Des Plaines has a deep stock of mid-century homes and a steady appetite for bath remodels. We install glass into Des Plaines bathrooms almost every week — bypass sliders for the smaller older masters, frameless walk-ins for the bigger primary baths in the newer subdivisions north of Oakton.
A meaningful portion of Des Plaines was built between 1955 and 1975. The original ranches and split-levels here have tight master baths, often 5×7 or smaller, with the standard 60-inch alcove tub. Two paths are common: retire the tub and rebuild as a walk-in (best ROI), or keep the tub and put a frameless bypass slider in front (best for resale).
Either way, the wall framing in these homes is reliable and the install is predictable. Where we slow down is plumb — fifty years of settling means we always laser-check before fabrication. Cutting glass to a nominal 60-inch opening when the actual opening is 59 ⅝ on the bottom and 60 ⅛ on the top is the difference between a door that closes properly and one that doesn't.
A short tour of the pockets we work in most often.
Original mid-century ranches. Tight masters; bypass sliders and inline panels do the most.
Older bungalows and Cape Cods near the river. Tub-to-shower conversions and pivot doors.
Late '60s and '70s split-levels. Frameless walk-ins after gut remodels.
Newer construction with bigger primary baths. Frameless hinged doors with returns.
Mid-century classics, often being modernized. Frameless and industrial-framed both show up.
A sample of the kinds of installs we do locally.
The projects below are representative of the work we do in Des Plaines. For current photos and references in your specific neighborhood, call us at 224-427-9199 and we'll share a current portfolio at your estimate.
A homeowner off Henry Avenue had a tired aluminum-framed slider from the late '90s. Frameless ⅜″ bypass in polished chrome, single-visit install. The bathroom looked ten years newer that night.
A 1972 split-level off Forest Avenue had its master tub pulled and rebuilt as a 60″ curbed walk-in shower. ⅜″ frameless inline panel with a polished-chrome wall clamp and corner support, header reinforced.
A 2008 build off Marshall Drive had a corner shower the builder had glazed in a basic framed unit. ⅜″ frameless 90-degree return with matte-black hardware, paired with the homeowner's recent matte-black plumbing upgrade.
Bypass sliders remain the everyday product in Des Plaines — affordable, fast, dramatic improvement over a framed door or curtain. Frameless walk-ins are the upgrade most homeowners choose when they're remodeling anyway. Matte black is still the dominant hardware finish; brushed gold is emerging as the next thing.
If you're weighing the upgrade from semi-frameless to fully frameless, our comparison guide covers the trade-offs.
Glass-only replacement typically doesn't require a permit. Full remodels with plumbing or framing changes are permitted by your GC.
Yes — that's most of our work in older Des Plaines homes. We laser-check during measurement and fabricate to the actual opening.
Estimates within the week typically, fabrication 2-3 weeks from measure, install in a single visit.
Yes — lifetime install workmanship guarantee, hardware carries manufacturer warranty.
Same-week Des Plaines estimates available most weeks.