Real cost ranges for Chicago, IL, priced in USD. Every row is what homeowners actually spend across the scope spectrum — the low end is a pull-and-replace on the existing footprint, the high end is a full custom build with premium finishes.
~1 min readUpdated 19 Apr 2026
Cabinets, counters, appliances, and plumbing/electrical updates drive the range. The top of the band reflects full layout changes and premium finishes; the bottom holds for pull-and-replace scopes on the existing footprint.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoTile, fixtures, and waterproofing are the big drivers. Primary and ensuite bathrooms with walk-in showers or freestanding tubs sit near the top of the band; hall baths come in closer to the bottom.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoDetached units and garage conversions vary most by square footage, foundation type, and utility runs. Where local law does not recognize ADUs, this row maps to the nearest annex / granny-flat / laneway equivalent.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoWhole-home scope covers all trades plus permitting, structural, MEP, and finishes. Historic properties, listed buildings, and seismic-retrofit markets sit well above the median.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoMaterial choice (asphalt shingle, tile, standing-seam metal, membrane) dominates the range. Pitch, access, and city-specific wind/fire codes add the rest.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoComposite decking, hardwood, pavers, and concrete slab are the main price bands. Elevated decks and outdoor-kitchen integrations push the high end.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoFraming, insulation, egress windows, and waterproofing move together. Adding a bathroom or full kitchen pushes the cost well above the base finish scope.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoGunite, vinyl-liner, and fiberglass each have distinct price bands. Spa integration, water features, and decking lift the top of the range.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoPrep work (siding repair, pressure wash, priming) is the hidden driver. Coastal and high-UV markets use specialty coatings that cost more but last longer.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoHardwood, LVP, tile, and stone span a wide range. Subfloor repair and leveling for old construction add meaningful cost on top of the finish material.
Scope yours with Baily in ChicagoAsk Baily about your Chicago remodel and you will not be passed around. Chicago has the most complex historic-district overlay in the Midwest, one of the oldest masonry housing stocks in North America, and a freeze-thaw climate that punishes bad detailing the way no Sunbelt market does. Sites like Angi still route a Wicker Park two-flat gut renovation to a dozen contractors without knowing whether any of them have ever tuckpointed a pre-1950 common-brick party wall, filed with the Commission on Chicago Landmarks or coordinated an ice-dam remediation on a slope-roof Lakeview greystone. Baily holds that context. We introduce one Baily-vetted Chicago builder who holds City of Chicago Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) general-contractor registration, who engages IDFPR-licensed roofers and plumbers for regulated scope, who has presented before a Landmark District permit-review committee, and who has sized a whole-home renovation to the 2022 Chicago Building Code and Chicago Energy Conservation Code. One pro per homeowner. No twelve-strangers quote spray, no re-explaining your kitchen scope every week. The builder we introduce is the builder who signs the final inspection with you.
Read the full Chicago guideCost ranges are only half the picture. See how one-builder scoping compares to a bid fan-out before you talk to either.
Tell Baily what you are planning. You will get one vetted local builder, not a pool of strangers. No lead auction, no resold contact details.
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