Bathroom renovation cost in Chicago

Computed from 440 recent building-permit filings in Chicago, IL — what people actually declared, not survey guesses.

Typical low · P25$6,500
Median$23,110
Typical high · P75$65,000

✓ Verified from 440 recent building-permit filings in Chicago, IL

Data refreshed July 2026

The short answer: a typical bathroom renovation in Chicago costs around $23,110, with half of all projects landing between $6,500 and $65,000. If a quote falls well outside that range, it isn't automatically wrong — but it deserves an explanation you can understand.

Before you spend on a bathroom renovation

💸 What drives the cost

  • Relocating the toilet or shower drain — moving waste pipes is the expensive part, not the fixtures
  • Waterproofing and tiling labour: floor-to-ceiling tile can cost more than the suite itself
  • Hidden damage: rot or mould found after demolition is the most common overrun

✂️ How to spend less

  • Keep fixtures where they are; replace, don't relocate
  • Large-format tiles cut labour hours versus mosaic or small tiles
  • Hold a 10–15% contingency and you won't be forced into change-order pricing mid-job

🚩 Red flags when hiring

  • No mention of waterproofing/tanking in the quote for a wet area
  • Contractor unwilling to itemise labour vs materials

Next steps for your bathroom renovation

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Bathroom renovation in other cities

Other projects in Chicago

Where this number comes from

Every figure on this page is computed from declared valuations on building permits published by Chicago's open-data portal. We report the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile of 440 recent residential filings — never a single-point "average". Declared values are what applicants file, not final invoices, so treat the range as planning guidance rather than a quote. Full methodology →

Questions people ask

How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Chicago?

Based on 440 recent building-permit filings in Chicago, the median declared cost is $23,110. Half of all projects fall between $6,500 and $65,000.

Are these figures quotes?

No. Permit valuations are what applicants declare when filing, not final invoices. Treat the range as planning guidance and a sanity-check against the quotes you receive.

Why is the range so wide?

Because identical-sounding projects legitimately differ in size, specification and site conditions. That is why we publish the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile instead of a single misleading "average" — you can see where a quote sits in the real distribution.

Planning something else, or somewhere else? Request a city or project — requests decide what we ingest next.