The short answer
Angi's Chicago data puts the average bathroom remodel at $10,939, with most between $6,677 and $16,542, and our cost-adjusted range for a mid-range full bath is $10,800 to $33,600. In Chicago, the biggest swing factor is whether you add plumbing: a remodel that stays within the city's Express Permit limits moves fast, while new walls or extra fixtures bring drawings and plan review.
What a bathroom remodel costs in Chicago
The ranges below start with national remodeling data and apply Chicago's construction cost factor of 1.2 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors. The same bathroom costs about 20% more here than the national average.
| Job | Chicago (typical range) | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Half bath (powder room) remodel | $4,800–$16,800 | $4,000–$14,000 |
| Full bathroom, cosmetic refresh | $6,500–$20,150 | $5,400–$16,800 |
| Full bathroom remodel, mid-range | $10,800–$33,600 | $9,000–$28,000 |
| Full bathroom, high-end | $16,200–$50,400 | $13,500–$42,000 |
| Primary bathroom remodel | $24,000–$72,000 | $20,000–$60,000 |
| Tub-to-shower conversion | $2,400–$14,400 | $2,000–$12,000 |
| Tile, installed | $12–$48/sq ft | $10–$40/sq ft |
| New toilet, installed | $420–$960 | $350–$800 |
| New faucet, installed | $145–$360 | $120–$300 |
Estimates for 2026, including labor and standard parts. Chicago prices use the metro's construction cost factor of 1.20 (US average = 1.00) from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors. Your quote depends on access, materials and the condition of the home.
Angi reports a Chicago average of $10,939 and a range of $6,677 to $16,542, or about $70 to $250 per square foot depending on finishes (Angi). That is close to the cosmetic and lower mid-range rows above. Angi's figures for single items in Chicago:
| Item | Chicago cost (Angi) |
|---|---|
| New shower | About $8,200 on average, most $500 to $17,000 |
| Bathtub replacement | $2,300 to $10,500 |
| Tub and shower combination | $474 to $7,900 |
| Toilet | About $375 on average; $355 dual-flush to $4,040 smart toilet |
| Flooring | About $12.50 per sq ft, from $1 to $35 |
| Wet-room conversion | Up to $23,700 |
Angi also notes that vintage bungalows and two-flats may need plumbing reroutes or structural changes that newer homes do not. Plan for that when the walls come open.
Run your own size, finish level and ZIP code through the calculator below, or open the full bathroom calculator. National averages and how remodelers price a bath are on our bathroom remodeling cost guide.
What moves a Chicago bathroom budget
| Choice | Lower cost | Higher cost |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Toilet, tub and sink stay put | Fixtures moved, wall shifted (drawings needed) |
| Shower | Tub with a tiled surround | Walk-in tile shower with glass, tub removed ($2,400 to $14,400 conversion here) |
| Tile | Ceramic, about $12 per sq ft installed | Large-format porcelain or stone, up to about $48 |
| Building | Single-family house | Condo, which needs an association approval letter for the permit |
| Location | Upstairs bath on an existing stack | New basement bath below the sewer line |
Shower and waterproofing rules in Chicago
Chicago writes its own plumbing code, and its shower section sets exact numbers (Chicago Plumbing Code 18-29-417). These are the numbers a city inspector will check.
Size and walls
A shower in a single-family home needs at least 1,024 square inches of floor area measured to the outside of the compartment, and no side shorter than 32 inches. In every other kind of building, which takes in two-flats and condo buildings, the minimum is 1,296 square inches, still with a 32-inch minimum side. A 32 by 32 inch stall meets the single-family number exactly, so a smaller corner unit from an old bath will not pass.
Walls in a shower, and above a tub with a shower head, must be smooth, waterproof and nonabsorbent to at least 72 inches above the bathroom floor and 70 inches above the shower floor at the drain, with watertight joints to the tub or pan. The shower floor must be slip resistant.
The pan and the valve
A tiled shower floor sits on a liner. The code accepts PVC sheet at least 0.040 inch thick with solvent-welded seams, or a CPE sheet of the same thickness, and the pan has to be sealed to the drain. Ask the remodeler which liner or waterproofing system they use and whether they flood-test it before tile goes down.
Every shower and tub-shower needs an anti-scald valve, either thermostatic or pressure balancing, with a handle stop set to no more than 115°F when it is installed. An old two-handle valve does not meet that, so it comes out when the wall is open. Glass doors, and any window inside the shower, must be safety glass.
Old walls behind old tile
About three-quarters of Chicago homes were built before 1980, according to the Census Bureau's 2024 survey. What sits behind old tile only shows up during demolition, so budget a contingency for rotted subfloor or framing under an old tub or shower.
Water-saving fixture rules
Chicago sets its own maximum flow rates in Table 18-29-604.4:
| Fixture | Chicago maximum |
|---|---|
| Toilet | 1.28 gallons per flush, or the dual-flush equivalent |
| Shower head (a hand-held spray counts) | 2.0 gallons per minute at 80 psi |
| Bathroom faucet in a home | 1.5 gallons per minute at 60 psi |
New and replacement toilets, shower heads and bathroom faucets must also meet the EPA WaterSense specification. Check the spec sheet of any rain head, body spray or imported fixture for its flow rate and the WaterSense label before you buy. Chicago's Express Permit for plumbing asks for an energy and water efficiency compliance form, which is where those fixtures get listed.
Basement bathrooms in bungalows and two-flats
Chicago has more than 80,000 bungalows, most built from about 1910 to the mid-1930s as a story and a half over a full basement, according to the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association. Many owners want a second bath downstairs. Two Chicago issues decide the price.
First, sewer backup. Chicago's combined sewer can push water back into the lowest drains in heavy rain. If the basement already has, or will get, an overhead sewer, the basement toilet and shower drain into an ejector pit and are pumped up to a pipe near the ceiling. Chicago-area plumbers quoted by Angi in 2021 put a full overhead sewer at about $12,000 to $14,000. Our Chicago plumbing guide covers the options.
Second, the permit path. The Express Permit for interior work allows plumbing that adds up to 5 water supply fixture units, and the city counts a private bathroom as 4 (Express Permit, interior alteration). A new basement bath can fit, but adding a bath and a laundry (2 units) in the same project goes over. New walls also take the job out of the Express Permit and into drawings by an Illinois architect or structural engineer.
Planning for aging in place
The walls and floor are open during a remodel, which makes it the cheapest time to plan for a walker or a wheelchair.
| Feature | What it involves | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Blocking for grab bars | Wood added in the framing before the backer board | Small during framing |
| Grab bar | Installed into blocking or studs | $100 to $350 per bar, national |
| Curbless shower | Recessed or sloped floor, linear drain, wider waterproofing | $3,000 to $6,000 or more, national |
| Lever faucets and a handheld shower | Fixture choice | Within normal fixture budgets |
The grab bar and curbless shower prices are national figures from HomeGuide's grab bar and walk-in shower guides. In a house with a wood-framed floor, recessing it for a curbless entry is structural work, so it needs drawings. Keep the 32-inch minimum shower dimension in mind when planning a seat or a wheelchair turn.
On value, the 2025 Cost vs. Value report found that a universal design bathroom in Chicago cost $38,963 on average and recovered 61.1% at resale, about the same as the national figure. The city's Home Repair Program has offered small accessibility repairs such as grab bars and lever faucets to homeowners, but the Department of Housing says registration will not open in 2026 because of demand (Chicago DOH).
Do you need a permit?
In the City of Chicago, most bathroom remodels need one, and most qualify for the online Express Permit.
| Bathroom work | Permit? | Typical path and fee |
|---|---|---|
| Tile, vanity top, cabinets, paint, no plumbing or wiring changes | No | None |
| Removing and resetting a toilet | No | None |
| Replacing fixtures without changing pipes in the walls | Yes | Express Permit, $75 per toilet room |
| Replacing piping | Yes | Express Permit, $150 per toilet room |
| Interior remodel up to 500 sq ft, no walls moved | Yes | Express Permit, $250 |
| Moving walls, structural floor work, attic conversion | Yes | Drawings by an Illinois architect or engineer |
The exemptions come from the Department of Buildings' no-permit list and the fees from the city's stand-alone fee table. New circuits, GFCI outlets and the exhaust fan wiring are done by a city-licensed electrical contractor; our Chicago electrician guide explains the city's wiring rules.
Three Chicago details catch people out:
- Condo owners need a signed approval letter from the association for any Express Permit, even for work inside their own unit. About one in five Chicago homes is in a building of 50 or more units.
- Homes built before 1978 should be treated as having lead paint. Contractors paid to disturb painted surfaces must be EPA lead-safe certified, and a renovation form may have to be filed with the Chicago Department of Public Health first.
- Owners 65 or older who meet the city's income and residency rules can ask for the building permit fee to be waived on a building of one to three units.
In Naperville, Evanston, Oak Park and the other suburbs, the village building department issues bathroom permits under the Illinois Plumbing Code. In Northwest Indiana, the city or county does.
How long a bathroom remodel takes
The permit is rarely the slow part when the work fits the Express Permit, because the application is online. The build follows a fixed order: demolition, framing repairs and grab bar blocking, rough plumbing and electrical with inspection, the shower liner and a flood test, backer board and waterproofing, tile, fixtures and glass, then the final inspection. Shower glass is measured after the tile is done. If this is the only bathroom in a bungalow, agree with the remodeler on how you will have a working toilet each night. A basement bath that needs an ejector pump or an overhead sewer takes longer because the sewer work comes first.
Is a bathroom remodel worth it in Chicago?
Chicago returns less of a bathroom's cost at resale than the national average. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report found a midrange bathroom remodel in Chicago cost $24,072 and added $15,985 in resale value, recovering 66.4%. The East North Central region recovered 70.9%, and the national figure was 80%. Remodel for your own use first, and keep finishes in line with the rest of the house if you plan to sell soon.
How to check a bathroom remodeler before you hire
- In Chicago, the remodeler needs a city general contractor license; Class E covers projects up to $500,000. Check it in the city's contractor license search.
- The plumbing must be done by a city-licensed plumbing contractor and the wiring by a city-licensed electrical contractor. Ask who they are and check them too.
- Ask what shower liner or waterproofing system they use and whether they flood-test it.
- Confirm the valve, toilet, shower head and faucet meet Chicago's limits and the WaterSense rule.
- Get a written contract for any job over $1,000, as Illinois law requires, with the permit and any condo requirements listed.
Every remodeler in the GOLDGCP network passes six-step vetting: license verification, an insurance check, a background and business check, a portfolio review, client reference calls, and onboarding with a quality score. You pay in milestones, each after you approve that stage. Read about milestone payments.
Areas we cover
GOLDGCP bathroom remodelers work across the Chicago metro in Illinois and Indiana:
- Chicago, from bungalows to high-rise condos
- Evanston
- Oak Park
- Schaumburg
- Naperville
- Aurora
- Joliet
- Northwest Indiana, including Gary, Hammond and Valparaiso
Enter your ZIP code to see bathroom prices for your area and get matched with a remodeler who works there.
How GOLDGCP works
- Tell us about the bathroom: its size, what stays and what moves, and whether it is a house, a two-flat or a condo.
- See prices for your ZIP code, then get matched with 3 vetted, licensed remodelers.
- Your remodeler gives a written estimate, gets the condo letter if needed, and pulls the permit.
- You pay by milestone, for example after rough-in inspection and after the final walkthrough, and follow the job in the client portal.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bathroom remodel cost in Chicago?
Angi reports an average of $10,939 in Chicago, with most between $6,677 and $16,542. Using national data at Chicago's 1.2 cost factor, a mid-range full bath runs $10,800 to $33,600 and a primary bath $24,000 to $72,000. Older bungalows and two-flats can add plumbing or framing work.
Do I need a permit to remodel a bathroom in Chicago?
Yes, if you touch plumbing or wiring. Tile, cabinets and countertops alone need none. Swapping fixtures without changing pipes is a $75 Express Permit per toilet room, and replacing piping is $150. Moving walls needs drawings by an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer.
What size does a shower have to be in Chicago?
In a single-family home, at least 1,024 square inches of floor area measured to the outside, with no side under 32 inches. In other buildings, including two-flats and condos, the minimum is 1,296 square inches with the same 32-inch side.
What fixtures are allowed in a Chicago bathroom?
Toilets up to 1.28 gallons per flush, shower heads up to 2.0 gallons per minute and bathroom faucets up to 1.5 gallons per minute. New and replacement toilets, shower heads and faucets must also meet the EPA WaterSense specification.
Can I add a bathroom in my Chicago basement?
Usually, with the right drainage. A basement bath below the sewer line drains to an ejector pump, often as part of an overhead sewer that protects against backups. The Express Permit allows up to 5 fixture units of new plumbing, and a private bathroom counts as 4.
Does my condo association have to approve my bathroom remodel?
For a Chicago Express Permit, yes. The city asks for an approval letter signed by the property manager or an association officer for any work on condominium property, including inside your own unit. Ask your building about work hours and elevator booking too.
Is a bathroom remodel worth it in Chicago?
It returns less than the national average. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report found a midrange Chicago bathroom remodel cost $24,072 and recovered 66.4% at resale, against 80% nationally. A universal design bath recovered 61.1%.
How we calculate these prices
GOLDGCP starts from national price ranges for each job, taken from published 2026 cost guides and checked against local price guides where they exist. To get a local price, we multiply the national range by the construction cost factor for the metro from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Area Cost Factors (US average = 1.00). For ZIP codes outside the 50 largest metros, the calculator uses the state's price level from the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities. Ranges include labor and standard materials but not unusual site conditions, so a written quote after an inspection is always the final price.
Sources
- How much does a bathroom remodel cost? · HomeGuide
- How Much Does Bathroom Remodel Cost in Chicago, IL? · Angi
- 18-29-417 Showers (Chicago Plumbing Code) · Chicago Municipal Code (American Legal Publishing)
- 18-29-604.4 Maximum flow and water consumption · Chicago Municipal Code (American Legal Publishing)
- Express Permit Program: Interior Alteration · City of Chicago Department of Buildings
- 14A-12-1204.2 Stand-Alone Permit Fees · UpCodes (Chicago Construction Codes)
- 2025 Cost vs. Value Report: Chicago, IL · JLC / Zonda
- Home Repair Program · Chicago Department of Housing
- Area Cost Factors, PAX Newsletter 3.2.1 (2024) · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Regional Price Parities by State · U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis
About this guide
Written by the GOLDGCP editorial team. Prices come from national cost guides adjusted with official construction cost factors for Chicago; rules and statistics come from the agencies and reports linked in the text. We update this page when prices or codes change.