″ | ~24″ | Needs ventilation and a dedicated outlet |
Clearances That Decide Whether the Kitchen Works
| Where | Working guideline |
|---|---|
| Walkway around an island | 42–48″ on every side in a working kitchen |
| Landing space beside the refrigerator | At least 15″ of counter on the handle side |
| Landing space beside the range or cooktop | 12–15″ on one side, 9–12″ on the other |
| Landing beside a wall oven | At least 15″ adjacent or directly across |
| Clear floor in front of the dishwasher | About 21″ for loading with the door open |
| Hood height above the cooking surface | Typically 24–30″, per the manufacturer |
| Countertop overhang for seating | About 15″ per stool |
Most “the kitchen looks great but it drives me crazy” complaints trace back to one of these numbers being squeezed during design.
Power and Venting Requirements, in Plain Numbers
| Appliance | Typical requirement |
|---|---|
| Electric or induction range | 240V, dedicated 40–50 amp circuit |
| Wall oven (single / double) | 240V, dedicated 30–50 amp circuit |
| Electric cooktop | 240V, dedicated 30–50 amp circuit |
| Gas range | Gas line plus a standard 120V outlet for ignition and controls |
| Dishwasher | 120V dedicated circuit, hot water supply, drain |
| Refrigerator | 120V dedicated circuit; water line if it has ice or a dispenser |
| Microwave | 120V dedicated circuit |
| Disposal | 120V, switched |
| Countertop small appliances | Two or more 20-amp small-appliance circuits, GFCI protected |
Venting, sized to the cooking appliance: a common rule is roughly 100 CFM per linear foot of range width for a wall-mounted hood (about 300 CFM for a 30″ range), and more for an island hood or a high-BTU professional range. Higher CFM also means larger duct, and in tighter homes the duct route decides where the range can go. Ducted to the exterior is always preferable to recirculating; a recirculating hood filters grease but leaves heat and moisture in the room.
What This Looks Like in Chicago Homes
- Bungalows, two-flats and greystones: panels are often too small for a modern kitchen load, and knob-and-tube or ungrounded circuits still turn up. A remodel is the moment to fix that, while walls are open.
- Condos and high-rises: many buildings restrict exterior venting, which pushes you toward a recirculating hood or a specific riser. Building rules, insurance certificates, elevator reservations and work hours all need to be handled before demo day.
- Interior kitchens: when the range sits on an interior wall, the duct route through joists or a soffit often determines the layout, not the other way around.
- Suburban homes on slab: adding a sink, cooktop or outlet to an island means running services through the slab, which costs more than the same work over a basement.
- Gas vs. electric: switching fuel types late is expensive. Decide early so the panel, gas line and venting are priced correctly.
What Appliances Cost in a Chicago Remodel
| Package level | Typical spend | What it usually includes |
|---|---|---|
| Builder-grade | $3,000–$6,000 | Freestanding range, standard-depth refrigerator, basic dishwasher, over-the-range microwave |
| Mid-range | $6,000–$12,000 | Counter-depth refrigerator, slide-in range, quieter dishwasher, vented hood |
| Upper mid / designer | $12,000–$25,000 | Separate cooktop and wall ovens, better ventilation, beverage center |
| Luxury / built-in | $25,000–$60,000+ | Built-in or panel-ready refrigeration, professional range, integrated dishwasher |
Appliances typically run 10–15% of a kitchen budget. The related construction costs are separate and worth knowing before you choose: a panel upgrade often runs $2,500–$6,000, venting a hood to the exterior $800–$3,000, and running a new water line for an ice maker a few hundred dollars. See our full kitchen remodel cost guide for Chicago.
Not sure your panel or venting can handle the appliances you want? We check that during the free in-home visit, before anything is ordered.
Appliance Decision Timeline
| Stage | What must be decided |
|---|---|
| Design, before cabinets | Refrigerator type and size, range vs. cooktop and wall oven, fuel type, hood, microwave location, dishwasher, panel-ready or not |
| Before permit drawings | Anything that changes electrical, gas, plumbing or venting |
| Before the cabinet order | Final model numbers and specification sheets for every built-in appliance |
| Before rough-in inspection | Outlet, gas and water locations set to the approved appliances |
| Before countertop template | Slide-in range and cooktop cutouts, sink and faucet selections |
| Delivery week | Appliances on site, uncrated and inspected before installation day |
The Bathroom Runs on the Same Rule
Kitchens aren’t the only room where a late decision costs money. In bathrooms, the shower glass is the equivalent: tempered glass can’t be cut, drilled or trimmed once it’s made, so the enclosure has to be templated after the tile is finished, and heavy frameless panels need blocking behind the wall before it’s closed up. That’s a framing-stage decision, not a finish-stage one.
We handle that in house. Our glass division, AMG Glass & Shower Doors, is owned and managed by AMG Proline and works out of the same Crestwood showroom. Our own team measures, fabricates and installs frameless, semi-frameless and sliding enclosures, glass walls and vanity mirrors, so your bathroom isn’t waiting on an outside glass shop and there’s one company accountable for the finished room. See bathroom remodeling and walk-in shower installation.
What size refrigerator fits a standard cabinet opening?
Most kitchens are built around 30-, 33- or 36-inch refrigerators, but the opening has to account for the spec sheet’s required clearances, door thickness, handle projection and hinge swing, not just the advertised width.
What’s the difference between counter-depth and standard-depth?
A standard-depth refrigerator is roughly 30 to 36 inches deep with doors and projects well past 24-inch base cabinets. A counter-depth model has a body around 24 to 28 inches, so it sits closer to flush. Counter-depth trades some capacity for a cleaner line and a wider walkway, which matters in narrow Chicago kitchens.
How many amps does an induction range need?
Typically a dedicated 240-volt, 40- to 50-amp circuit. Older Chicago homes often need a panel evaluation before switching from gas to induction.
How much CFM does my range hood need?
A common guideline is about 100 CFM per linear foot of range width for a wall hood, so roughly 300 CFM for a 30-inch range, with more for island hoods and high-BTU professional ranges. Higher CFM means larger duct, which affects the route.
Can a hood be vented in a condo?
Sometimes. Many buildings restrict exterior venting, which means a recirculating hood or a building-approved riser. We check the building’s rules before the design is finalized.
How much should I budget for appliances?
Usually 10 to 15 percent of the kitchen budget. Builder-grade packages run about $3,000 to $6,000, mid-range $6,000 to $12,000, and built-in or professional packages $25,000 and up.
Who installs the appliances, me or the remodeler?
We install them as part of the project, including hookups, venting connections and testing. You can buy your own appliances; just send us the specification sheets early, because cabinet openings are built to those dimensions.
Do you plan appliances for kitchens outside Chicago?
Yes. We design and build kitchens across Chicagoland, including Orland Park, Tinley Park, Naperville, Oak Brook, Hinsdale, Northbrook, Evanston, Schaumburg and Palos Heights.
Why Homeowners Bring Their Appliance List to AMG Proline
- The owner is on your job. Abdullah designs it, prices it and answers for it, as engineer, licensed general contractor and interior designer
- 2025 Marquis Who’s Who inductee and Millennium Magazine cover feature in Architecture, Construction and Real Estate
- Best of Burbank (2019, 2020), Business Hall of Fame and a Complaint-Free award
- BBB accredited, Houzz Pro, licensed and bonded in Illinois
- Custom cabinetry built in house, sized to your walls and your appliances
- Glass and shower doors in house through our own division
- Crestwood showroom with real slabs, door styles and hardware, Monday through Saturday
- Fixed written pricing, itemized by trade, with permits included in the scope
“Terrific service and extremely professional. Happy to work within a budget that you give them up front. Very responsive and ready to move quickly if you’d like to. They left my kitchen in terrific condition and I plan to go back to them for future projects.”
— Ryan C., read the review on Google
About the Author
Abdullah M. Ghabayen is the founder and president of AMG Proline, a kitchen and bath remodeling company with a showroom in Crestwood, Illinois. He is an engineer by training, a licensed general contractor by trade and an interior designer by practice, with a career that began in his family’s glass shop in 1996. In 2025 he was inducted into Marquis Who’s Who and featured on the cover of Millennium Magazine. Read more about Abdullah and AMG Proline.
Plan Your Kitchen Around Real Specifications
Bring your appliance list, or just your ideas. We’ll measure your kitchen, check the panel, the venting route and every opening, and give you a fixed written price before anything is ordered.
Request a free in-home estimate · (708) 979-3298 · Visit the Crestwood showroom at 4711 W 135th St, Mon–Sat
Related: kitchen remodel cost in Chicago · custom kitchen cabinets · countertop installation · kitchen remodeling · our projects
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